Strategic Process and Progress

May 24, 2010   

Acts 1:8  You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 

Jesus laid down a strategic pattern for taking the world for His Father.   Start in Jerusalem and work your way to the uttermost part of the earth.   Just because the New Testament church was empowered by the Holy Spirit – didn’t mean that they should by-pass process.   Process is that which is planned.   We hear a lot about the spontaneous work and movement of the Holy Spirit in worship services.  I absolutely believe in the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit.  I wouldn’t even think about entering into a worship service and not allowing the Holy Spirit His freedom.   But we don’t exempt process to gain progress. 

Process defined is “a systematic series of actions directed to some end; a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite pattern.”  Process.  The church cannot do without it.  No matter if you represent a Pentecostal or charismatic church or a non-charismatic church – you cannot sidestep process.  Jesus Himself introduced process to the church. 

Taking the world for Christ is established to the letter of process by definition.  The “systematic series of actions directed toward some end” is the witnessing of the church that is directed toward expanding the kingdom.   Jesus established the systematic approach – start at Jerusalem, expand to Judea and Samaria and the proceed to the outer most parts of the world.   The amazing thing about this process is this is exactly how the church expanded the kingdom. 

Acts 8:1   Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Yes, the church spread out just like Jesus said it would.  Mind you it happened by persecution but the systematic approach was followed.   God is a God of destiny.    Your destiny has already been established by God.  He has an “end” for you to arrive at.   He also has established your going and coming.  Your steps are ordered of the Lord.   There is a series of actions that point toward your destined end.   

Although God has established our future as He did the church’s – we still have a responsibility to choose accepting it or not.   I don’t know about you but I really want to learn to trust God with my future.  Learning to lean on Him every day is a challenge when it comes to that part of my life I can neither see or know yet.   I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds tomorrow.   The lyrics of this old song still speak to me today.   Trusting God and moving forward.   Knowing strategic process points toward progress is a must for us individually and congregationally.   

One thing about the New Testament church.  Although they knew the power of the Holy Spirit they didn’t sidestep their responsibility in planning and structuring their services and plans for growth.  They learned early that if they did their part – He would do his.   We cannot exempt ourselves from process unless we want to annihilate progress.   We need one to create the other.  Process creates progress.