Unburdened
It is no secret that I love Christmas. However, I am experiencing something I have never experienced before and I find myself unburdened.
This is my second Christmas outside of a campus-based church. Last Christmas was an anomaly because we were moving into our new home. The last Advent Season was a blur and I was just thankful to be out of the camper.
A few days ago Miriam and I were getting our camper ready for winter. I asked her to put on some music and she selected some Christmas tunes. As I listened, I sensed the Presence of Christ in a way I had never felt before. I was deeply and profoundly moved.
Two days later I began to reflect on the incarnation - God made flesh - and I was overwhelmed again by the Presence of Christ. As I have thought on these moments, I have come to realize that I usually enter the Christmas and Easter seasons with a heavy burden. “Will people like the message series?” “Will people be comfortable to invite their friends, family and neighbors?” “Will anyone respond to the call of the gospel?” “How will I retell the stories with new life and creativity?” “How do I celebrate the traditions of our past while leading into the future?” These, and many other questions were a weight on my shoulders and my mind raced with the self-imposed pressures of a campus based ministry.
Not this year. I am unburdened.
My focus is not the series ahead. My focus is not creativity. My focus is not balancing tradition with the future. I have one joy - be the visible presence of Christ to those who are hurting, lost, struggling and have little to no hope. This is a burden of joy, passion and mission.
My leadership team and I get to figure out how to use our resources for the KIngdom. We get to focus on how to make our community a better place. Our discipleship systems are designed to connect people to Christ while keeping people connected to the community where they currently spend their time.
This is such a different feeling and I am unburdened.
Not everyone can, should or is called to do what we have done in our move here. Some are called to a campus based ministry. Regardless of what shape your ministry takes, I encourage you to separate yourself from the self-imposed burdens and allow Christ to set you free to genuinely sense His Presence again. It is my prayer that you also would be unburdened.