Spirit Led Ministry and Pragmatic Methodology

I have been thinking a lot lately about the biblical idea of being "filled with the Holy Spirit." It is a debated doctrine among different Christian traditions, that is not what I have been thinking about. Rather I have been convicted recently that my focus in ministry has not been on being filled with the Spirit, but on pragmatic methodology.

Sadly I believe this is a common problem in the western church today. We are all about strategies, methods, and leadership philosophy and often ignore or forget about the work of the Holy Spirit in us and in those we are ministering to.

What has been so convicting personally is that for the last several weeks, even months, I have been so focused on strategy and methodology in Fargo and at Ridgeview that I have thought little about the Holy Spirit in my ministry. It hit me a few days ago as I was listening to a sermon in my car that I have no clue what the heck I am doing. I am not smart enough, not talented enough, not social enough, definitely not cool enough, and obviously not creative enough to do what I am doing now or what I will be doing in Fargo.

I have realized that the things God has placed on my heart to do are totally above anything I am able to do. Church planting requires someone much more talented, much more intelligent, much more creative than me. Yet it is exactly what I am called to, no doubt in my mind.

Acts 1:8 says we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us to be missionaries (witnesses is the same thing). I take a lot of refuge in that verse right now, because without it I would have not hope for what I am going to do in Fargo. All through Luke and Acts the phrase "he/she was filled with the Holy Spirit" occurs and what follows is always amazing. It is my greatest desire to be filled with the Spirit. To be empowered to do what I have been called and sent out to do.

My challenge to those of you reading this today is this: pray to be filled with the Spirit. If you are a believer you have the Spirit, so I am not advocating some kind of second experience or baptism; rather pray that the Spirit would provide you with the power, ability, strength, authority, courage, and conviction to be a missionary as we are all called to be.