Fighting "Rock Middle"

          I heard a missionary speak at the MovementConference this weekend. A great guy who I’ve seen before and is doing great work for the Kingdom of God in India and Laos. His testimony is great too. Not only did he get lost in a world of drugs, sex, and the party lifestyle, he literally brought an entire youth group (leader and all) into his world. God saved him in a mighty way, called him into ministry, and he’s changing the world.

          Those prodigal son, hog pen deliverance stories are inspiring aren't they? It’s amazing to see God do things in someone’s life to grab hold of them when they are at the brink. As I was listening to him I looked around the room and thought about the hundreds of the students in the room who just thought it was a cool story. Those who had a life that was pretty good, and because of that they are content with their station in Christ. They might have “Survival Jesus”, meaning just enough of a relationship to squeak into heaven, but not nearly enough of a relationship to have any joy, peace, or impact when life gets real for them (and it eventually does).  What is the message for these students? How do you save yourself from hitting “Rock Middle” and more importantly how do you move from happily stuck in the middle to getting back in the mix? This issue is pretty large so rather than tackle it in one mammoth post I’m going to break it into three parts. Check back tomorrow for the second installment:

            “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:34-36

           

Step 1: Avoid Dissipation

Dissipation in this sense means, “an act of self-indulgence, especially one that is not-harmful: amusement.” This is huge for American Christians. We are fueled by what moves us and what makes up happy. It’s a cultural movement that is staggering in its ramifications. It creates a relativism that makes all things acceptable to those with “itching ears” (2Tim. 2:3). The CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network, forebodingly abbreviated OWN, states the OWN mission statement as, “How do I get the most fulfillment, what makes me happy, how do I leave a mark on the world?” God called us to more than a life that makes us happy, but many of us, often myself included, are more concerned with whether or not our DVR recorded the new Walking Dead, than moving forward in our walk with Christ. We’re content, happy, and stagnant. We’re happy with the middle. We don’t have that rock bottom experience because we’re stuck in the place we are.

I’ll leave you with this. I had an opportunity through Mercer University to do some mission work in Liberia in Western Africa. I watched a church service one day in the capital of Monrovia. The people worshiped God with a reckless desperation that I was envious of. I asked my teacher, Rev. Olu Menjay,

“How can I get this desperation to live in the American church, we need this.”

He responded,

“You can’t. It’s too easy there. These people know how desperate their situation is and they see that God is the only way that they will live day to day. He’s the only way they will eat, drink, and survive.”

I think maybe he’s right. We’re happy, safe, and content. We don’t always need God to miraculously provide us a meal or clean water. Don’t take me wrong, I praise God for my successes and my wins and my apartment that does not have ten foot poisonous snakes in it (my apartment in Africa did), but I hope I won’t grow satisfied. I hope I will continue to push and fight the middle! I don’t want to be stuck in the middle.

If this particular issue resonates with you please leave comments below so that we can all continue discussion.

Click here for Part Two of Fighting "Rock Middle"!