A MOST FORTUNATE DESIGN

I am very grateful for the way God has designed a believer's life. He plants us amidst the body; the church. We are not a conglomeration of islands trying to unite. We are individuals blended into the growing formation of Jesus still on earth.

When I'm with my elders, I'm a part of the works of Memorial. When I'm with our staff, I'm still in the loop....a meaningful, important loop. When I'm with area ministers, again, I'm drawn into the fascination of getting to be a part of a movement of God that really makes a difference.

See, when I began in ministry it was an individual deal. I was programmed (I'd been trained in a preaching school pressure cooker) to perform ministerial acts. Well....when you are aware you are not much to begin with, it makes it difficult to get much momentum going.

But a thing that changed for me was to realize a most fortunate design of God. I am in a productive community called the church. I am connected to believers who...well...believe! I'm connected to the ministerial artist of the past and all of the believers of the now!

We aren't in the kingdom solo. We are in it via duets, trios, quartets and entire choruses. We are a part of a gigantic movement....not just of our tribe but connected in meaning as well as in search of truth with many other believing units.

We win together. We suffer together. We heal together. We are a part of a body...not a part of many bodies. We are productive, we are useful, we are successful....because of a most fortunate design.