Momentum is the strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events. That is the official definition. Every church either has forward momentum, or they are stagnant or worse yet, they are in decline. I call momentum “Big Mo”. When he is with you, it seems you can do anything, but without “Big Mo”, even the simplest obstacles appear like impassable mountains. Every leader wants “Big Mo” around because life is better with him than without him.
New Life lost “Big Mo” after two very dark days that happened 13 months apart in 2006 and 2007. The results of those two cataclysmic events were devastating on many fronts. Trust was broken, our innocence was lost, and our world seemed to be crashing in around us. The Holy Spirit never left us and God’s love was very real to us, but “Big Mo” was nowhere to be found.
Then he suddenly reappeared at New Life in June of this year like a Christmas miracle. He came back and I was glad to see him because there were times when I was not sure I would ever see him again. I was beginning to believe he was like Big Foot, a fictional beast that others would sometimes claim to see but no one could ever capture.
Why did he come back to New Life? Am I genius leader? Did he come back out of sympathy? I am just now processing all that has happened, so I do not have all the answers. I know for sure that I am no genius, so I have marked that one off my list and I don’t think “Big Mo” is a sympathetic creature. He only hangs out with people who are ready to advance and take ground.
You see, “Big Mo” loves the windshield and not the rearview mirror. He hangs out with people who are looking ahead and not dwelling in the past. This summer, we did just that. We became convinced that God had not removed his lamp stand from New Life and we should get busy with our assignment. We began to dream about taking care of widows, orphans, and the poor. We began to dream about planting life giving churches around the world. We began to serve the needs of our city and we made a choice to pray with fervor and passion.
We are not moving real fast right now, but we are moving forward. The most important step in any journey is the very first one. We will pick up speed in the days ahead and our resources will match our growing vision. The poor will be helped, churches will be planted, and lives will be changed. The Holy Spirit is the one who decides where “Big Mo” spends his time and I am grateful God has sent him back to New Life.
Do you have “Big Mo” in your life right now? Are you moving forward with force or have you stalled? Are you in retreat? The first step is to deal with the past honestly and prayerfully so you can spend more time looking ahead through the windshield. The Holy Spirit will then send “Big Mo” back into your life and you will move forward with strength and force.