So Simple, Even a Small-Group Leader Can Do It

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Carl Simmons

…and for that matter, so concise that small-group leaders will actually read it. And if they do, they’ll come away with a framework that can be easily transferred within any small-group ministry.

Jim Egli and Dwight Marable. Small Groups, Big Impact: Connecting People to God and One Another in Thriving Groups. Softcover, 112p., $15.00. ChurchSmart Resources.

Egli (a small-group pastor and author of a dozen books on the subject) and Marable (director of Missions International, which has equipped leaders in more than 50 countries) surveyed more than 3,000 small-group leaders in more than 200 churches to find out what’s working and what isn’t. And while some things might not come as a surprise to many leaders, some things will. (Just one example: One’s giftedness in leadership is not an indicator of a successful group.)

Egli and Marable break it all down into easy-to-digest but meaningful pieces. First, there are the three basic group dynamics—conversion growth, assimilation and group multiplication. And again, a group that’s strong in two dynamics but not the third has a very good chance of stalling. Thus, the need to invest in all four main factors that grow small groups: pray, reach, care and empower.

You might notice a parallel sequence between the two groups; so did the authors. Thus, a chapter is devoted to developing each factor, along with some take-and-use principles and ideas at the end of each chapter.

The authors also place a huge emphasis on empowering leaders, both from inside the group and from outside. In other words, small-group leaders are strongly encouraged to share the load with other emerging leaders in the group, thus growing them in the process; and churches are just as strongly encouraged to have a strong coaching system in place to help both existing and emerging leaders develop.

But above all, Egli and Marable stress, “[T]he one most critical factor to having a vibrant small group is relationship—relationship with God and relationship with others. Growing groups have leaders that are connected to God and empowering others. Their members are giving themselves to one another and to those who don’t yet know Jesus.”

If this sounds like the kind of small-group ministry you’ve been trying to create (and if not, why not?), then pick this book up. To find out more about this book and ministry, go to smallgroupsbigimpact.com, or visit the good people at ChurchSmart Resources.

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Follow ME?

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Think about a time when you had to do something brand-new that you thought you already understood—for instance, a move to a new town, a new job, or a new church. What skills and experiences were you able to use in your new situation? What “great ideas” from your past just didn’t work? What did you learn from that time of transition?

We continue our Wednesday series today, by beginning to think through how to invite and transition others into the work God’s called us to. For many, this is even more important than the ability to cast vision with a bigger group, because this is where you’ll identify the people who’ll walk most closely with you as you follow God’s vision together.

Rick Rusaw, in The Externally Focused Church, observes, “I used to teach that vision is a clear, compelling magnetic image of a preferable future…. Then I got involved in actual leading. Since then I’ve discovered that vision is more like a compass than a roadmap. It provides direction; it guides; it motivates toward a desirable future.”

Thus, this is also the stage where you’ll be able to identify what the real issues are—the fears, the gaps in your plans, the old things people need to let go of to embrace this new thing. It’s an opportunity to invite others to help you think things through—even if they don’t join you.

So let’s start by looking at how Jesus invited the disciples to join Him. Open a new tab, look at Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 9:9, and John 1:35-50, then think about this:

• What common threads do you find in Jesus’ invitations? How do you see Jesus “tweaking” his invitation, depending on who He was giving it to?
• There’s a lot of things Jesus doesn’t say here. Why do you think He doesn’t say them?
• Is inviting others to join in God’s work really as simple as Jesus makes it look? Are we the ones who make it complicated? Why do you think that?

OK, so we’re not recruiting disciples, at least not in the same sense Jesus was. But as you’ve been developing the vision God’s put on your heart, you’ve likely been thinking of people you want to say “follow me” to. So let’s begin to really process this.

First, take 10 minutes to write down the names of those people you want to talk to. Afterward, then think through and write your answers to these questions:

• What gets each of these people excited about Jesus?
• How will I need to change my approach for each person—or do I just say it?
• How can I invite them into helping me think this vision through, whether they “join the team” or not?

Then do it. Get with the people you’ve written down. Talk things through with them, taking into consideration not only what God’s showing you but how God’s built them. And as you do, may He continue to grow and shape His vision within you—and those you speak with.

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But What Does God WANT Me to Do?

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
   and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices! (Psalm 37:3-7, ESV)

“Love God, and do whatever you please.”—Saint Augustine, “Sermon on 1 John 7, 8″

Wait. Read those again. How can both statements be right? What helps us know whether our desires are really God’s, too? And for that matter, if our desires really are God’s desires, what reasons might God have for not fulfilling them?

Hold the thoughts you’ve just had. You’ll need them later on.

We’ve spent the last several Mondays exploring how God’s built each of us—our gifts, our passions, our desires, and the things God wants to accomplish through us. Today, we look at all those pieces God’s given us and start figuring out how they all fit together.

One great indication of how it all comes together is from Frederick Buechner’s book Wishful Thinking: “The kind of work God usually calls you to do is work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world needs most to have done. The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

So, think about the gifts you know God’s given you—or that others say they’ve seen in you. Where are others confirming what you’re seeing? Or, what are they consistently noticing that you haven’t, but now you’re starting to wonder if they’re on to something?

Then think about this: What gets you excited? Who’s God given you the biggest heart for? What can’t you imagine not being able to do?

So, then: What are some ways your gifts and your passions could come together for God’s glory?

It might be something you’re already doing. It might be something you’ve thought about but haven’t yet taken the next step with. For that matter, it might be something you’ve thought of just now. And you might think of something that seems totally off-the-wall at first—but don’t throw it out just yet. Don’t feel you have to come up with the perfect answer; just start throwing ideas out there. You never know what God might use you to bring out.

Now, let’s come back for a reality check—not that God isn’t revealing something huge that He’s already prepared you to do, but to realize that God’s work isn’t a magic formula but… well, work:

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, ESV).

• Why is it important to have both desire and discipline when running a race of any kind? How do—or should—the two work together?
• Reflecting on today, which do you need more in your own race—whatever that looks like—desire or discipline? Or is it something else?
• What could most help you in training for your race right now?

We’ve considered some big things. Some of you are ready to jump right into something new and exciting. Some of you might be feeling recharged after thinking about things that matter to you and you’re already involved with. Yet others of you might be thinking, “All this is great, but I still don’t have a clue what to do next.” And that’s OK, too.

The only wrong answer here is, “God doesn’t care about where I’m at.” God wants to use every good thing in our lives to reveal His goodness to others. So take the time to share with others what God is doing in your life,  and to pray for your situation. Invite God into the process. After all, He’s the one stirring all this up within you to begin with. As Dallas Willard said in The Divine Conspiracy, “To trust the real person Jesus is to have confidence in him in every dimension of our real life, to believe that he is right about and adequate to everything.” May God bless what He wants to do through each of you!

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Sharing the Vision

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Think about a time when you couldn’t “see the big picture”—a painful time that something positive came out of, or a promise you had to wait for, for example. How did you handle the waiting? And what was it like trying to explain to others what you were going through? What was it like when the pieces finally fell into place? And what or who helped you while you waited?

“If it is that difficult to describe something perceived through the senses, imagine how much harder it is to put words around what does not come through the senses!” said St. John of the Cross in Dark Night of the Soul. “The language of God is like this.”

Last Wednesday, we discussed the importance of finding others we can be open with—others who can support us in prayer, and by doing whatever God puts on their hearts to do as a result of those prayers. Now we take this one step further. It’s time to bring this vision out in the open where even more people can see it—and hopefully become a part of it in some way.

This is a big and often tricky step. By putting ourselves out there, we’re opening ourselves up to people who we pretty much can guarantee won’t catch the vision right away. But as we share what’s really moving us—Who’s really moving us—we also develop new relationships. People get the opportunity to see where they fit into this new thing. Real needs get revealed. And as relationships develop, others begin to get excited about what God wants to do—maybe even to the point where they can let go of whatever fears or established ways of doing things might be holding them back.

It’s not easy for others to understand what God’s showing us. It probably hasn’t been easy for us to get what God’s showing us, and we’ve probably been at it a lot longer. So let’s look at an example of someone else about to “go public” with what God showed him, and then explore what that struggle might look like for us. Open a new tab,  read Exodus 3:7-14, 4:1-14, and 4:28-31, and then think about this:

• Truthfully, how much does Moses’ experience feel like where you’re at right now? Why?
• How does God reassure Moses that his message will be heard?
• How might our anticipation of people’s reactions affect what, and how, we share? Think of both positive and negative examples.
• What parts of this vision are you sure are God’s, too? How can keeping the focus there, rather than on your own ideas, help you share more effectively?

It’s important that we don’t just share the plans in our heads, but that we share the burden God’s put on our hearts. Plans will change. The people around you will change. Maybe even the focus of what you think this vision was about will shift. But whatever truly comes from God will survive all those changes. Keep that the center as you share, and don’t ever leave that center. Let God sort out the details. And let’s move on.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Field of Dreams, you know it’s not just about baseball. This pair of scenes (go here and here) gives a great illustration of a skeptic finally getting the vision — and what kind of sacrifice from others it took for him to get there. Check it out, then think it over:

• What “realities” did Ray have to look past to keep sight of his vision?
• What did it take for the vision to become real to Mark?
• What risks or sacrifices might you need to make to show how much you believe in God’s vision, so others can, too?

He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better’ (Luke 5:36-39, NIV).

• What specific resistance do you expect from others as you share this new thing? What’s “just fine” about the old things that might get defended as you share?
• How can you validate what others have already done while showing them the need for change?
• How willing are you to change, so that you can walk others through this vision in a way that they can see it? What will that look like?

We’ve talked a lot about talking a lot about vision. So let’s wrap up by putting some of our talk into practice. Come up with a no-more-than-one-minute statement. Be as clear and simple as possible. Then, find someone to share it with, and let that person give you feedback. What helped him or her understand the vision? What got in the way of understanding? What didn’t that person say that needed to be said?

Ask God to show you how to make His vision real to the people you need to share it with. And may God break down resistance, so that both you and those you speak to would be able to open your hearts further to this new thing God wants to do in your midst.

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Letting God Unwrap Your Gifts

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Some of us have known what we wanted to be since we were very young. For most of us, however, our dreams have been changed over the years, maybe even much later in life than we expected. And for many of us, coming to know Jesus changed our dreams, too. As we’ve handed over things we’ve wanted or that we’ve done and relied upon, the Spirit has given us new desires and dreams. Some things you may already be putting into practice; others we’re still figuring out; and yet others the Spirit has yet to reveal to us because God knows we’re not ready yet.

Neil Cole makes a great observation in his book Search & Rescue: Becoming a Disciple Who Makes a Difference: “If we get to thinking that it is our best assets that make us most valued to the Lord, we are close to being useless. We must become acquainted with our weaknesses if we are to see him use us for great purposes.”

So, what are the next steps God might be preparing us for? What does God need to change in us first so these things can happen? And, how we can help clear the way to let God do that in our lives? Let’s dig into that today. Let’s start by looking at a couple different passages, including my favorite (first passage, second verse):

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully (Romans 12:1-8, NIV).

• Practically speaking, what does it mean to be a “living and holy sacrifice”? How does it enable us to know God’s “good and pleasing and perfect” will—and actually do it?
• Look at verses 4 through 8 again. How does having a sacrificial attitude help us deal with those who are built differently from us?

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, NIV).

• How does it help for you to know that it’s God who makes us “qualified”? What, if anything, bugs you about that idea?
• Does that mean we do nothing and just wait until God’s ready give us our next task? Why or why not?

A great illustration of someone discovering their gifts occurs in the movie Walk the Line. Watch Johnny Cash (OK, Joaquin Phoenix) here, then think through these questions:

• What different emotions do you see Johnny go through during this scene?
• In one sense, Johnny was using his gift throughout this scene, but something changed. What was it, and what helped it to change?
• “All right, let’s bring it home”: Why is it easier to play “that same… tune”—at your job, with your friends, in your church, wherever—than to do “something different… something real”?
• What are the rewards to discovering and singing your “one song”? What are the risks? And in each case, what might that look like?

Here’s something else to think about, courtesy of Mark Driscoll (The Radical Reformission): “The trick to uncovering people’s values is to assess how they invest their time, energy, money, and passion…. Ideals are what you want; values are what you do. Ideals become values only if they are lived out.”

So let’s get down to the bottom lines here:

• What’s something you know God’s gifted you with—again, spiritually, materially, or both—that you wish God would tell you what he wants done with it?
• If there was one thing at all you could do for God right now, and knew for sure it’d work, what would you do?
• Be honest, then: Why aren’t you already doing it?
• What do you need to grab hold of—or let go of—so God can turn your “ideals” into “values”?

What ideal or dream have you been talking about—and doing nothing about—for way too long? Address it this week. Figure out who you need to talk to, or what other actions you need to take, and begin to make it happen. Don’t go in expecting you have to know everything—or maybe even anything—but expect that as you move forward, God will honor your steps of faith and guide you in the way you need to go. And may God give you the wisdom and courage to take the next steps He wants  you to take.

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Pieces of Pick Up Your New Life

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Carl Simmons

(Not to fear: This is the standard Friday Lay It Down feature. However, in this case it’s rudimentary thoughts for the final week/chapter…. because we’re not just called to lay things down, after all….)

Just as we’re here because we’ve recognized Christ as our eternal Savior, we need to recognize Him as our Savior, and our life, from moment to moment. Paul David Tripp, in his book Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, says: “Remember, it is impossible to celebrate God’s work of transformation without confessing your need for more. No one is more ready to communicate God’s grace that someone who has faced his own desperate need for it.”

Let’s face it, some of these things can sound pretty abstract. But we need for these things to become as real to us as our salvation has become real to us… just as God Himself has become real to us. It’s OK if you nod your head in agreement right now—as long as you promise to pursue it with God later on. OK?

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People sometimes think walking in the Spirit invites abuse. The fact is, it’s the counterfeits of walking in the Spirit that invite the abuse, not the real thing. If we are truly in Christ, it will be impossible to go out into left field. Christ takes care of us.

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Our natural experience is life and death, and it extends to everything else in this life. The resurrection life is life and life only.

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Josh Hunt: All About Making Groups Grow

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Here’s another Other Voice I should’ve gotten to sooner….

Josh Hunt is a prolific author, speaker, and overall enthusiast of  growing small-groups and Sunday School classes, and it’s not hard to catch his enthusiasm once you’ve been around him. Trust me, I know. We worked together on his most recent book, Make Your Group Grow: Simple Stuff That Really Works (2010), and in it you’ll find… well, simple stuff that really works. We do make small groups more complicated than they need to be, after all.

Josh surveyed more than 1,000 small-group leaders, and shares those findings here, as well as how to implement them. (Did I mention that implementing them is pretty simple, too?)

And you like this book, there’s more where that came from. You can learn and read more about Josh at his blog, here (and to the lower right). Read him. Enjoy him. Hire him for your next small-group seminar, in fact. And we’ll meet up again tomorrow.

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Can I Pray for You?

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Over the last several Wednesdays, we’ve been exploring  what it takes to develop a God-given vision. We’re a point this series now, or will be soon, when it’s time to share what God’s been putting on our hearts, so others can lift up that vision along with us.

And because it’s a God thing, prayer isn’t just a nice add-on. It’s our lifeline. It’s our ultimate reality check, with the Ultimate Reality. It’s also our way of connecting others with God’s work, in a way that they can see it’s God’s work, too. So let’s explore how we can engage with God more deeply in prayer, and how we can invite others along with us on this journey.

While prayer is something we all do—or maybe because it is—it can also become something we take for granted, either by going through the motions or by forgetting the awesome power there is in prayer. So today, let’s look at this subject through fresh eyes, and discover how our prayers can play a much bigger role as we dive deeper into the plans God has for us.

So for starters, read the following two quotes:

“Tomorrow I plan to work, work, from early until late. In fact I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”—Martin Luther

“Do you and I have work that we can’t imagine doing for thirty minutes without prayer? If not, perhaps we need a new life’s work. Or perhaps we need to do an old life’s work in a new way.”—Gary Haugen, Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian

• What are your reactions to these quotes? Why?
• How have your prayers changed over the past month, as God has been affirming and expanding the vision he’s given you?

God has given us a mission in this world. But it’s still God’s mission. God is our ultimate authority. God will give us what we ask for—or very likely, something even better, even if we don’t recognize that right away. God’s power and God’s provision go together. And with that, it’s time for another case study. Tab up, and read Acts 4:13, 18-35. Then think about this:

• How do you see others catch and spread the vision by “[being] with Jesus” here, either in prayer or, in Peter and John’s case, physically?
• What connections do you see here between our prayers and our willingness to help others?
• What needs do you see around you right now that need to be prayed about—and met?

“If we do not yearn and pray and expect God to stretch out his hand and do the supernatural, it will not happen,” says Jim Cymbala in Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. “That is the simple truth of the matter. We must give him room to operate.”

Most of us would welcome support of any kind, whether it’s prayer or encouragement or the meeting of a tangible need. But often, this requires letting go of some pride and allowing ourselves to be supported. It means being open about what our real needs are. But the benefits far outweigh a temporarily bruised pride, or our fear of admitting we need help.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV).

• Where are you struggling to find God’s peace right now? What’s the need behind that struggle?
• Why do we hold onto our needs, instead of immediately giving them to God? Why do we often forget to thank God after we’ve given those needs to him?
• How could we catch ourselves earlier, so we can share our needs—and our gratitude—sooner?

A couple more passages on prayer (and work) to consider, then we’ll close this out:

Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:19-20, NIV).

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:12-13, NIV).

• What are the benefits of having others praying with us and for us? Come up with as many ideas as you can, either from these passages or your own experiences.
• Who’s your Epaphras, and why?
• How could having a group of Christ-followers like Epaphras in your life help you grow in your mission?

We need people in our lives who are as faithful in seeking God’s will for us as we are—or better yet, even moreso. We need people we can be vulnerable with, so they know how to pray for us—and help us. And as our relationships deepen, we’ll be able to help each other in ways that only God could have made possible, because we’ll have invited God into every step of it. And the people you need to share your vision with right now may be just the people to start with.

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Experience Is the Best Teacher

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Who’s the best teacher you’ve ever had—whether it was at school or somewhere else? In what ways did he or she positively impact your life?

When have you found yourself in the role of teacher? What did you find rewarding, or unrewarding, about it?

What do you enjoy more, learning from others or teaching them? Why?

Today we’re going to spend time with another set of teachers—God, and the experiences God uses to prepare us for his good works. Looking back on our lives, it’s not always easy to figure out how we got here—or to believe that God could use what we’ve been through, let alone the things we’ve done to ourselves. But God knows every experience we’ve ever had—everything we’ve accomplished, everything we’ve learned, everything we’ve suffered through, every stupid mistake we wish we could take back—far better than we do. God is still creating us, in the sense that he’s shaping each of us into the people he wants us to be. And God wants to use everything in us to create something special, in your life and in every life you come in contact with.

Therefore, we’re going to reflect on the times and places God has already met us throughout our lives. It may have been a mountaintop experience when you knew God was doing incredible things and you were in the middle of it; it might have been a time you were in the valley, but God was still especially close; it may have been a time you didn’t even know God was working through, but looking back you can clearly see what God was up to.

Read the following questions, and think about when God has been especially present in your life. If possible, write down your answers as they come to you. Take at least five minutes to reflect on this:

• When have you taken a big step of faith and/or obedience because you knew it was what God wanted?
• When have you been conscious of God guiding your steps, whether you knew it at the time or realized it later on?
• When have you felt most fulfilled in your walk with Jesus? What was taking place in your life at the time?

Now, rearrange the moments you thought of, in the order they happened. Then review your list and try to answer the next set of questions. If you don’t have answers right now, that’s OK, but start thinking about it:

• What patterns, if any, do you see in where God’s taken you up to this point?
• Based on what you’ve written (or even if it’s not based on what you’ve written), where do you think God may be trying to take you next?

God has done some incredible things in our lives—things that have fulfilled the desires of our hearts as well as His, times when He’s even let us help Him although He could have done it all Himself, even things that may have been painful at the time but have helped others to see God’s glory. God wants to reveal Himself even more, and to use it—use you—to reveal his life in you to every person God puts you in contact with.

And yet, a lot of the time we’re not even aware of how God’s been working with us. We think if it’s not spectacular—or at least our definition of spectacular—it’s not God who’s working within us. However, as A.B. Simpson says in The Fourfold Gospel.“We do not have to get up into some exalted state to find Christ, or down into some profound and terrible experience. We can find Him everywhere we are…. We can take Him as we are, and He will lead us into all the experiences we need.”

May we take those words to heart this week, and beyond.

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Lay Down Your Idols

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Carl Simmons

We have been created for worship. Therefore, we will ultimately worship something, even if it’s something less than God. Peter Kreeft, in Christianity for Modern Pagans, aptly points out, “The alternative to theism is not atheism but idolatry.” Even as Christians, the temptation to worship something in God’s creation—or of our own “creation,” for that matter—remains, and we can often fall victim to it without even realizing.

If we’re willing to look closer, what we worship—read: what we place above us—is the person or thing we believe will give us the most pleasure or benefit. We may subjugate ourselves to it, but ultimately it’s still about us. So let’s frame the question this way: What do you let serve you, other than God? That’s your idol, or at least your potential idol.

Still having problems identifying your idols? Let me make it even easier, albeit in ascending order of emotional difficulty. By the time we’re done, this may feel more like a pile-on than simply moving from one category to the next, but only means we’ve uncovered a big idol. So let’s….

Follow the money. Well, where does it go? And for that matter, how much of your “essential” spending is essential? As you observe where your money goes, think about the feelings you have in relation to those “purchases.” What are you really trying to buy? Security, pleasure, reputation?

Follow your time. Same idea. Where’s your time going? And again, yes, some blocks of time are immovable or at least difficult to change. But where does your “down time” go? And for that matter, do you need to spend that much time at work, or is it a choice? Either way, what’s motivating those choices?

Follow your tongue. Now it gets harder—first of all, because you actually have to listen to what comes out of your mouth. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34, KJV). So, what does your abundance look like? Or to put it bluntly: What are you full of? And why?

Follow your fear. What causes you anxiety? What makes you defensive? What do you find yourself unnaturally worried about? Don’t stop and justify it with, “Well, I have to, because….” Just answer the question. Then answer this one: What’s that fear telling you about what you truly value? What idol is lurking behind that fear, pulling the strings?

Follow this sentence to its ultimate conclusion: “My life is wasted unless I…” As you do this, take special note of that last little word. Because ultimately, all of this idol talk is about the I. We turn to our I-dols because we don’t believe that what God has for I is good enough. And yet, our own efforts ultimately leave us feeling even emptier—as if our lives have been wasted.

Here’s the thing: God doesn’t feel your life is a waste. Ever. You don’t have to fix it. And anything in your life that does need fixing is God’s responsibility. But we have to let Him handle it.

What’s more—and we’ll delve more into this in future weeks: Your life is a small speck in the face of eternity. Any “waste” that’s happened, or is happening now, is not only redeemable but nothing in the face of God’s glory. And as you lay down the idols you’ve identified, God will take that “waste” and transform it into something that reflects that glory.

As we close this section on laying down your past, there’s probably no better way to do so than with Romans 8:1-2: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (NIV). The past is as done as you want it to be. God will use it as He sees fit—not to condemn you, but to transform you back into His image. So lay down the things we worship aside from God, and let’s move into the present.

Lay It Down Today

So, where did all that “following” lead you today? Now’s the time to lay those things down—literally, if possible.

For every idol you identified, try to find a physical item that represents it. Is it a home or car? Get out your keys. Money? Get out your wallet or purse. Reputation? Find an award or some other item.

Then, get on your knees before God. No, seriously, do it. Then lay down each of these items before Him. Confess how, and why, they’ve become idols in your life. Then ask God to help you to trust Him, and to use these items for His glory instead of yours. Then thank God that He is the one who’s truly worthy of your worship, and begin living more in that reality.

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