Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Chump This!
I am a chump.
(In Luke 10, Jesus sends out these "chumps" or 72 others to carry out His mission in places He intended to go.)
I am a chump. Plain and simple. No special walking on water powers or magical staffs or multiplying fish and loaves. I am just me, with all of my brokenness, insecurities, doubts, failures...If anyone could be called a chump, it would be me: Chumpiest Chump Chumpity. So why does God choose to send chumps (me) not in spite of the chump-like qualities, but because of the chump-like qualities? Because then stuff like tonight's small group could happen.
We expected a similar small group to last week, 9 people willing to give an hour of their time to hang out with us and learn about Jesus. Ha! So dorming started off later than usual, but with more road bumps: Bio test on Friday, Psych test tomorrow, essays, homework, friends...And on top of that a student wanted to use the lounge for a study session. We agreed to go to the basement, where people only visit to do their laundry and maybe risk using that old microwave. But we were determined to still have small group. When it came time to gather people from the lounge to the basement, 1 student followed. One. Ralph and I consisted of more than half the small group! I was disappointed. Ralph was disappointed. We expected big things from God, and one of those was numbers. But we started anyways. I was leading, which means that my stress and anxiety are pretty high already. Eventually 2 more people came, and then the most amazing thing happened. God moved!!!!
I've never had a small group like it. Conversations flowed naturally from every person in the group. I think the longest pause for silence was 3 seconds max. My questions made sense and the students connected it to their lives and experiences. The first observation was even connected to Fidel Castro. Scripture came alive. People were honest and vulnerable. No waiting for OIA or answering questions in order or for that matter at all. It was the most organic small group I've ever been in!
God really changed our expectations for a good small group tonight. It's not about the numbers or the best questions or the perfect order. God can make beautiful and good out of chaos and honesty. I was honest with God right before small group in recognizing my chumpness. It wasn't going to be my abilities or giftings to get us through that small group. It had to be Him. It always is. So tonight I took my own teaching point to heart: In our weakness, God is strong. God is more than enough for all the chumps of the world. ;) And I am proud to be one of them, just as He created. Chump that!
(In Luke 10, Jesus sends out these "chumps" or 72 others to carry out His mission in places He intended to go.)
I am a chump. Plain and simple. No special walking on water powers or magical staffs or multiplying fish and loaves. I am just me, with all of my brokenness, insecurities, doubts, failures...If anyone could be called a chump, it would be me: Chumpiest Chump Chumpity. So why does God choose to send chumps (me) not in spite of the chump-like qualities, but because of the chump-like qualities? Because then stuff like tonight's small group could happen.
We expected a similar small group to last week, 9 people willing to give an hour of their time to hang out with us and learn about Jesus. Ha! So dorming started off later than usual, but with more road bumps: Bio test on Friday, Psych test tomorrow, essays, homework, friends...And on top of that a student wanted to use the lounge for a study session. We agreed to go to the basement, where people only visit to do their laundry and maybe risk using that old microwave. But we were determined to still have small group. When it came time to gather people from the lounge to the basement, 1 student followed. One. Ralph and I consisted of more than half the small group! I was disappointed. Ralph was disappointed. We expected big things from God, and one of those was numbers. But we started anyways. I was leading, which means that my stress and anxiety are pretty high already. Eventually 2 more people came, and then the most amazing thing happened. God moved!!!!
I've never had a small group like it. Conversations flowed naturally from every person in the group. I think the longest pause for silence was 3 seconds max. My questions made sense and the students connected it to their lives and experiences. The first observation was even connected to Fidel Castro. Scripture came alive. People were honest and vulnerable. No waiting for OIA or answering questions in order or for that matter at all. It was the most organic small group I've ever been in!
God really changed our expectations for a good small group tonight. It's not about the numbers or the best questions or the perfect order. God can make beautiful and good out of chaos and honesty. I was honest with God right before small group in recognizing my chumpness. It wasn't going to be my abilities or giftings to get us through that small group. It had to be Him. It always is. So tonight I took my own teaching point to heart: In our weakness, God is strong. God is more than enough for all the chumps of the world. ;) And I am proud to be one of them, just as He created. Chump that!
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