Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do He will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. —John 14:12
The Wizard of Oz begins with a house falling on a witch and a little girl named Dorothy going on a journey. Dorothy follows the yellow brick road, reaches the wizard of Oz, throws the bucket of water at the witch, and grabs the witch’s broom. Then Dorothy finds out from Glenda that, the whole time, all she had to do was click her heels.
Maybe you’re on a journey and you’re all worried about “I have to do this…I have to do that….” No. All you have to do is believe God.
Why? Because you have everything you need to do what God’s called you to do. God will never call you to do something that He hasn’t prepared you to do.
As church leaders, we must come to this realization so that we may help others within our church believe it, too. Ephesians 2:10 says, “God has prepared good works” for us to do, and as leaders, we must empower church members to find these works and do them.
Many of your church members are being called to do great things, but they never get to because they’re too busy hunting for the witch’s broom. Or maybe they’re still in the flying monkeys’ clutches or lost in the poppy field.
They must learn to click their heels, to believe in God.
At the Rock Church, Theresa, a former stripper and escort, helped start the JC’S Girls ministry, which reaches out to women in the adult entertainment industry. Tamela, who experienced leukemia first-hand, runs the Rock Cancer C.A.R.E.* Ministry, which helps others through their cancer journey in any way possible. Perri, who was raised by a single mom, leads the Never Knew a Father’s Love ministry, which is dedicated to reaching those who grew up, or are growing up, without a loving father figure.
These are just three stories of people who realized all they had to do was believe God. The Rock Church sponsors more than 100 ministries, all led by individuals who like Theresa, Tamela, and Perri responded to God’s call.
Imagine what the Universal Church could do if everyone truly believed God.
God has prepared each of us for a specific purpose. There will be pain: you’ll hurt today, but you’ll be okay tomorrow. But it is God who empowers us to do something individually and as a church. God is the one who works with or refines your passions to help you do something. We are all called to respond, to do something.
We are called to do something, but not EVERYthing.
As leaders, we must lead, but we must remember that we aren’t told to do everything. God has called people to specific tasks, and we must encourage them to pursue these tasks — to put on their ruby red slippers and click their heels.
We all have those ruby red slippers, and we must learn to click our heels.
