Wrapped Up in the Church!

I have been seriously searching for some strong direction from GOD in my life as of late. The tug of the ministry call has been heavy upon me and I am grateful for numerous opportunities to share in area churches over the past couple of months. But, in my spirit I continue to sense the Holy Spirit leading me to step out of the box, to prepare for something more than just the ordinary. Recently, I was preaching at an area church and a woman came up to me and said, “I don’t know you but the LORD told me to tell you this, ‘Take the Plunge!'” She turned and walked away. Since that time, I have been praying and meditating upon that thought, trying to decipher what the LORD has been trying to tell me.  

As I was sitting at my desk praying and meditating upon the LORD early this morning wondering why I have yet to find a church to pastor, the LORD very clearly spoke to my spirit and said: “Danny, don’t get so wrapped up in the church that you can’t be the Church!” As I’m thinking about this and still trying to make heads or tails out of the “Take the Plunge!” word, I am beginning to see that GOD has a plan that goes beyond what I can imagine. He has something far better, far more reaching; a plan that will make a significant impact upon the world He has placed me in. I only need to respond with a heart that says, “LORD, You lead and I will follow!”

It is so much easier to find a little niche in an established church than to step out in faith and follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit as He leads into unknown territory. It’s easier to take the work that someone else has started and to continue to march on with it. Please don’t get me wrong. That is how the local church continues to move forward but GOD seems to have something different in mind for me. I am not here to run down the local church in any way. I highly respect and hold in high regard all who work together to maintain the local body but sometimes GOD has something more He needs done and so He goes looking for individuals like myself that don’t necessarily find comfort in the boat.

From this, GOD instructs me to not allow myself to get so wrapped up in an established church body that He can’t better utilize me in the field “being the Church.” As I drive up and down the streets of the city where I live, I see more and more lonely, hurting people that are not being reached by the activities of the local churches. I see people who are homeless and helpless. I see kids running wild, raising themselves. I see those strung out on drugs and alcohol trying to cope with a meaningless life and my heart goes out. Young women discovering they are pregnant with nowhere to run to, no one who cares, discovering very quickly that life has taken a turn they simply aren’t prepared to encounter. My spirit cries inside my chest for all of these and more.

What am I to do? How am I to carry such a burden? How do I fund a ministry that requires so much? GOD says, leave that to me….

I believe there are so many others out there that GOD is calling forth just as He has called me. Don’t forsake what GOD wants to do through you. Trust Him and follow after Him and allow Him to lead you into the fields that are white unto harvest today….