Broken to Reach a Community

I attended an Evangelism Conference for our State Convention yesterday... and I have to admit it was pretty good. Didn't really learn anything new, but the reminders were needed. I also got a chance, along with some other church planters, to hang out at lunch with Ed Stetzer, who was one of the keynote speakers and breakout presenters. That was also pretty cool! He seems really personable and easy to engage...

One of the things that Ed said that stuck with me was that many church planters have "dream congregations"... they minister in a fantasy world. He said this is primarily because they have experienced community lust and demographic envy: they have fallen in love with a community of their dreams... but not with the community where they minister. Wow...

I'm praying for my heart to be continually broken for the unchurched people of College Park... it's students, residents, and leadership. An awakening will only happen as those of us who fear God have our hearts broken! He always uses greatly those whom He breaks deeply...

Brokenness isn't fun... but its resulting transformation (when we respond in obedience) makes it worth the pain. And until we experience the pain of being broken by God, we can never effectively minister to the hurts and pains of others.