Jesus was best known as a miracle-worker. In fact, the Gospels report that Jesus performed a total of 37 miracles in 3 short years. And those are just the miracles that were recorded. That’s more than one miracle per month. Wouldn’t it be great if your church could be known for miracles too? I’m not talking about TV evangelist-style miracles. I’m talking about your church being a place where the seemingly miraculous becomes a regular occurrence. The Spirit moves during worship. Bible studies transform lives. Prayers are answered. New worshipers return again and again. Baptisms outnumber burials. The community turns to you as a trusted partner. Money is available in abundance. Vision sets the agenda for meetings. For most churches, this state of affairs would indeed be miraculous. In this article I’m going to explore 3 ways you can adopt Jesus’ miracle mindset so that renewal becomes a reality.
Why Do Churches Lose a Miracle Mindset?
Survival has become a key feature of church culture in decline, along with resignation, resistance, and reluctance. That’s because they have let Jesus’ miracle mindset lapse. They wouldn’t mind if a miracle happened, they just don’t orient themselves toward participating in it. The further away a church is from being dream-driven and vision-led, the further away it is from Jesus’ miracle mindset. A culture of renewal, on the other hand, is a culture that is identified by miracles.
The Myth that Faith is No Longer Required
A myth that is crippling church vitality is the myth that faith is no longer required when it comes to decision-making or missional activity. Or that the miracles are unrealistic. The inherent problem with these myths is that people rise to the level of expectation you set for them. So if faith is no longer required for the effective functioning of the church, or miracles are deemed impossible, then you have effectively lowered expectations to a comfortable level. That spells death for vitality because lowered expectations means that people have nothing to rise to. Let go of this myth before it cripples the church.
Adopt a Miracle Mindset
Last month, I was speaking with a group of clergy eager to be encouraged in this season of stress. One question I was asked has stuck with me. “If you could do just one thing to help a church get ready to change, what would you do?” I thought about it and said, “I would adopt a miracle mindset. A miracle mindset is what helps us align with Jesus’ intentions. Talk about the miracles. Pray about the miracles. Lift up the miracles in worship and in prayer.” This isn’t the answer the clergy expected. However my answer spurred a lot of discussion about how the church has lost hope in the God of Miracles. One pastor commented that she wanted to do a sermon series on Jesus’ miracles, stating that as a more progressive congregation they hadn’t given the miracles much thought lately. I get it. However, no matter your views on science, faith, and biblical inerrancy, returning to the realm of the miraculous is a deep reservoir of inspiration from which to draw hope and renewal.
3 Ways You Can Adopt Jesus’ Miracle Mindset
- Stop complaining. Complaining signals that things aren’t good, that you are dissatisfied, that things aren’t working and that they aren’t going to work out. The trouble with complaining is that you will not notice the movement of God or the unfolding miracles around you. Please note that when I say to stop complaining, I’m not saying don’t address problems like racism or sexism. But complaining isn’t the same as taking action. It’s just making noise. As one pastor aptly noted, “There comes a time in which critical thought unfettered leads to cynicism.”
- Personalize the Miracle Stories. Choose 3 miracles of Jesus and personalize them, inserting either your name or the name of the church for the protagonist. Listen for how the miracle speaks to you in a new way. Let Jesus invite you into the story, and prompt you on next steps.
- Say Yes to the Prompting of the Spirit. One way I know that God is inviting me to participate in the miraculous is when I get a seemingly random thought. I used to shoo these thoughts away, considering them annoyances. Once I began to pay attention to them, I was able to participate with God in some greater unfolding.
NEXT STEPS
Finding a new aspiration for your church is possible, and it doesn’t mean lowering expectations about faith and miracles. But it does call for Conscious Leadership. Come to Elevate Your Ministry: An Introduction to Conscious Leadership to learn about the importance of mastering your mindset, awakening your spirituality, and becoming an intentional visionary.
If you want input on your ministry, click here for a free one-on-one 45-minute Discovery Session with me.
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Good morning. Thank you for your messages. I read them most of the time. And I’m glad that I do. For a few years I have been reading Rabbi Evan Moffic’s books. I’m reading again “What every Christian needs to know about Passover.