On Holy Ground

Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, shares how he became aware of God’s call on his life. He had just graduated from college and was working as a water-ski instructor at a summer camp. He was with a group of counselors planning the weekly chapel service when he volunteered to give the message sometime. They said, “Great! How about this Sunday?” He spent the rest of the week praying for God to give him something to say by Sunday. Let him explain what happened that Sunday.

“Sunday eventually came. I remember standing up to talk in front of those hundred or so people gathered among those pine trees and being aware of the presence of God in a terrifying way. Seriously, it was terrifying. But in a good way. The word that comes to mind is ‘holy’. I became aware of something so real, yet I couldn’t see it or touch it. I was standing there and I hadn’t said a word yet, and what did I do? I took off my sandals because I knew the ground I was standing on was holy and that my life was never, ever going to be the same again. It was in that moment that I heard a voice. Not an audible, loud, human kind of voice, but inner words spoken somewhere in my soul that were very clear and very concise. What I heard was, ‘Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else.’ In that moment by the side of a lake, barefoot, with my tongue tied and my heart on fire, I found something I could give my life to.” (Velvet Elvis, p. 40)

Sometimes we lose focus of the fact that what we do in our office throughout the week is holy and where we stand (or sit) on Sunday mornings or any day we are carrying out a ministry in the name of our church is holy ground. I know there are times late on Saturday nights or at other times in the week that we scratch our heads and think to ourselves, “Why am I killing myself doing this? What am I really accomplishing? Does it really matter to those that I will face in a few hours?” When those times inevitably come, I encourage you to take your shoes off, either physically or mentally, and remember that what you are doing is holy work. Take assurance in knowing that, like He did to Rob Bell that summer’s day, God will whisper to your soul, “Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else.” And you, like Rob, will feel that tightening of the throat and the glow in your heart and you will know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, “this is something I can give my life to.” You are making a difference in untold numbers of lives, not just for today but for eternity. God bless you!

THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ......

FOR MINISTERS OF EDUCATION: Annual GBREA meeting, January 20-21, 2011, "Being a Transformational Church" with Bruce Raley - http://www.gbrea.org/

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: Sunday School in HD Conference, March 10-11, 2011 - http://www.sundayschoolinhd.org/

FOR YOUNG ADULT LEADERSHIP: Threads "NOW" Conference: Challenging & Equipping Young Adults to Live Missionally, April 15-17, Nashville, TN - http://threadsmedia.com/now

FOR DISCIPLESHIP/BIBLE STUDY: January 2011 Bible Study: The Truth About Grace (Studies from Galatians) Preaching Suggestions, FREE Age Group Resources http://www.lifeway.com/JBS

FOR WOMEN'S MINISTRY: Bundle discount for Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer simulcasts in 2011 - http://www.lifeway.com/event/423/

FOR WOMEN'S MINISTRY: Girl's Ministry Forum, February 25-26, 2011, Nashville, TN - http://www.lifeway.com/event/330/?cid=women-eupdate-GForum-121310-feature


FOR CHURCH-WIDE BIBLICAL LITERACY: "Read the Bible for Life" study - http://www.lifeway.com/product/005253507/