Last week my friend went to Catalyst, an innovative conference for next generational leaders. One of his favorite speakers was Craig Groeschel who spoke on the issue of practical atheism. I thought it was so powerful that I needed to share his notes on the talk.
Practical Atheism in the ministry is...Believing that God exists and yet behaving as if everything depends on me.
I was told in Seminary to protect my image, specifically to 'guard the pastor's mystique.' The idea is that pastor's should not share their weaknesses, struggles, or deal with their issues. The former generation thought that this was too risky.
Therefore, I began playing the pastor's role', buy my heart drifted from God. I began to serve with my lips but not with my heart. I had become a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ. I began to think that my ministry was dependent on my efforts, my creativity, and my ability to get it done.
Here were the signs of my condition:
I started to believe that my efforts were more important than God's power.
I began believing that my private life did not affect my public ministry. I started neglecting the condition of my heart.
I was believing that it was more important to please people than to please God.
What did God do to deal with me? HE DISTURBED ME! I became bothered by my lack of compassion, my pride, my shallowness, and my lack of real tangible result.
We need to pray this regularly...God Disturb Me! Awaken me to the condition of my heart. Awaken me to condition of the world around me. Make me a full-time follower of Christ.
