Jen and I spent yesterday at Duke with Mom and Dad for Mom’s surgery. She came through very well and is back home in Wilmington resting well tonight.

While we waited for mom during surgery, I had the opportunity to talk with a very interesting older couple. They were in their late 80’s and had been married for over 60 years! I loved talking with them about growing up in the 20’s and 30’s. We talked about how they met in church. We talked about the secret to staying married so long.

But one statement jumped out at me. When talking about their church, they said, “It’s not big, but it’s big enough.” I was immediately saddened. They love God, go to church every Sunday, and would probably give you the shirt off their back. But, this Sunday, they will reach the already converted.

I have heard people say they leave growing churches because they are not fed. I have heard that you cannot know anyone in a large church. But, I have never heard anyone say they were leaving a church because too many people were following Christ. It is always about what the exiting individual did not get.

“It’s not big, but it’s big enough.”

This could be translated we don’t want to change. If staying the same means we do not grow, then we are big enough. I live in a city where over 100,000 people do not know Christ. I do not want The ROCK to reach the already converted. I want it to captivate the hearts, minds and souls of the lost in my city. Not so we can entertain them. I want to see lives changed. I want to see a city transformed. Do you know what will bring revival to a city? I’m willing to bet that a city where overwhelming numbers of people become Christ followers would be a pretty good start.

I want to see MANY people become fully committed followers of Christ. If that means I can’t have music, teaching, programs or style my way, so be it. In order to reach our city, we must give up what we want so we can reach others. Sound like a worldly concept? Check out this quote,

I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. ~ Paul the Apostle

Is your church big enough? Not mine.