I had an interesting dream after praying a very specific
prayer.
I was in a meeting which was in a very small room but had
very prominent government and Christian leaders from many countries.
There was a break when the leaders left the room and a few
of us were left to while our time before they returned. It was in that
intermission that we were looking through the grounds and I saw a depiction
that was astounding. I looked around for my camera but had either forgotten in
the room or had not had it when I came for the conference. But I had to take
pictures of that model. Its message was so instructive.
I then saw a Ugandan who had a smart phone and asked whether
I could borrow it to take the photos as we looked at how I would transfer the
pictures to me. But it was not easy to use. Even getting to the camera was
complicated. It was then that I remembered that I could use the same phone to
e-mail the photos to myself.
I took one side of the model and then went to the other side
as the leaders were arriving. Then I discovered I had gone too far as the model
was not as big. It only was in the midst of trees and thus the trunks made the
model unable to be shot at one go. It was as I was pushing back to take the picture
amidst the pressure of the arrival of presidents that the dream ended.
Let me explain what I had seen. On the left side was a tree.
Then further the same tree was bigger with a few small trees. Then a few other
bigger trees each with many other small other trees, eventually increasing to a
forest, then the mountain like the one Nebuchadnezzar saw (Daniel 2: 35).
On the right side was a mountain that had a roof like a
gigantic greenhouse. It had a forest inside. As the illustration continued the
trees slowly by slowly lost their vitality and shriveled until it became a
desert.
Standing side by side as they were it appeared as if one was
the direct opposite of the other.
What were those models about? You may be asking. Anyone who
has gone through MasterLife knows the master builder illustration. It in a very
small way resembles the left side in the dream. And it explains the process of
discipleship.
But the important point is the cause of flourishing and
withering on each side which I think was whole message.
The left side was exposed to the elements. It received its
fair share of the rain, sun, wind and all the other positive and destructive
elements of nature. The other was shielded from the same. It was safe wherever
you looked as any nature it encountered was sanitized. Why does that protection
kill the plants whereas leaving them to the elements causes them not only to
thrive but also reproduce so generously?
Ye are the salt of the
earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it
is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on
a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew
5: 13 – 16)
The context of Christian life and discipleship is the world,
not the church. Making the church structure the context of our lives and
discipleship is living in spiritual denial. But we not only live in denial; we
actually cease being witnesses.
And this explains why persecution throughout history remains
the greatest contributor of Christian growth and witness. A shielded church
(and by church I mean people) will shrivel and die.
Behold, I send you
forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
Incidentally that is also the arena of our ministry
according to the Lord. He did not shield us from the world but prepared us to
impact that world.
I pray not that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from
the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:15 – 17)
In summary I will say that greenhouse Christianity is a
dying Christianity. Christianity shielded from confrontational persecution is a
Christianity that will never bear spiritually relevant fruit.
If ye were of the
world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I
have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the
word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also. (John 15: 19, 20)
I am not an expert on greenhouse technology but the little I
know is that greenhouses are used to grow perishable produce. They are also not
used for reproduction but for one season productivity. From what I have heard
the produce from a greenhouse, though it looks perfect to the eyes and
excellent in production can never match naturally grown produce in terms of
taste and texture. But this is not my field.
Application question - Is that the way we disciple those
Christ brings to us?
It is possible that they know all the relevant verses and
can even memorize them perfectly yet are toothless when a sexual temptation comes
their way because the context of their discipleship was the classroom? They
could have all the right doctrine and theology concerning the rudiments of
their faith but become useless should their ministry lack resources or adequate
support. They could know everything concerning the conduct expected of them but
completely lose track if they lack accountability partners.
And I say this from seeing people who were otherwise
spiritually powerful becoming worse than unbelievers once outside their
greenhouse. I have been in remote places where the chances of someone who knows
you visiting are close to zero. It is interesting (sad is the right word) that
people who were elders in their churches before they were sent there became
drunkards and whoremongers because there was nobody to check on them. People
who had been pastors steal company and government money as if there is no
tomorrow because there is no way any ‘brother’ could find out.
Could we disciple like Daniel was discipled that in the
midst of gross wickedness and idolatry could purpose ‘not to defile himself’
though it put his life in the line of fire? Can we disciple like Ezra was that
seventy years after the captivity was excellent in teaching and applying
scripture that the whole nation hung on his every word? Or are we discipled
like he was that he feared putting his faith to shame by accepting security
when it was easily available?
Must we always be available to our disciples because they
really must have our word before making any decision? Can we trust them to
completely disappear from our sight and remain confident that they are bearing
fruit for Christ?
What about our own discipleship? Can we be counted on to
bear fruit on hostile territory? Can we like Joseph choose prison rather than a
compromise even though you are in a far off land where nobody knows you and it
appears as if God has deserted you? Can you like Mordecai go against
established structures and constitutions even though it appears like a futile exercise?
Can we go where God orders us even if our superiors vehemently oppose us?
I believe greenhouse Christianity is the reason two
millennia after the birth of the church there are still unreachable people
groups yet the few disciples at the birth of the church were able to evangelize
their world in a single generation and that without the conveniences we today
have.
We have no option but go back to the root of our faith and
ask God why we are not winning the world to Christ yet boast that our churches
are thriving just because we are handling huge amounts of money. Yet we know
that money is not spiritual in God’s direction.
Who will take the Gospel to ISIS and Boko Haram and Al
Shabaab and Al Qaeda? Who will take the gospel to the forbidden islands of the
world? Who will take the Gospel to the marketplaces of the world?
It has to be people whose discipleship is not the greenhouse
type. Incidentally the church and denomination very ably represents that
greenhouse as it many times preaches a ‘Gospel’ that keeps one safely in their structure.
Many do not even entertain the fact that any other structure other than theirs
is valid. Many teach that giving outside their structure at best a waste of
one’s resources. Even fellowship with other believers who are not of that
structure is discouraged because who knows what they teach anyway?
A greenhouse Christian has to have someone give the Bible
life because it is too hard to read by itself. They must have books and other
aids which have equal, sometimes even more authority than the Bible. A pastor
or other spiritual superstar must be around to guide their intake of the Bible.
Even prayer is impossible unless a superstar or his
materials are close by. In fact a more ‘hearable’ prayer giant is preferable
for praying for them because their prayer is too weak on its own. They can’t
exercise any spiritual authority over anything because they are at the bottom
of the spiritual pyramid and have no authority to exercise.
Their giving is also not spared. They cannot trust God
enough to allow Him to direct them to the direction they should give of the
resources God has entrusted to them and must go to the same superstars for
direction.
Some are so insecure outside their greenhouse that they may
resign if they are transferred far from the greenhouse as they believe that no
spiritual vitality can be got outside it. They will disown and even desert
family if it stands between them and that greenhouse. In fact they are more
attached to that greenhouse than Christ Himself, if truth be told.
But some are even worse. They are more committed to a
superstar running his shows in that greenhouse. I know of churches where people
go on leave from church when their pastor goes on leave. I have encountered
people who are not ashamed to go back home when they notice that he is absent. They
do not give the alternative any chance at all to prove himself as they leave
the church immediately they realize that their conman is away.
We must get out of that greenhouse to be able to become what
God desires of us. Our faith is too precious to be wasted on the small location
that I call the greenhouse. And by greenhouse I am not only talking about
pastors and churches. I am also talking about denominations and doctrinal
positions.
We must connect to Christ ALONE for our spiritual life. We must
depend on the Bible ALONE for spiritual nurture. All other aids are useful if
they will point us there. Otherwise they are liabilities to our spiritual life.
And I write books and Bible Study aids and Bible reading plans. I preach and
teach and have done so in many countries. But if my book or study aids or
teachings or preaching becomes indispensable, I have overshot my usefulness as
Christ’s minister as I will have created another greenhouse.
I am a successful minister when my people move on due to my
teaching into independence. I am successful when my supporter can hear another
order from heaven and start supporting somebody else without me throwing
tantrums. I am successful when people I have grown become ministry centres
without making reference or even consultations from me.
Would you thrive in the desert if God threw you there? Can you
survive as a Christian if everything and everybody else is taken from you and
you have only the Bible to read? Suppose even that Bible is taken away, do you
have enough stored in your heart to thrive on enemy territory?
Does God have to use somebody else for you to hear His
voice? Do you have to read other books to understand His word? Do you have to
have others praying for you for your prayer to be heard? Ask God to get you out
of the greenhouse. Tell Him that you want to experience all He has prepared you
to handle for your growth and effective ministry and worship. Tell Him that you
want Him to be your all in all. Tell Him to breathe life into His word so that
you start enjoying and understanding it without proxies.
AND I AM SURE HE WILL ANSWER YOU
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