Well, I leave for England two weeks from today. I must admit I’m pretty excited. When I am asked why I am so excited to return to England my response has been that when God tune’s your heart to his, doing anything other than his will feels strange and unnatural. God has tuned my heart to England and that’s where I long to be, to continue being part of his work in the greater Manchester area.
Today I finished up my volunteer work at Mission Arlington (www.missionarlington.org) in Arlington, TX. Mission Arlington was started some 20 years ago by Tillie Burgin (pictured, far left) and is still run by her to this day. Also pictured is her son Jim Burgin who helps direct Mission Arlington. Tillie has traveled the world speaking about God’s work in Arlington through the Mission. Tillie is quoted and Mission Arlington is talked about in such books as “Breaking the Missional Code” by Ed Stetzer and David Putman and “The Externally Focused Church” by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson. I count it as a joy and honour to have served with Tillie and the Mission Arlington team two days a week this summer.
While hanging around Mission Arlington you often hear people say they just feel overwhelmed because they don’t know how you could ever start something like Mission Arlington. The standard response from Mission Arlington is that you can’t because they don’t know how to do it either. Mission Arlington began as a small group who desired to make a difference in Arlington, TX and the surround areas. They claim that everything else that has happened since then has happened by accident. I don’t know that I’ve ever been around a team of people who God so clearly moves and works through.
As many of you know, I am always keeping an ear out for a good quote from a movie or in a book. Last night I was watching the film “The Patriot.” In what I view as one of the key moments in the movie, the follow challenge was given:
Will you now, when you are needed most stop at only words? Is that the sort of men you are? I ask only that you act upon the beliefs of which you have so strongly spoken and in which you so strongly believe.
I found this statement to be incredibly challenging and moving. Will you and I stop at words and only talk about the things Jesus was about or will we act on our words and live and do the work of Jesus? One of the most challenging passages I’ve read in recent days comes from the very familiar story of the Good Samaritan. At the end of this parable Jesus says:
36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” (Luke 10:36-37 NLT).
As a follower of Christ I want to be about the things Jesus was about. I want to go and do the same as Jesus. As author Donald Miller says:
What I believe is not what I say I believe; what I believe is what I do. Donald Miller “Blue Like Jazz” p 110
I want to live a life that gives evidence for what I say I believe!! I thank God for his servants like Tillie Burgin who believe Jesus meant what he said when he said to “go and do the same.” The way of Jesus is simple to understand but not easy to put into practice.
Do you want to be a person of words or of action?
Simple but not easy,
Chaddington
