Transformation vs. Information

One of the great opportunities I have is to serve in the Traders Point’s Student Ministry.  In addition to hanging with some great students and leaders, I enjoy hearing the message @PetieKinder delivers from stage and, in particular, in the pre-game.  Last night, Petie hit on a reoccurring topic that is sticking with me.  It revolves around relationships and what we bring to those relationships.

First, let me give you a bit of background.  For those who know me, you would likely agree that I’m not the most social butterfly in the crowd.  Ask me to grab a cup of coffee and I’ll talk to you for hours; ask me to mingle in a group and make new friends, that’s not something I enjoy.  I believe God has gifted us all a bit differently.  My spiritual gifts are administration and wisdom which also associates me as a “deep thinker” and “doer”.  It just so happens, God gave my beautiful wife the social genes of our family.  Together, we make a pretty good team I must say.

That being said, I have been challenged over the past few years to be more intentional about seeking relationships and last nights pre-game talk by Petie was a good reminder.  In it, Petie compared a few sets of words.  In particular, I’ll capture the following: “Transformation” versus “Information” and “Being” versus “Doing”.

Looking through the lens of our relationship with Christ, are we simply going to church, serving, reading scripture, praying, etc. from a place of “doing” and getting “information” or a place of “being” and “transformation”.  One of the most convicting versus in the Bible for me is Mathew 7:21-23 (ESV):

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

This scripture makes is clear that Christ is more interested in a “relationship” than what we are “doing” for His Kingdom.  Don’t misunderstand me in that “doing” isn’t important, it’s simply a matter of what comes first.  To that end, Petie’s encouragement to the entire student ministry has always been to first focus on your personal relationship with Christ prior to anything else.  In essence, if your walk isn’t right with your relationship with Christ, than it will likely be difficult, if not impossible, to bear fruit in other relationships.

Once our hearts are right and the focus is on Christ, we’re called to make disciples.  As Petie shared last night, the process of disciple making is more about “transformation” than “information”.  A lot of times, we get tied up in our personal agenda to make disciples with a mindset of “doing” and providing “information”.  While this is a part of the process, like mentioned above, it’s a matter of priority.  We must always “be present” and hold “transformation” higher than our personal agendas and need to control the process.

I have referenced John 3:30 (ESV ) multiple times recently:   “³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”  Once again, this verse rings through loud and clear when it comes to relationships.  Or challenge as Christ-followers is to continually loss control of our personal agendas and need to “do” and simply allow Him to work His agenda though us by our “being” available.

Petie’s message and today’s blog serve as a reminder of my need for “more of you, less of me” and a need to continually “be present”.

One response to “Transformation vs. Information”

1. What do God and Almond Joy have to do with one another? | Chris D. Arnold says:

   10/05/2013 at 3:33 pm

   […] into a market? Or, maybe looking at it a different way in correlation to our last blog post on Transformation vs. Information, have I lost focus on my ministry’s core focus of “transformation”? Tough stuff, […]

   Reply