Passion...

I have made it a practice to use this blog space to promote, encourage, and update the work we are doing in Uganda, and now the DR Congo. It is usually a matter of my words being posted, and then a few self assuring thoughts about the post, and then that one overwhelming thought, “will anyone ever read what I just wrote”. Sure there are those who have been a big part of the ministry who may take a glance, but will anyone ever understand my passion for this work through the words I write.

The truth is I have learned that everyone who has followed God’s call into a diversion from daily life and experienced that release of joyful emotions through that mission has found passion. Yes some may say, “these days everyone has an agenda”, but for most of us “passion-ites” the word “agenda” is almost an insult. We have learned that there is no agenda for those who follow their heart onto the mission field. I find that hearing a testimony in Bible fellowship class about an individual walking next door to tell his or her neighbor about Jesus and having that neighbor respond in a positive way, can express as much passion for sharing the gospel as any foreign mission trip that I might talk about. Yes, many people are passionate about the mission God has given them and that passion must be shared.

 Passion is a funny thing; passion has the ability to move others while reason very seldom does. There are different reasons for sharing your passion that all have a place in our world. It is obvious that sharing your passion will always give glory to God. It is His activity in your life while you are doing what He called you to do that makes you passionate. Serving for, and with our God at the same time will produce passion. Because passion is God created, I think it’s right to say that sharing your passion causes people to get closer to God. Then we also share our passion in order to bring others to what we are passionate about. The idea is that you received your passion while doing a particular mission and in order to do that mission bigger and better you need the help of others. Finding that help from others seems to be ever present in the mind of a “passion-ite”.

I have found that God has called others to the same mission field that He has called me, but finding them is sometimes very difficult. I truly believe they are out there, and I need to be as passionate about finding them as I am about the mission. Although many have different roles in the mission and each role is needed they still need to find the passion that will drive them to do their part. It is not about my calling to this particular mission that they need to hear, but it is my job to share what God is doing with the passion I have. I believe people are more likely to follow our passion than our need.

Henry Blackaby, the author of the well know Bible study “Experiencing God”, writes “When God starts to do something in the world He takes the initiative to reveal His will to His people. For some divine reason He has chosen to involve His people in accomplishing His purposes.”[1] I am reminded of the story from the book of John about Phillip and Nathaniel. Phillip tells Nathaniel to come see the one they have been waiting on, and Nathaniel replies with those famous words; “Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Phillip said to him, "Come and see." (Joh 1:46 ESV) It sounds like Nathaniel is following Phillips passion rather than his reason. Jesus knew who he wanted and He used Phillip to get it. These truths have kept me telling the story of the work that we have been called to with the passion I have been given through the wonderful things God has done.

Today is a different day, and the ministry has became much more than it was eight years ago. For this reason I find myself trying to share the passion in a new way. After forming a non-profit corporation and developing a web site complete with electronic giving I find myself trying to share my passions to a much different audience. All of us that have been called to this particular mission are working hard to share our stories not just to a local audience, but now to millions. That’s right we are trying to reach the world with our passion. With such a big task in front of us we have had to come to the terms with the fact that we must change our way of thinking.

Can one share their passion through social media? Is it possible to create a means of telling the story which will bring Nathaniel to meet Jesus? Will anyone change their schedule to take the time to read this post? Are we competing with millions of other “passion-ites” for those valuable mouse clicks?  Will we have to let pictures and videos share our passion? There are lots of questions that will need to be answered if we are going to reach the number of people who are supposed to share our mission. I must remember that it is still God’s calling, and have faith that the right people will hear the story. I must admit that it is humbling to know that telling our story on the internet means my part is finished when I hit send and then it is all about you and God.

Thanks, 
Danny

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[1] Henry & Richard Blackaby and Claude King, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Rev. and expanded. ed. (Nashville, Tenn.: LifeWay Christian Resources, 2007), pageNr.33