Holy Discontent with the Church

Last night Todd Braschler talked about "Holy Discontent," the thing that stirs your heart and motivates you to action.

An example would be that marriages within the church are falling apart just as fast as in the secular world. So, I would get involved in a ministry that helps to save marriages.

So here's your chance:

“What are your personal thoughts on the concept of ‘holy discontent’ as it relates to a passion and burden you sense God is calling you to carry?”
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For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. -- Philippians 1:6

Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Wichita, KS

My "holy discontent" would be that the "saints" of the church are so apathetic and don't appear to care that they serve the Creator of the universe much less that their lives are a witness to the world of what a Christian looks like.

So, my ministry is to teach people about the God that they claim and the powerful lives they should be living in His name. As Todd said the other night, we should see ourselves as dangerous -- as "lethal weapons" for Christ.
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For we know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.

Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 4

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First thing is that we settle for meetings like this and call them "revivals."

The other is that the church as a whole is compromising its stand in the world. While the gospel is not watered down in general---there is very little preaching on what is right and what is wrong (I am speaking about what is definately listed in the Word of God---not a pastor trying to shove his personal conviction on the members of his church, which is a version of what I grew up with). There is very little challenge for the church as a whole to make it's stand and to let the world know where it stands.

Yes, we should emphasize love and the Love that God has for the world, but should we do it to the extent of where we loose sight of some of the other basics that are less pleasent?

Where will we stand to hold back the dark??????? Where is the line where the church says "enough is enough?????" Where is it that we tell the world "This far and no further????????"

Is this my 'Holy Discontent'? I don't know--but these are questions and things that have been brewing in my heart for a long time now.

Anne---Please know that if my wording is harsh, I do apologize. I will not apologize for the intent of the wording.

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:28 am Post subject:

Why doesn't this qualify as a revival? I am feeling quite revived and hopeful for the future of both Antioch and my family. I see now that I am crippling my children and the people at my church be continuing to take responsibility for things others should be doing. What a liberating feeling that is! I go through life feeling overwhelmed by my responsibilities, when they aren't even mine. That I can get out of the way and let others succeed or fail and not be responsible is a very "reviving" feeling!

Guest

It's important to remember that "holy discontent" is not just an opinion about something causing frustration or disappointment. I believe to be "holy discontented" means to sense a burden, to commit to carrying a passion, to sense a calling to change an element or situation involving God's greatest passion - people. To be "holy discontented" seems to mean that I'm not just critical or sense I'm called to find what is not right. Rather, it is a calling to take responsibility, to take upon myself a portion of the solution to making a situation right. If my frustration is truly from God, there will always be a nudging, a calling, to carry the burden with Him.
If the situation with children from divorced homes is truly my area of "holy discontent", my passion is to do something that God is calling me to do in order to change the life of a child suffering through the decisions of their parents.
The differences between "discontent" and "holy discontent" (HD) seem, in part, to be these:

1. Discontent rests in frustration. HD sees frustration as step one in changing, altering, improving the situation.
2. Discontent speaks to the present. HD lives for the potential in Christ.
3. Discontent sees the solution to the problem as the target. HD sees salvation of another through ministering in the situation as the motivating reason for the effort.
4. Discontent sees as far as the solution. HD sees the frustration as the resource to change a life, rather than just the end of the situation or problem. They understand that God will allow discontent to occur, if for no other reason than to garnish our attention. Solving the problem is not the target. Bringing that person to a closer walk is the target.
5. Discontent relies on a confidence in my opinion. HD relies on my engagement, as God directs, to change the situation and therefore, change the person.

"Dear Lord, make us truly discontented about issues in our life and in the church that make an eternal difference in not only the lives of those around us, but in the lives of those we have yet to meet. Break our hearts for the situations on this earth that break your heart." Amen.

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:45 am Post subject:

Thank you so much for the excellent definition/explanation of Holy Discontent! I hope many people read this and allow their HD to get motivated to change lives!

Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 4

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Where was The Gospel presented in all of this? Where was the admonishment to look into our own hearts for sin and things that are against God? Where was a move of God that brought us to our knees in either praise or asking for forgiveness? Where was the challenge for the church to stand against the darkness? Where was the meat of the Word??

Don't get me wrong, what was being presented is good stuff--but I believe it is better suited for a Bible Study setting or a personal movtivation weekend.

Anne

Guest

While we have received some practical teaching on the church, it's quite difficult to question whether or not we've been receiving teaching on the Gospel of Christ. These sessions have been bordered and uplifted with the Word of God, and have in no way been something different than a revival.
I think Todd was invited to present exactly what he is presenting, and it is nothing but the Gospel of Christ, to change hearts for a tenderness and desire to reach the lost. That, to me, is exactly, and foundationlly the truth of the Word, and frankly something our church, better yet me personally, has been missing out on.

I've personally experienced "revival." It doesn't always have to be packaged in the same way to be called a "reviving experience." Does it?

Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Wichita, KS

My2heartboys, have you been here for the entire revival, so that you can criticize and state what has and hasn't been presented?

I do believe that the Gospel has been presented. In fact, I feel like that was the whole beginning of last night's presentation. But, these "revival" sessions are directed to the church, supposedly those who already have the Gospel and Todd's challenge has been to give the Gospel to the lost, to make the church a place that can not only provide an atmosphere for salvation but for the equipping of the saints, as well.

And, as far as sin . . . I have been severely convicted on a number of points. Such as: "Has it been more than 3 months since you invited anyone to church?" and "Has it been more than 6 months since you have shared your faith with a non-believer?"
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For we know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.

Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Wichita, KS

Obviously you were not there last night. I felt very convicted to look into my own heart for sin. There were actually people on their knees last night! Although I was not physically on my knees with them, I was brought to my knees emotionally by the thoughts that Todd shared. The challenge for the church to stand against the darkness was in - as shelly o said - the questions about sharing the gospel with someone in the last 6 months or inviting someone to church it the last 3 months. You really did miss a great message! I can not speak for anyone else but as for myself, I am totally revived. I have needed this for the last month.

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:58 pm Post subject: Revival / What It Means to Me

I would like to take this subject in just a little bit of a different direction. If I remember right when Todd started out Sunday one of his {I believe the Holy Spirit is using Todd to expose our weakness’ in a might way} thoughts was on being filled To often we come into the church to be filled but we tend to not reach out once we are full. Revivals are a chance to see what’s going on in the life of a church from the outside looking in. In most cases that will mean looking at ourselves and how we are reaching those that are truly outside watching our lives. Often times we see things we are doing that are defeating the very reason the Gods’ church is here.
The reason God’s church is here is to bring non-believers in, if we are doing things wrong. That isn’t going to happen. A Revival is just that, people seeing Gods’ plan from a different perspective I realizing what others are seeing can be done a whole lot better. Sin as it is rightly called is very easy to creep in, often times so slowly we don’t even realize it. Often sins are so well hidden by layers of denial of any need for change that it may take time just for the truth to sweep in and expose it. It would be nice to think sin would result in immediate change of lifestyle or outlook but that might take time as I stated before ( that truth would sweep in and conviction would take place first). In my opinion, a revival is a time for inward reflection on what I can do different for the cause of Christ to a dying world.
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GW's Thoughts