“It’s not difficult to reach the community. It’s just really hard to change the church.” Our cities are longing for life. But to reach them, we have to reposition our churches. It’s not hard to have people come to faith in our services. But the call is to go. It’s not especially hard to grow a church. Yet church growth should not be the highest goal. It’s not hard to make disciples. But the call is to make disciples who change cities. It’s not difficult to raise up impressive structures. But the call is to raise sons and daughters who will serve the King of Kings. It’s not especially challenging to create irresistible gathered environments. But the call is to release unstoppable, impassioned scattered servants.
Let me introduce you to a scattered servant named Ben. He was visiting a family in our church when he noticed a group of young men drinking beer. He sensed the Holy Spirit prompt him to talk to them. Locking eyes with the guy who appeared to be the leader of this bunch, Ben declared, “You are drinking because you split from your girlfriend two days ago. Is that correct?” The man’s eyes widened suddenly, and he nodded in assent. “Jesus sent me with a message for you,” Ben said. “He told me that you are just like me. You gave up rugby a few months ago due to an ACL injury, and you have been grieving because you can’t play anymore. Then Ben lifted his trouser leg to reveal the surgical scar from his own ACL damage. By now the young man and his friends were in shock. “You are also like me,” Ben continued, “because your dad is a minister and my dad is a minister. Is that right?” The man nodded, his mouth hanging open. “I would like to pray with you,” Ben said. And he did.
I’ll tell you about another scattered servant named Nick. He was out shopping with his wife when he sensed God prompt him to approach two young women. Unsure how to start a conversation, Nick waited for God to reveal Himself. Then he said to one of the women, “I think you have a tattoo on your arm.” The lady laughed. After all, it’s not uncommon for people to have tattoos on their arms, and Nick’s pronouncement hardly represented spectacular insight. Undaunted, Nick continued: “Your tattoo is a name. It’s the name of your daughter. You lost her.” Unable to retain her composure any longer, the woman began weeping and soon poured out her story of loss. After talking with Nick for a long while, she opened her life to Christ.
Now, imagine a church with everyone leading the community into life through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. A church with everyone reaching the “unreachable.” A church with everyone risking to do the “impossible.” A church with everyone giving everything to help people say yes to God. Although I have the privilege of leading this kind of church, it hasn’t always been that way. It took a long time to learn that God is doing more beyond the church than He is in church.” – Alan Scott
“Allow me to ignite your imagination, a divine gift revered in Ephesians (Ephesians 3:20, NIV), which reminds us that God can do exceedingly abundantly far above all that we ask or think, to ask you to imagine our church, The Bridge Network, guided by the Holy Spirit, reaching out to the influx of unbelievers who frequent our facilities and poolside for entertainment, but doing so in a supernatural manner.
Imagine our outreach program at IART at Moor Plantation transforming into a dynamic, divine lifeline for students and others in the city. We will leverage the same facilities and The Bridge Network Facilitators to bridge gaps in their lives and education, guiding them toward a divine purpose we act out as scattered servants.
How would our prayer meetings and midweek services metamorphose? I firmly believe they would evolve, led by God’s Holy Spirit, into purpose-driven gatherings with clear objectives and a profound impact on the lives of those we are diligently working to bring into the Kingdom of God and introduce to our Lord and Savior.
Can you visualize attending a meeting like this? Coordinated prayer gatherings led by our dedicated prayer team, complemented by choir outreach, with our first-timer units ready to follow up on these individuals through our programs. Simultaneously, our Men’s and Women’s Groups will provide expertise to mentor these individuals toward a brighter future.
The only thing that holds us back is the courage to step into uncharted territory and attempt what has not been done before. While established church models may be lacking, we can return to foundational kingdom principles and fundamentals. I recently encountered a quote that has illuminated God’s will and plans:
“Loyalty to God is fundamental. Feelings, words, and deeds must align, like beads strung on the string of duty. Let the world try to define your purpose in countless ways, but remain steadfast, declaring, ‘Here I am to do Your will, O my God.’ From this unwavering duty, a beautiful life will blossom—one profoundly true to God, a life capable of thriving in both earthly and heavenly realms.” — Maltbie Davenport Babcock
May I extend this invitation once more—to step out of your comfort zone into the divine calling bestowed upon us. It’s a life of outstanding service to God, one that can truly transform our world. Let us witness what the Lord can accomplish through ordinary people like you and me, using our businesses and careers to facilitate this divine movement.
God bless,
Pastor Francis Madojemu
