Transformation

transformation |ˌtran(t)sfərˈmāSH(ə)n| nouna thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance: its landscape has undergone a radical transformation.
What is the goal of ministry? Is it to fill up the seats, get some people wet in baptism, and gather larger offerings? Surely there is more to ministry than that. 
I have failed miserably at doing those things. But those things do not necessarily produce transformation. Of course , when a person is saved they are transformed. Is that the end? Should that transformation extend to families, to neighborhoods, schools, and communities? 
The gospel produced radical changed not only in individuals but also in communities all through the book o fActs. I have read stories and seen documentaries where God transformed other communities in the modern era. 
Here is the question I want to ask. Is the gospel transforming lives and the community you live in? Is your local assembly being used effect radical change in your community? Is your church body transforming your community? 
If we cannot answer those questions in the affirmative then I ask why not? Sadly, I confess I have been a part of such congregations which seemed to effect very little transformation. We met. We prayed. We studied. We served. Yet in our wake we did not leave transformed lives much less communities. 
Like other pastors I have seen my fare share of people "praying the sinners prayer" but not being transformed. They were baptized and then fell away into lives of debauchery. Did they truly meet Jesus and have a true salvation encounter with Him? Were they transformed? Only Jesus knows for sure. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. This verse assures that people who truly meet Jesus for salvation will be radically changed.
In Acts God used the apostles to effect transformation. Numerous people were saved. In Acts 2 these new believers were ADDED to the church. In subsequent chapters they were MULTIPLIED. Look at the impact of Paul. Acts 16:20 (ESV) ²⁰  And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.

Acts 17:5-6 (ESV)
⁵  But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.
⁶  And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
Why aren't we turning our worlds upside down? The church is tight lipped about the gospel. It is the good news few people want to talk about. Not outside the walls of our gathering places for worship at least. The church acts like they are ashamed of the gospel which is a direct violation of scripture. Romans 1:16 (ESV) ¹⁶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.


For all our lip service about the power of prayer so few churches give any meaningful time to prayer and intercession for their communities. Is it any wonder, when you factor in these two tings alone, why we see such little transformation individually or corporately in many local churches. 

Something is changing in me. In this intermission time of my ministry I am reevaluating what Jesus wants of me and the next place I serve. I am convinced it is transformation of the lost and the whole community. This is a far shift from concerning myself with getting more people in the seats, adding more baptisms, and gathering larger offerings. Transformation is about building the kingdom of God. Not about building the kingdom of any one local church. The kingdom of God is bigger than any local church or any denomination.

I keep asking myself the same question over and over again. How does an individual and a local church go about transforming a culture? I believe that is the new direction of my life ministry. I would not fare well in any church so preoccupied with themselves that they forget their true mission to transform their community with the gospel.

 I hope and pray I am allowed to see true transformation in hat little time I have left to minister. That is my true purpose. May I not be distracted or discouraged from accomplishing this very possible mission.