GO, SET, READY!!!
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach…” Acts 1:1
Preparation is necessary, essential and indispensable. I believe in it. In schools, colleges and universities it is engrained in the minds of students that preparation is vital to success. Although I believe in it, I don’t believe in the mode in which it is taught. In these institutions preparation is first taught in theory before its put into practice. The model of apprenticeship is made to appear antiquated; “on-the-job training” is left for “lesser types” of institutions of learning such as tech schools and such.
When Jesus gathered his disciples he immediately engaged them to an on-the-job training mode of education and preparation. When I was in school, I was “taught” and then I had to “do”- by myself. And then I realized that a lot of what I was taught I couldn’t apply in my field anyhow. On the other hand, Jesus “did” – and later he “explicated.” And as He was “doing” he also had His disciples “do” as well and after it was over, he then corrected, explained and taught.
We have adopted the “ready, set, go!” mentality in all that we do; but unfortunately the kingdom of God doesn’t operate that way. The truth of the matter is that in just about everything, in our minds, we will never be ready enough to start. When can we ever be ready enough to marry? When can we be ever ready enough to have children? What about ready enough to engage in God’s purpose and do God’s will? In the kingdom of God, it should always be “GO, set, ready!” The best and only type of preparation should come in learning from mentors and spiritual fathers on the field and not just in laboratories or libraries.
The essence of Christianity is not explained as a noun but a verb! The first two letters of “GOSPEL” is “GO!” As we GO we will learn. It’s after we begin that we become skilled at. It’s time that we eliminate our excuses and start to maximize our opportunities!
What are you waiting for?!?! The race has already began – Let’s GO!
I agree pastor, As my personal experience always have been like that. When i started doing animations for tv commercial, i was on my second semester of my career, and then when i graduated i was already in a good working position.
I always ask good for tose kind of experience in my Christian life, i, sometimes, feel like grabbing a mic and start encouraging people to seek God face, to be humble, to be anxious not on the world but on their promise… but then i feel like I’m not as prepare as a pastor or a group leader.
But God is giving tool for breakout from the cocoon and Go to the multitudes, Set an atmosphere of worship, and be Ready for his present which is going to change this region.
God will give us that kind of preparation through you Pastor, because He wants us big, He will supersize us.
Amen Javi… I agree!!
Love it!! As a teacher to students with “difficulty learning” I offten encourage them to go to vocational school for the hands on training. My students, as well as myself learn better while doing. Your right many times I thought I learned something from a book, and found out I did not have a clue when it was time to put it into practice lol (Not that reading is not important :o) . I guess I should take advantage of Gods school and start my on-the-job training! Thanks Pastor for the insight.
We can spend so much time “preparing” we get stuck there never really accomplishing the very thing we’ve been preparing for. The maybe “cliche” quote, “God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called” totally applies here. As Christians we are ALL CALLED for a purpose. Instead of hiding in our “preparation” stage, we need to step out in faith on the path He has set before each and every one of us. Trust in Him with all your heart, He will make your paths straight.
Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. This is our season to go and take hold of everything that God has placed inside of us. I am tired of my current condition and I am understanding that I hold the power to change it. May we all be so tired that we move to action. Let’s GO!!!
We have to set outselves for anything that the Lord gives us. we need to go and make ourselves ready for anything.
This is so true! In the “go” we let go of ourselves and all we have to do its just put our trust in God! He is ultimately the best compass that we could ever have along the way! This mentality keeps us hungry for His presence because in order for us to keep on moving and being and doing we need to seek Him constantly or else we will get lost and fail and consequently die spiritually. The way God does things has never anything to do with “society’s” pattern of living and they are always challenging our upbringing or at least that is my case! and I love it!!! Because the praise will be to God not to men 🙂 and He will blew my mind away and those around me as He always does!
It is true that the most challenging way to learn is to just jump in and do it. But nothing else gives such satisfaction and sense of accomplishment than to just do it. It is easier to make excuses and not attempt something out of fear. I am tackling my fears thanks to God’s word which is changing my thinking. I must know that if what I am doing is for God’s kingdom that there is nothing that can stop me except myself. And that God’s power operating in me will enable me to jump hurdles of fear and inactivity. So I remain very thankful for the willingness in my heart to please God. I pray that my contribution makes a difference is someone else’s life.
I dislike being the example at work, but in being the example I always learn from my mistakes. I dislike getting those out of the ordinary claims, but through those out of the ordinary claims new procedures or ways of handling things are brought to light. So, it is when you’re in the mist of things that you learn.
This blog reminds me of that slogan “Just Do It”. We do have to shift from that “Ready, set, go” mindset. For me, it’s letting go of that hesitant part in me that thinks I need to do or know more before I can start. But hey, it’s not about me. It was once said to me that “it’s already in me”. So……, I have to just walk it out and know that my spiritual fathers will always be there in the field with me. The learning never stops. It’s continous and each day new.
I agree. What I learned in my first year as a teacher in the trenches, actually doing it, far out weighed what I learned in years of college, learning philosophies and theories.
I totally agree with you Pastor. I learn and accomplish more when being taught via hands on. We must continue to “GO” and have a teachable heart. Everyday is a learning experience and if we allow God to work in us the purpose of Impact Church will come to past. It is up to us to “GO”.
I love to believe that when I begin something I’ll be prepared for it, when in truth and in fact it doesn’t ever happen that way (for me). I find that I can never be prepared enough, and there is always a need to think and reason beyond the scope of what I have learnt. It doesn’t help that I learn faster and better when I am actually doing rather than listening, there is just something about learning on the go.
Everyday that goes by I learn something new,
that in itself shows me that I am never done learning and if that’s the case I’ll never feel
ready enough to go.
A fear of failure along with a fear of disappointing others is what keeps me from GOing, it’s also what I can allow to keep me contained.
After saying all of that, I choose to GO, so let’s do this!!!
As you said pastor we learn in the job. We can’t prepare enough for the challenges in our lives, we have to face them and take the offensive. We have to go and as we go God will help us get ready. I believe that the best way to get ready is by prayer. I think prayer and reading your Bible will open your eyes and it will illuminate the areas that we lack and when we recognize it we can make the adjustments.
We have to prepare ourselves for anything that God gives us.
That’s why you are our Pastor! Only you understand us and are prepared to train us, God prepared you though working on the farm. How many ways you can teach us things in different ways and we still don’t get it! Thank you for breaking it down to ESE teaching and hands on application.
The only way this can work properly in the church, without causing major problems (in terms of relationship and doctrine) is by implementing strong discipleship. Without it a lot of damage can happen to the Body, by people with great intentions but no structure, which comes with God’s processes in our lives
Aren’t we fortunate to be leaders and members of spiritual fathers and
mothers at IMPACT Church. We are being taught to GO out and search
with love as Jesus Christ did. We have compassion and want all people
to find their way into God’s kingdom. We are not fully prepared but
the songs goes like this : Onward Christian Soldiers!
Schools teach us how to function in society…i.e. within the limitations of man. Methods are intended to restrict versus expand your thinkning….perhaps with the exception of liberal arts and other such colleges.
We are made in God’s image and therefore limitless through Him. We are called to increase our consciousness of who Christ is…i.e. the example of what it means to be made in the image of God.
Unfortunately, there is a process of unlearning that must happen, and that can be harder than the learning process because it can only be done consciously and with purpose of intention.
Wait… What?!
Go, set, ready??? I always thought it was the other way around.
You are so right. Our brains have been trained in reverse. I’m one that went to a technical school so I know the importance of hands on and I appreciate it. No book or lecture could ever prepare me to stick a needle in someone’s vein to draw blood. I had to just do it. Although I missed a few at the beginning, it was expected, and it just made me strive to do better the next time. I was determined to DO my job correctly and be the best at what I did. Many patients told me I was and it made me grateful for all the “hands-on” experience I had in tech school.
We need to just go out there and DO what HE’S called us to. At first we might feel inadequate or like no one is responding how we want them to. We have to remember that not everyone WILL give their hearts to Christ. HE HIMSELF was denied by many when HE walked amongst us and did all HE did.
Love that!!!