When I was a teenager I had a big dream in my heart to reach the nations.
When I was in Bible school, I was particularly passionate to plant churches
in Greece and Albania, and minister in Europe. It has actually taken years
to see some of these dreams come to pass - and I still have so much more I
want to do for God!
People often ask me how I ended up where I am right now, and where I
started. But the truth is if people knew where I started, most of them
wouldn't want to go there. They want the fruit of the ministry, but they are
not prepared to count the cost. When I started serving in church, I started
in the youth ministry, driving young people, setting out chairs, and doing
whatever it took to make youth happen. I never really had the desire to work
in youth ministry, but that was the need of my church at the time (and I did
grow to LOVE it). But I never saw myself as preaching to the multitudes
then, I was simply there to help people. In the natural it might have looked
like a waste of time to serve in a church in Sydney, when my dream was to do
mission's work in Europe. But because I stayed faithful where I was, today I
can do more than I could have ever imagined!
Lots of us miss that point of starting to serve in the local church. We are
waiting for the one big opportunity to come and drop out of the sky. Many
people live more in Christian fantasies than in a God dream.
In the Book of Zechariah, God says to His servant that we are not to despise
the day of small beginnings. (Zechariah 4:10)
None of us start out at our final destination! We are all on a journey and
the best place to start is right where you are! Start serving in your
church, and love people. It is all about helping and loving people, and you
can do that wherever you are. Yes, you may have big dreams in your heart of
how you want to help people, but it is as you are faithful in the little
that God will see He can entrust you with more. It is also as you faithfully
serve your church that you develop relationships, strengthen your character
and build some backbone to be able to last the distance.
If you just start serving where you are God will open doors. God promotes
and finds you wherever you are.
If you have a God dream, no matter how challenging the circumstances might
be - like Joseph in the pit - you should start serving and working towards
that dream right there in the pit. God has put the dream in you and He will
see it brought to completion! Serve where you are, help where you are, love
where you are, and see how God will turn your small beginnings into big
dreams!
Useful link: www.equipandempower.org
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