A postmodern journey of faith...

9/22/2004

Tools of the Trade

"Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick. He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment." (Luke 9:1-4a, The Message)

Wow. That really resonates with me today. In ministry, so often we hide behind stuff and circumstances. For me, it seems more and more that a building and "stuff" may be nothing more than a hinderance to the Gospel--depending on the context. The problem comes when we get so focused on our stuff, using it and maintaining it, that we forget to "keep it simple." Ultimately, it's not my building or my "stuff" that Jesus wants to use to touch somebody. It's me. I am the equipment.

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