Yesterday I posed the question, for what do I (we) stand?
Today, I have some answers.
I stand for those things that the scriptures tell me I am supposed to stand. I stand, first of all, for the name, the person of Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. Point blank period. I stand for those things that He stood for, such as the release of the captives, the healing of the sick and the confounding of the religious.
I stand, solidly believing that our community can be reached with the gospel. Sure, the people of our township do not think that they need anything. They think that their lives are just fine. (Or do they?) This is not an excuse for inaction. There are churches not only surviving, but thriving and growing in some of the darkest, hardest, most self-sufficient areas of our country.
Look at Washington, DC. About 4 churches come to mind in the DC metro area that are growing, impacting people’s lives for Christ. DC is the heart of our country–you know, where most of the powerful people in our country and our world have their offices. Yet churches are impacting that area for Christ.
Look at NYC. I heard recently of a church there whose vision is to reach every metropolitan area–ok, not every, only the largest metropolitan areas in the world. I know a few New Yorkers. For the most part, they think they are the center of the world. Yet there are churches sprouting up in NYC.
Look at Los Angeles. I’d say that Mosaic is making a bit of an impact on what I perceive to be the darkest area of our country. Not to mention the 10 other churches I could name on the fly who are rocking the west coast.
Even Boston, only a few miles from where the Mayflower landed and religion permeated our soil, a few miles from where the Salem Witch trials occured. Even Boston has a move of God going on. One church that I know of opened its doors with over 400 people. If you’ve ever visited or lived in Boston, you know that is a miraculous move of God.
Please do not read this and think, “Oh, that Deneen. She’s all about numbers. She doesn’t care about the depth of the change.” Puhlease. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt friends. I write these things because they challenge me and my way of thinking. If God can move in these places, he can move anywhere.
God has placed me in South Jersey for this season of my life. Again. My personal nightmare. I have to believe that with the faith of a mustard seed, that God can move mountains. If I don’t believe that, I have to believe that God has a wicked sense of humor. I don’t want to be in the belly of a fish, hanging out with nastiness to get that faith.
I know that God has placed me on earth to release the captives, to heal the sick, to speak life to the dead, to do greater things than Jesus did while He was on earth. Because my Bible tells me so. So, I have to believe that He wants to move in South Jersey.
Are you with me?
Deneen White 