Making Ripples
I find myself praying for pastors and church leaders. My friend and pastor, Efrem Smith at Bayside Church in Sacramento stated in a recent interview, “The church ought to be equipping, empowering and releasing reconciling-disciples of kingdom transformation into this broken, sinful, divided, upside-down world.”
Another friend and pastor/sociologist maintains a podcast entitled, “A Church Dismantled– A Kingdom Restored.” Which has attracted thousands of followers around the world.
How can pastors and others lead effectively into such times of chaos and confusion? It seems to me that I must replace the lens of my glasses and see with new eyes that discern Christ’s leadership through the challenges of today. I can almost hear Jesus saying, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35)
In this season, poets can help us see life with the new eyes that the times demand. It is clear as I talk with pastors and leaders that we cannot continue to call for a life seen through the lens we have worn previously. It is as though we are trying to look through closed eyes. The lens of the past has left many of our church communities discouraged and irrelevant in the eyes of our neighbors and culture. I need to listen to words of my favorite poet, Maya Angelou,”I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” In this season of Epiphany let’s make ripples together in our spheres of opportunity for Christ.
Open Hands stands with you as we pick up stones to make ripples.