IT'S LONELY AT THE BOTTOM

Ever been dismissed from a job or forced out?  And then, it just seems that no one will hire you, even with the skills, experience and personality that would benefit others.  Tough situation!  Many things go through one's mind at this hard time.

Many of us never think it will happen to us.  Business executives who have worked for a company for many, many years at times find themselves suddenly looking for a new job, and no one wanting to hire them with the salaries they were commanding before.  Factory workers who have given their lives to a company, and then when they can no longer make their daily "quota," find the company doing things to make them quit or get rid of them.  At times, these folk are too young to retire and some even know that if they quit before retirement, they will get no retirement from the company.  Unfair.  There should be loyalty both on the part of an employee but also on the part of the company for long time employees as well.

Sometimes pastors feel they too need to leave or are forced to leave, and even with the leading of God to do this, it is a hard time to deal with all of "what is."  Preachers too deal with similar thoughts of rejection, pain, worthlessness and even at times, entertain thoughts that "there is just nothing left for me here."  Sad but true.  Pastors/preachers are still people--with all the human emotions and feelings that God put into them too.  Some are more "damage resistant" than others.  All a part of how God wired us and who God made us to be, as well as our maturity level and spiritual maturity level.

Which brings me to my main point--even pastors need a small support group or small group, where they too can air their feelings without rejection and with the understanding and support of others.  But often, if they leave the church/ministry where their small group was--even those they have begun--they find themselves alone, lonely and without the support they need at a time when maybe they need support more than at any other time of life.

It is lonely at the bottom!  We often hear it as the opposite--"lonely at the top"--and that is true.  But it also lonely at the bottom--when you experience hardship, trial, frustration and feelings of worthlessness.  And since you are to be a "mighty person of faith," people don't want to be around you.  There must be something wrong with you, if you teach and preach about faith, but when the hard time comes to you, you don't live it with "powerful faith."

I notice in Mark 3:14 that even Jesus did not try to go it alone.  "And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach," (NASB)   Jesus called men to train them and disciple them and prepare them to carry on His ministry when He had returned to be with the Father (what fellowship THAT must be!).  But Jesus also called them so He would have supporters, encouragers, a small group to be there for Him during the hard times, and He had many hardships.
It is easier to deal with situations after we are through them, but during the process, the hard time, we especially need friends/colleagues/encouragers to help us deal with "what is;" the feelings, emotions, wrong thinking that may be part of our present situation.  We need people who will point us to faith in God, point us to Scripture, point us to having consistent time with God and with His people, point us to physical exercise, so that we too can negotiate the hardship with victory.

In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul talks about being, as Henry Nouwen put it, "wounded healers" for one another.  When one has gone through something, the person can then be a source of encouragement, support, spiritual strength for others who later go through something  similar.  We are to use our experience of hardship to help others negotiate effectively. 

Many people were supportive during a time of hardship, discouragement and feelings of worthlessness for me--family, friends, colleagues.  But one person especially, who had been through a similar situation really was there at a time I needed him.  For the first time in months, I felt I was really "heard" and really "understood."  Many prayed for me, and I am thankful for that, but this one really made me feel I "could" make it, and I was really "understood" and thus not alone.  When you really feel heard and UNDERSTOOD, you truly feel you are NOT alone.

We all need a small group and/or especially at least one person, outside our family, who truly "understands" and accepts us--someone who makes us feel really heard--one who has been there and does truly understand because they have gone through something similar.

Jesus sought out those who would "be with Him".  If Jesus needed that, a small group to support, to listen, to understand, are any of us any less needy?  Even preachers/pastors/strong people of faith?

It's lonely at the bottom, especially when you feel you had been, at least to some extent, at the top in some ways, and for many, many years.  But there is "a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  (Proverbs 18:24, NASB)  And who of us does not need at least one of those?

SHRUB OR TREE?

SHRUB OR TREE?

Are you a shrub or a tree?  Jeremiah causes us to think about that in chapter 17.  Let’s look and ask ourselves.  (Jer. 17:5-10, 13) 

Jeremiah—spoke to the southern Kingdom—nation of Judah.  Israel—northern kingdom had gone into captivity by Assyria.  Now Babylon is on the horizon. 

Israel fell because of their sin.  Would Judah do the same and be overtaken also?  Or would they turn to God, and Him alone? 

Notice the contrast—“Cursed is the man who trusts in man—whose heart turns away from the LORD.”  But “blessed is the man who trusts  in the LORD.” 

Which would they choose—cursings/problems/captivity from God or blessings?  And all due to their sin of turning away from God. 

When people are more dependent on people than they are on God, they are in trouble.  People are not trustworthy—especially in relation to an all-powerful, loving, eternal God. 

There are those who trust in:

1)      Their husband or wife or family instead of God—trouble

2)      Their government instead of God

3)      Their political party instead of God

4)      Money and power

5)      Job or profession rather than God

Which is eternal?  Which is more worthy of trust?  Jeremiah would say, “God!” 

People are sinful—people often have good intentions but do not always have power to carry out their wishes or desires. 

But God is none of those.  However, we still get caught up, at times, in trusting others more than we do trusting God. 

One who trusts in God:

1)      a tree planted by running water—sending out roots to the water

2)      leaves are always green due to the presence of the water, so

a.      no fear of heat

b.      no fear of drought

c.      never fails to bear fruit

                                                               i.      Fruit bearing must depend on ongoing relationship with God 

Note again the contrast—One who trusts human beings:

1)      like a bush (not a tree) in the wastelands

2)      Not see prosperity when it comes

3)      Dwell in parched places of desert 

The person trusting only in the physical, in the human, may survive, though barely.  But the person trusting God thrives, even in the most harsh circumstances. 

v. 9  “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?”  Jeremiah asks. 

1)      One reason to trust God—His heart is not like that.  He is dependable

2)      Deceitful--our heart--

a.      At times, our heart tries to deceive others

b.      At times, our heart deceives us about the rightness or wrongness of things

c.      Who can understand the human heart—only God! (v. 10) 

v. 10 Only God can truly know the human heart—and be just in His dealing with us.  Only God really knows what is inside of us. 

v. 13  Notice the descriptions of God:

1)      Hope of Israel—there is always hope with God because there is always hope in God—He is totally trustworthy

2)      Spring of living water—where is true life and true food and true water found—in God alone.  John 10:10  “I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” 

a.      Living water—flowing or moving water

b.      Represents a constant source—a life giving source

c.      Picture in Ezekiel and Revelation—a stream that flows out from the throne of God—God’s life giving Spirit 

Why would anyone turn away from trusting God for trusting in humans or human institutions?  Because our heart is deceitful—sinful—unbelieving—lacking faith.

This summer—drought and heat—many bushes and trees have died—not flourished.  They didn’t get the needed water—life giving water. 

How can believers be sure they do not turn away from God to other lesser things? 

Through regular time with the Lord—regular, daily time in the Scriptures.   

In good times, we need the life giving words of Scripture.  When times are hard, we especially need them, so we do not give up. 

Scripture helps us see where our heart is being deceitful. 

Scripture also helps us receive the hope found only in God and the true, living words of God. 

Scripture sustains us—feeds us—waters us—teaches us about God so we believe what it says about Him instead of what others might say or our hearts may even say about God. 

Be a tree—not a bush.  Trust God above everyone and everything else.  And even in hard times, you will flourish.

HE'S HERE!

He’s here—He’s always around.  Do you feel Him?  Do you realize—always here?  When I’m scared—when I’m discouraged—when I’m happy and excited—He’s here! 

Isaiah 6 

Isaiah’s commission—his call to serve.  How did it begin? 

1)      A need—king had died—what would happen now—uncertainty—worry—maybe hope.

a.      A vision—say it with me, “I saw the Lord”—(repeat)—seated on a throne, high and exalted”

b.      Feel the excitement—the awe—the fear?

c.      Who is this?  God!

d.      What kind of God is He?  Message of the angels—

                                                               i.      Holy—all holy—completely holy.

                                                             ii.      Sovereign—over all the earth—ruler over everyone and everything

e.      In His presence, the temple shakes—smoke fills up the room—His presence is so fearful—awe inspiring—so real.

f.        Do you feel it?  Do you feel what Isaiah felt and experienced? 

2)      When a holy God meets with you, what do you feel?

a.      Awe—overcome with amazement

b.      Fear—God is totally holy—I am not—Woe is me!

c.      Why would the King, the Lord Almighty appear to me?  To kill me?  To scare me?  I am not worthy to be here!

d.      The angel/seraph comes.  I’m not worthy—I am unclean—Angel comes to cleanse me of sin and guilt.

e.      What feeling then occurs—when sin is forgiven—when guilt is gone?

                                                               i.      Relief

                                                             ii.      Thankfulness

                                                            iii.      Cleanness

                                                           iv.      Awe—that God would be able to do this—what I could never do for myself

                                                             v.      How grateful are YOU for God forgiving you—cleansing you? 

3)      A voice is heard (v. 8)

a.      Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?

b.      A mission—a purpose—God always has a purpose—to redeem rather than punish.  What just happened to Isaiah?  God redeemed—did not punish for His sinfulness—God’s intention.

c.      God chooses to involve people in His plan/purpose.

d.      For US—God in His entirety—Trinity—Father, Son and HS.

e.      To involve puny humans in the plan of God—whoa!  Amazing. 

4)      Who will go? Who would respond?

a.      Top of Isaiah’s voice—SEND ME, SEND ME!

b.      Why would one go on behalf of a holy, righteous, purposeful God?  Quite a fearful, awesome task—lots of responsibility.

                                                               i.      Gratitude—for sin forgiven

                                                             ii.      Thankfulness—done for one who could not do it oneself—not worthy at all—all because God CHOSE to forgive.  

5)      How successful will I be? (vv. 9-10)

a.      No, you will not—they will not listen

b.      Success for YOU is not their response—it is sharing what God tells you to share

c.      Do your part—you can’t do their part nor the HS’s part.

d.      Many will never listen 

6)      How long God?  (vv. 11-13)

a.      Till there is no possibility of repentance left—till all have heard—till you no longer have breath.

b.      Billy Graham’s mom—sickbed—“Lord let me lead one more person to Christ before I die.”

c.      V. 13—a tenth remain—the remnant—some will listen and respond.  SOME WILL. 

Is this message just for prophets/preachers?  Did you deserve forgiveness and cleansing?  How grateful are you?  Why would God appear to YOU?  Would you too be privileged to serve God and go on His behalf—sharing what He did in your life? 

Has God appeared to you?  Have you felt His presence—even today?   

How did you feel when He did? 

What did He do for you that you could not do for yourself? 

How grateful are you? 

What is God’s plan to involve you in His mission/purpose? 

Are you living out that purpose/mission? 

Will you commit yourself or recommit yourself to His purpose?

YOU CAN'T BE WHO YOU'RE NOT

You can't be who you're not; you can only be who you are. How's that for a catchy first line?

Recently, I found this to be true again. I began work at a Christian bookstore, thinking that I like books and I like people and there are very nice people that work there, so that should be a good job for me. But the problem was, that was not me--it was not a good job fit. Why? Because somehow with many of the demands of that workplace, I was not wired that way--to really fit there.

In training, one of the videos I saw was from Thom Rainer, president of Lifeway. One thing he said was that those who worked there should see it not as just a way to get a paycheck, but to see it as a ministry--putting Bibles and good Christian books into peoples' hands--listening to people and really helping them, praying for them, and even leading them to Jesus. Wow, a great thing--and what if more of us would see our job as a way to minister for Christ (if we are Christians) and to do it all "as to the Lord, not just people!" (Colossians 3:23)

As I learned more about the work place, though, I realized it required things that were not "me." It required much multitasking, moving from one machine to another, and one live person to someone on the phone and back; more than I felt I could do, especially at age 61. It was "who I was not; not who I was." As we live life, we learn more about who we are and who we are not.

God made us all with different gifts, talents, abilities. (See 1 Corinthians 12 & 14 for differing spiritual gifts). I was not made to be an engineer--different set of talents and knowledge than I am equipped to have. I was not made to be a nurse, like my sister and daughter. I was not made to be in sales like my brother or retailing with coffee, like my son. I was made to teach, but not with elementary school children (and especially junior high) like my wife (and especially kindergartners--they just "wear me out.")

Who made me the way I am? God. I have gifts for teaching and working with small groups. Gifts for teaching adults (for many years college students and internationals), and gifts for facilitating and leading small group studies. I was made to share God's Word with others--helping them understand its meaning and to learn how to apply its implications for life.

I was told (by a professor at Southwestern Seminary) that an early seminary professor (Jeff Wray) made this statement: "If there is anything else you can do and be happy besides preaching, do it." The implication was that if God called you to this task, you really would not be happy doing anything else. If God wired you to that ministry, then you would only be happy doing what He made you to be and do. You can't be who are you aren't; only who you are.

Working at a bookstore can be a very important ministry, for those whose gifts are wired that way. Being a nurse, a teacher, a sanitation engineer, a plumber, etc., are important jobs that can be a ministry if God made you to be that. But if He didn't, you will not be happy doing that, and shouldn't a job be more than just a paycheck? Shouldn't it be fulfilling to your life, to your family, and those you work with and serve? I think so.

So, yeah, I washed out at the bookstore, because that was not who I was; it was who I was not. (It is a great place to work, a great job, a great ministry for the right person.)

I believe it was Edison who said upon failing again at coming up with a workable lightbulb, "Well I have not failed; I have discovered another way not to make a lightbulb (my poor paraphrase)." What was he saying? Supposed failure can help us find who we are rather than who we're not. And the older we get, I believe we learn more of who we are and what God created us to be and do. Then life is fulfilling, rewarding, full of passion and service, and "serving the Lord, not just another person" (or a paycheck.)

One of my Facebook friends recently paid me a compliment, one that I really do appreciate. He said that I was "a minister, whether I was being paid to do that or not." I think the implication was that I genuinely had a heart of service, to God and to people. To me, that means "working for the Lord, not just to please people or for a paycheck." I like that. And I believe that is true of me, but it is within my gifting--in the way God made me with my special mix of talents, gifts, abilities, and age groups.

And what peace and joy and passion there is in doing what God made one to be and do!

 

So be what you are, not what you aren't.  And find the fulfillment and joy of God as you serve Him through that career He created you for.

 

GOD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO OBEY

God doesn't want you to obey Him!  Well, ... actually, He does.  But many live as if He doesn't expect it.  And actually, He expects even more than just obedience!

1 Samuel 16  "To obey is better than sacrifice."  Many feel if they are good on Sunday and worship God, God owes me, and I can live like I want to live the rest of the week.  Wrong!  God does want obedience--that is expected and better than a magical view of God (which is the view that "God owes me."

Matthew 28:18-20  "Make disciples ... teach them to obey all things I commanded you."  It seems from this that God expected disciples who obey Him and people making disciples that would obey Him, and that is true.

Jeremiah 31:31 ff.  “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.   It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors  when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,  because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.  “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.  "I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, '  (NIV, biblegateway.com)

"New covenant"--went beyond what they could do.  By the way, "new covenant" could also be translated "new testament."   People broke covenant with God because they could not obey.  It was not within their ability to obey--that is one problem of humans.  But God would provide a new covenant that would come from the heart. 

Ezekiel  36:25-28 (NIV, biblegateway.com)

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.    I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.    And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.    Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God."

"Heart of flesh rather than heart of stone."  God would give them a heart that would obey out of love for Him, and a heart of compassion rather than a heart that is stone-hard toward God, unwilling to listen and obey Him and do His will.

Matthew 5:17-21

 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.    For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.    Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (NIV, biblegateway.com)

 "Fulfil rather than abolish."  Provide forgiveness for sin, motivation to do what is right (to obey), to live differently.  Jesus wanted followers to live by the essence, the purpose, the motivation behind the law, not just by the law itself.  He came to fulfill the Scriptures.

"Greater than Pharisees and scribes"--more than exernal obedience; it was to be internal obedience--out of a changed heart--out of love for God and others (essence instead of just the letter of Ten Commandments).

God wants you to obey Him from a changed heart--a heart that only He can give--a heart of flesh (heart of obedience, of compassion out of love) not stone (hardened heart, disobedient heart, unbelieving heart toward God).

Sunday worship without weekly obedience is a magical view of God--presuming on God--assuming what I do does not affect my relationship with a Holy God.  God does not "OWE" you or me anything.

Weekly obedience from just mere obedience without love for God and respect for God is partial obedience to God--not what God wants.  He wants obedience for the right reasons--a heart of love and a heart turned toward Him and His purposes.

Obedience to God is a lifelong quest--lifelong pursuit--to obey God out of love instead of manipulation of God or just fear. We are constantly in "process" as we seek after Him and seek to obey Him.

God doesn't just want you to obey Him.  He wants you to obey Him because He loves you and you love Him back.  Loving Him shows a real change of heart, and that leads to obedience--the kind of obedience that God wants, that pleases and honors Him, and the obedience that shows a changed heart (heart of love, of compassion, a heart with God's Spirit living within).

Yes, God wants you to obey Him, for the right reasons and with the right attitude of love for Him.  That is what is meant about Jesus "fulfilling" the law.  He came to give an atttitude of obedience out of the right motives.  It went beyond mere obedience to external laws.  It came from within.  That is much harder than just law-keeping.  That is truly from God.

Do you?

FOCUSING ON THE WRONG THINGS

Recently I had a friend ask me a question about whether there were foods that should not be eaten according to Jesus' teaching.  To take up that question, I would direct your thoughts to Mark 7:14-23:

"Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.  Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.  “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?  For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.   For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,  adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”  (NIV, www.biblegateway.com)

People have a tendency to focus on externals rather than internals, especially when we want to justify ourselves and make ourselves feel good in relation to others.  But Jesus moved from the externals that are not as important to the internal which is most important.

Outer actions are what come or should come from what is within.  Is there congruence between what one believes and how one lives?  Is the talk reflected by the walk?  And every person struggles with that living out what we believe.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, that He had come to fulfill the Law, not to do away with it (Matthew 5:17-20).  He was referring to Old Testament Law and teaching, even things God had instituted for His people.  And He was referring not just to believing the right things but to living out the right things.  Jesus came to live out the intent of the Law, not just to focus on externals.  Jesus summarized the Ten Commands (Exodus 20) into two commands, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."  And Jesus lived that.

Here in Mark 7, Jesus says not to focus on externals, but what is internal, what is inside a person.  What makes a man unclean, in the sight of God, is what comes from what is within the person--there is the sin--there is the wrong--there is the evidence of a lack of love for God and others.

What is in our hearts tends to come out, to the forefront.  So actions have to do with what we really believe, what we really cherish, what our life is really focused upon.

So food is merely an external.  What we generally see in the New Testament about food and drink is the idea of moderation.  We also, in some of Paul's writings, see the idea of refraining from things to witness to others or to help others grow in their spiritual maturity.  Thus these things are part of discipleship and discipling others.

There are things that are not healthy for a person to eat.  There are things that are not beneficial for a person.  If, as Paul said, in 1 Corinthians, the "body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit" (God), then each of us (especially me, right now) should be careful that we eat, drink, and do things that promote the health of this body God provided for us.  It is a place of worship for God and a way to worship God.

But what goes into a person, certain foods, are not in themselves wrong, as Jesus said, at least, here.  He said what comes out of a person shows what is inside of a person--what the heart truly loves and cherishes.

I abstain from certain things for the good of others.  I abstain from certain things because they are not good for the body that God gave me, the temple of God.  I abstain from certain things for other reasons, at times, but all should be a way of worshiping God.  What should come forth from a life dedicated to God is love for God and love for others.  And that is what should be considered as I eat and drink.  What really is inside?  What is the life really focused upon?  That is what is truly important and that is what Jesus spoke about in Mark 7.

Maturity for Churches Also

Spiritual maturity is not just for individual church members.  It is also for the church as a whole.  Churches are to "grow up" as they learn to live sacrificially to worship God and to obey Him as well.  Churches should be made up of mature disciples, and then the church will be mature as well, pleasing to God because they are about His business, not just their own.

Robert Banks, Paul's Idea of Community, writes:

"Paul's description of the community as a 'body' indicates that its goal is not just the creation of harmony between the members--that is more the emphasis of his family terminology--but also their development towards corporate maturity.  Paul stresses the need for individuals to progress toward maturity on a number of occasions, though generally in contexts where the corporate maturity of the community is in view.  (1 Cor. 1:1; 14:20, and others--See Banks, p. 67 for more references.)  God's intention is not the fashioning merely of mature individuals but of mature communities as well.  The Christian community does not exist just as a means to individual ends, though a mature community is an influential factor in shaping the individual maturity of its members."  (Banks, p. 67)

Mature churches will have an outward focus.  Yes, they will be focused on God and worship of Him.  But worship will not just "end" at worship.  It will give the church an outward focus on the needs of others outside the body of Christ, outside that particular group or church. 

According to Real Life Discipleship, (Jim Putman, Avery Willis, and others), a growing Christian will move through stages from spiritual infant to child to young adult to discipler of others.  The infant and child are very focused on self, but when one matures to a young adult, one of the indicators of that stage will be that one begins to be focused outwardly, on others not just oneself.  Unfortunately, many believers never get to this stage of discipleship.  Instead they become fixed on "me, myself, and my family" alone.

And what unfortunately is often found is that those fixed in spiritual infant or children stages become the leaders in churches, especially as churches age and begin to decline.  Then what happens, probably already has happened, is that the church as a whole reflects who is there, and their purposes.  And their purposes become so self focused that they forget the purpose of the Lord to reach out, to care for others (outside the body), to grow disciples and mature.

Churches are composed of people.  And mature churches, those seeking to be outwardly focused, are those made up and led by spiritually mature people.  That is not just a spiritually mature pastor, but other spiritually mature leaders as well.  Leaders who are not willing to "stay where they are in the faith," but want to continue to mature, grow, become, and reach out to mentor, make disciples, and help others grow in Christian maturity as well.  (See Paul's quest in Philippians 3:7-14).

Where are the spiritually mature churches?  They aren't always the largest or the ones that seem to be most successful at getting numbers of people out or into a building.  (Willow Creek confessed a few years ago that they were successful at reaching people, but that they had lost so many folk and didn't know where they were.  They sought to be more discipleship focused rather than just seeker-sensitive and worship centered.)  But mature churches are those that are focused on God's purposes of making disciples who make disciples (2 Timothy 2:2)--growing people into believers and growing believers to be more like the model, Jesus.

When the building is the focus--or the pastor is the focus--or a program is the focus, that is not maturity.  Jesus and God are to be the focus.  But also, their purposes are to be the focus--their purposes above our own.  That is maturity, shown in three connections--connecting with God, connecting with others, and connecting with (God's) purpose.  And throughout Scripture, yes even Old Testament, God was (is, always will be) a reaching out God who loves everyone and wants everyone to relate to Him in His way and with His purpose.

Self focused churches will continue to plateau and die.  But Christ focused churches, and that would include Christ's purpose focused churches, will see growth and maturity.  They will not be content to stay as they are--with who they have--with the individual spiritual maturity level they have.  But they will continue to connect with God, with others and with Christ's purpose, so they can mature in Him and His ways.

Are you part of a mature church?  Are you doing your part to make it a mature church?