S1 Ep51: "Initiative does not need permission", Newsletter, Episode 51 - a podcast by Malcolm Cox
from 2020-06-21T20:59:54
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Several events happened this week to remind me that initiative does not need permission.
The success of the "Is there a message in the mayhem?" series astonished me. Certainly I had high hopes. However, the global reach, the larger than expected numbers and the grateful feedback took me by surprise. The full session can be found here. We are planning more events for the future. Please keep us in your prayers and give us suggestions for topics and format.
Several aspects of the teaching series set it apart. One of which was that it was not a church-planned event. Simply a group of six friends hoping to inspire one another and help anyone else who might be interested. On the back of this series I have had two other conversations this week with people who had ideas but felt they needed permission. They were really good ideas. It makes sense to consulting the community, but initiative does not need permission.
The book of Acts reveals event after event and initiative after initiative taken by followers of Jesus prompted by the Spirit. Permission not sought nor required. It should go without saying I'm not talking about making foolish decisions without careful consideration and the advice of the wise. My point is that perhaps too often we are looking for permission rather than seeking to exercise our gifts and inspiration for whoever and wherever might be helpful.
What if Martin Luther King had waited for permission?
My new series on preaching and teaching was inspired by a request from Jose in the Philippines. The introductory class focuses on the locus of our confidence. Is it in my competence, or the power of the sword of the Spirit? If our confidence is in the Lord, we can move forward boldly and find successful ways to serve the kingdom and the lost without feeling we need permission. I wonder how many followers of Jesus are not flourishing because they are waiting for permission. I wonder how many of us who lead others are unintentionally stultifying the growth of the members and the advancement of the kingdom by creating or sustaining church cultures which imply the need for people to obtain permission for their heart-felt spiritual initiatives?
What if those early disciples had waited for permission before speaking to the Gentiles in Antioch? Acts 11.20.
The practice of controlling and containing initiative does not a healthy church grow. There might be more mess with more initiative, but there will also be more success. Success without mess is an impossibility. The Spirit can handle the mess. So can we church leaders, if we are in tune with the Spirit.
God bless, Malcolm
The success of the "Is there a message in the mayhem?" series astonished me. Certainly I had high hopes. However, the global reach, the larger than expected numbers and the grateful feedback took me by surprise. The full session can be found here. We are planning more events for the future. Please keep us in your prayers and give us suggestions for topics and format.
Several aspects of the teaching series set it apart. One of which was that it was not a church-planned event. Simply a group of six friends hoping to inspire one another and help anyone else who might be interested. On the back of this series I have had two other conversations this week with people who had ideas but felt they needed permission. They were really good ideas. It makes sense to consulting the community, but initiative does not need permission.
The book of Acts reveals event after event and initiative after initiative taken by followers of Jesus prompted by the Spirit. Permission not sought nor required. It should go without saying I'm not talking about making foolish decisions without careful consideration and the advice of the wise. My point is that perhaps too often we are looking for permission rather than seeking to exercise our gifts and inspiration for whoever and wherever might be helpful.
What if Martin Luther King had waited for permission?
My new series on preaching and teaching was inspired by a request from Jose in the Philippines. The introductory class focuses on the locus of our confidence. Is it in my competence, or the power of the sword of the Spirit? If our confidence is in the Lord, we can move forward boldly and find successful ways to serve the kingdom and the lost without feeling we need permission. I wonder how many followers of Jesus are not flourishing because they are waiting for permission. I wonder how many of us who lead others are unintentionally stultifying the growth of the members and the advancement of the kingdom by creating or sustaining church cultures which imply the need for people to obtain permission for their heart-felt spiritual initiatives?
What if those early disciples had waited for permission before speaking to the Gentiles in Antioch? Acts 11.20.
The practice of controlling and containing initiative does not a healthy church grow. There might be more mess with more initiative, but there will also be more success. Success without mess is an impossibility. The Spirit can handle the mess. So can we church leaders, if we are in tune with the Spirit.
God bless, Malcolm
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