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Dear
Friends,
A little over fifteen years ago now “with God
and a laser printer” we took our first hesitant
steps toward beginning what we today call Renovaré.
In the early days we didn’t even have a name,
just a passion that people be renovated in the
deep subterranean chambers of the heart and know
by experience the transforming power of Jesus
in all of life. We were, of course, wrestling
with the many issues surrounding spiritual formation—a
topic much in vogue today, but back then it was
hardly talked about, no less understood.
They
were heady days; days of big dreams and heated
debates and intense prayer. To be sure, we made
our share of mistakes . . . and then some. But
we also learned some valuable lessons that have
guided our thinking ever since. So, in this fifteenth
anniversary season I thought it might be helpful
to share with you a few of the lessons we learned
in those early days. But first let me add this
small caveat; I would never want to turn these
little lessons into anything like universal principles,
nor would I pretend to know what is best for you
and your situation and circumstances. These lessons
are part of our story; if and how they might speak
to your condition is a matter for you and God
to discern together. Out of respect for your attention
span I’ll confine myself to seven simple lessons!
LESSON
# 1 - ALWAYS STAY LIGHT ON YOUR FEET
In the early days I had the notion that in order
to have a significant influence on the religious
scene (not to mention the world scene) we would
need some 300 employees and substantial properties
and buildings. But as we waited on the Lord together
and prayed and discussed and listened we were
taught that perhaps, just perhaps, there is another
way . . . a way of significant influence that
is not necessarily tied to large staff and properties
and buildings. And it seemed good to the Lord
and us to explore that way. Hence, up to this
point at least, we have chosen to own no land
and no buildings and many of us are volunteer
workers, earning our livelihood in other ways.
This keeps our overhead to a bare minimum so that
monies given can go as much as possible directly
toward the nurture of precious people in their
growth in grace.
Please
do not misunderstand me; I’m all for properties
and buildings and paid employees when having such
things genuinely help further our mission and
make our efforts more efficient. I work with many
fine Christian ministries that have these things
in abundance and I thank God that they have them.
But I’m also keenly aware of the modern idolatry
of “the edifice complex” that is a plague in contemporary
society, and we want to do what we can to raise
a standard against it. So, for us thus far, “light
on our feet” seems to be the best policy.
LESSON
# 2 - ALWAYS FOCUS ON BEING A MOVEMENT
We
never want to become an institution that depersonalizes
people, nor a machine that chews people up, nor
a monument that focuses on the cult of personality.
We work hard to be more like an organism than
an organization. (In the early days we even debated
whether we should file as a 501(c)(3) non-profit
corporation.) But we are, in some measure, an
organization simply because organization helps
us get our work done. The Holy Spirit does not
have to ad hoc his way through life! Even so,
we never want to become bound by organization.
A movement is always dynamic, always nimble, always
responsive to every movement of the Spirit. So,
when and where structure helps us, we’re all for
the structure; when and where structure hinders
us, too bad for the structure.
LESSON
# 3 - ALWAYS ATTEND TO THE SOUL'S GROWTH IN GRACE
Today
distraction is one of the greatest obstacles to
spiritual growth. Including religious distraction.
This is something I determined we would never
do if we could possibly help it. So we are constantly
evaluating everything we undertake with the simple
question, “Will this help people grow in grace?”
If not, it is not for us. And it is amazing how
many times this simple question has protected
us from wasting our energies on non-productive
enterprises.
LESSON
# 4 - ALWAYS CENTER ON LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF
GOD
The advance of Christ and his kingdom comes first.
Always. In this regard we must decrease so that
Jesus and his kingdom life may increase. Indeed,
we must be prepared to let Renovaré die if doing
so will better promote the work of the kingdom
of God. Our real task is to take people off an
over-dependance upon human beings and human organizations
(including us) and turn them to Christ, their
present Teacher. Life with-Jesus is what people
need and what we must focus upon. Always.
LESSON
# 5 - ALWAYS PREFER PEOPLE OVER PROGRAMS
When we are putting on events—conferences and
retreats and seminars—we are constantly evaluating
to see that they help and enhance the lives of
people. This includes our own team. If we are
pushing too hard, we need to back off. The health
of marriages, the health of children, the health
of our own walk with Christ is too important to
sacrifice them on the altar of programs. We should
not have to disobey the way Christ taught us to
live in order to do the work God has given us
to do.
The
building of relationships among our own team is
one of our highest priorities. Frankly, developing
relationships is more important to us than getting
the job done. We have discovered, though, that
when relationships are strong and healthy the
work that needs to get done does in fact get done.
And we’ve found that the things that don’t get
done we are able to live quite well without.
LESSON
# 6 - ALWAYS TRUST THE SPIRIT; NEVER THE FLESH
Flesh is humanly initiated activity without any
reference to God. I have seen many things done
in the power of the flesh, including the building
of whole churches. But we cannot do the work of
the Spirit in the power of the flesh. Following
times of ministry work we will often put this
question to ourselves: “How much of what has happened
this weekend cannot be explained by our skill
or brain power, or how was our skill and brain
power used in ways that is beyond us?”
It
is the Spirit that reaches into the heart, touching
and transforming inward and unseen realities.
We simply cannot program our own heart, or anybody
else’s heart for that matter. This is something
only God can do. So we are constantly watching
for evidence of the great work of heart formation
and transformation in ourselves and in others.
LESSON
# 7 - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PASSION
Over the years I have learned something about
the wisdom of waiting until an idea or project
becomes someone’s passion. This demands spiritual
discipline . . . and patience. For some things
we have waited prayerfully for eight, even ten
years, waiting for the passion and the resources
and the maturity to come together in just the
right person. Then we step out trusting the God
who gives the passion to uphold the person and
prosper the work.
Well,
these seven lessons from those exciting, energetic,
early days. Simple lessons really, but they have
become important for us over these fifteen years,
shaping our thinking and ministry. I hope you
will find them helpful in some small way. And
may Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, guard
you, guide you, and strengthen you in all you
are and all you do.
Peace
and joy,
Richard J. Foster
P.S.
Lynda Graybeal, the Renovaré Administrator since
its inception, will be retiring June 30. We are
having a reception in her honor Sunday, May 16,
here at the Renovaré office. You are welcome to
attend, but if that’s not possible, feel free
to send a card or other best wishes.
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