Reaching Out

John H. Morgan of Denver, Colorado, submitted an interesting illustration to Leadership magazine a few years ago. He suggested: "Our life in Christ can be compared to an aqueduct, the stone waterways that brought water from nearby mountains into parched cities in Italy and Spain, and that are still used in some countries today"

The objective foundation of our spiritual lives, the Word of God, is like the huge stone aqueduct itself. The subjective element, our daily experience of Christ, is like the fresh water flowing through it. Some Christians neglect the Word and seek only the subjective experience. But without the solid Word of God to contain and channel that experience, the experience itself drains away into error and is lost.

Other Christians boast well engineered aqueducts based on extensive knowledge of the Bible, but they are bone dry. They bring no refreshment. Strong spiritual lives require both a strong knowledge of the Word of God, and an intimate daily relationship with Christ. John Morgan unfortunately does not adequately develop the whole matter relating to the purpose of the aqueduct and how this illustrates something about our life in Christ as well.

Put briefly: our life in Christ, supported as it is by the Word and bearing the fresh water of daily experience in/of/with the Spirit, is ultimately designed to irrigate the parched hearts of those with whom we meet in the course of our journey. That is why it is so important to insure that the Word is in place as a channel for the experience of the Spirit. Not for us, but for others! So many people need desperately to meet Jesus and to find in Him the reality of the Father who cares.

My message comes to you this month following our annual ARM Board meeting in Montreal with all its various reports and agenda items. One item among them is of critical importance for us - articulating more clearly our mission: to help people discover the fullness of their life in Jesus, in which they experience the release of the Holy Spirit and his gifts for ministry.

Ministry is an outwardly focused posture. Consequently, it is most fitting that we visualize our life in Christ as it is to be lived out in terms of our balanced relationship with the Word (remembering also that He who is the Word took upon Himself our flesh and dwelt for a time amongst us), the Spirit (who inspires, motivates and empowers us in those ministries to which we are individually and corporately called) and Mission (the Father's continuing purpose in calling forth a special people in and through His Son).

So, the pressing question for each of us is: ...how will anything I do reflect my intention and commitment as one who follows Jesus, to reach out to others and make a difference in their lives?

I do not believe we can afford any longer to consider our walk with the Lord in a purely personal light, though it is intensely personal. The Church - the Body of Christ - is to be like Christ at least insofar as that means it is to be postured towards the world the Father loves. But the Church is you and I, so as I understand it, we must be outwardly postured.

My point is really quite simple: everything we do in order to discipline ourselves so that spiritual growth in Christ is nurtured is, ultimately, to find its outward expression in serving others.

So - how is your aqueduct doing?