Longevity is a hidden secret for those who truly want incarnational fruit. If Jesus spent thirty years becoming known, building a reputation, becoming a man of the people, maybe we should reconsider the transient nature of our lives.
I live in Denver, Colorado. People here change their housing locations every eighteen months on average. That includes those who live in the suburbs. As our economy has struggled, as families have been blown apart, as people try to navigate normal life, the new norm is to move around. I tell pastors to mentally prepare to view the ministry in their church just like they would view a college ministry. Expect to have only two to four years with people. Though everyone’s on the go, we can make intentional decisions not to be. Incarnation has a home, and over the course of our lives, we’ll probably have the most impact if we can stay put in an area and be the one constant in a constantly shifting world. I realize that the future economy looks bleak and that you will feel pressure to move whenever you can upgrade, but Jesus honors our prayers and plans to stick around. Incarnational fruit doesn’t just happen. It happens over time, and the more time we can give to a community, a street, a school, a sports club, or a pub, the more impact we will have."
(Hugh Halter. FLESH)
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