Back from Kentucky

Amazing!  That’s a close summary of my time in KY this week.  It’s so exciting to see God moving in a community in such a powerful way as I saw this week.  I and some others met with some of the leadership at Hillvue and I was moved to see such commitment to purpose and singularity of focus.  They are geared and built to bring people to Jesus.  It’s not just the staff, but the community of believers are fully centered around this existence as well. 

They say that it’s in their DNA.  I like that.  Reaching the lost and making disciples is not just a goal of this church.  In fact, it’s not even the goal.  It goes deeper than that.  It is who they are! Attempting anything else would be akin to expecting a chicken to sit on your couch and bark like a dog.  It would require modification at the molecular level.

The priority of evangelism permeates everything they do.  It’s the barometer to measure the success of any ministry endeavor: is this ministry program or environment reaching lost people?  If not, they cut it.  Most of the things they try don’t work.  But the ones that do are reaching thousands with the message of the cross.

I pray for this kind of return to Biblical evangelism in our churches today!  What an impact that could be made for Jesus if we could make His purpose our purpose.  Not buildings.  Not programs.  Not budgets or even numbers.  Just a simple commitment to reach the unreached.  I bet it would look a lot different than many churches look today.  It requires an attitude of service and humility to reach those around you that are not necessarily like you. In Luke 19, Jesus sat down in fellowship with a group of people who were not at all like Him.  This day, it was tax collectors (could be biblical proof God is against the IRS since He did want Zacchaeus to repent) – another day it was a prostitute.  The church crowd gasped, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner”!  Jesus was like, “Uh, yeah?  That’s why I’m here guys.”  What flies at Hillvue, would not fly at many churches I can think of.  These guys are reaching the parts of the community that other churches don’t want, and that moves people out of their comfort zones.  Yet it is the very reason Jesus came and it is the life He modeled.  But then again, would Jesus really be welcome in a lot of our churches? (Todd Agnew – My Jesus)

Thank you Hillvue for staying your course and blazing a trail to inspire others.  Jesus might have had you guys in mind as an example when He said this in the sermon on the mount.  Keep doing what you’re doing!