Moving On

Leading a ministry that is called "Abide" has proven to be a wonderful way to test the depth of my conviction about the place of Abiding in the Christian life. The test is whether or not I will "stay on message" or "move on to something else."

It seems that many people eagerly embrace the message of enjoying a barrier-free relationship with Jesus as the only way to bear fruit and glorify God. They literally become joyful at the news that Jesus is with us 24x7 and is perfectly enough for our lives to be fruitful and glorify God. It is awesome to see the "light go on" in someone's eyes when the message of abidig takes root.

It also seems that many people who get excited at the start of the abiding journey seem to grow weary when I don't want to 'move on' to something else. It is almost as if they think I don't know anything else.

I am beginning to realize that abiding is in a different class from all other types of Christian learning. Abiding is foundational.
Here is how I am expressing abiding here in Brazil to those who seem to want me to "move on". I am telling to think of abiding in this way....
Abiding is to discipleship what reading is to learning. You never "move on" from reading.

Abiding is to discipleship what breathing is to singing. You never "move on" from breathing.

Abiding is to discipleship what drinking and eating are to strength. You never "move on" from eating and drinking.

For me, the greatest fault in today's churches is we have "moved on" from abiding and we are becoming spiritually illiterate,
short of breath and without spiritual strength. We dare not move on. That is why our ministry is called Abide.

The pictures in this blog are of our Abide team members here in Brazil helping Christians not "move on" from Abiding. The word "PERMANECER" seen in the first photo is the word for Abide in Portuguese. The young lady in the picture runs our Abide office in the city of Sao Jose. Her name is Ana Rute. Keep her and all of our volunteers in your prayers.