craig groeschel is probably one of my favorite people in the world. over the last year or so, i’ve had the honor of getting to know him as a fellow zondervan author, and while i was on staff at lifechurch.tv where he is the senior pastor.
people always wonder if the pastors they see with influence are the same on stage as they are in real life…and i can say with confidence that craig’s heart, passion, and love for people is consistent.? craig was also was kind enough to write the foreword to mad church disease, to which i am uberly grateful.
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craig’s new book is called “it,” and he’s been making the rounds on several blogs (listed at the bottom of this post) answering our questions about “it.”
here’s mine:
Anne: What are some ways churches with IT can truly make a global impact on poverty?
Craig: Thanks for the thoughtful question.
Churches and ministries with IT can and should be making a global impact on poverty over time. Here?s why:
Churches with IT?that special something that only God can do?reach people. When people are excited about kingdom vision, they generally become generous with their time and resources.
Ministries that have IT tend to give IT away. And when they give, God often seems to give them more.We?ve found that one of the best ways to disciple people is to help them serve in missions. Once they taste the presence of Christ among the poor, they are forever changed.
It seems that we are almost handicapped in experiencing all of God in a prosperous country. We never have to pray, ?Give us today our daily bread?? because we already have a cabinet full of bread. As our people are exposed to the way God works in the lives of people in the rest of the world, our hearts and faith tend to grow. Serving people generously with the love of Christ is like Christian cocaine?once you try it, you?re hooked.
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see what other bloggers have asked craig about “it” here:
Swerve (Craig Groeschel & Bobby Gruenewald)
Scott Hodge
The Catalyst Blog and On the Journey (Brad Lomenick)
Velocity (Dave Ferguson)
Zondervan blog
Monday Morning Insight (Todd Rhoades)
Innovative Ministry Leader (Sean Lewis)
Tony Morgan Live
Leading Smart (Tim Stevens)
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Comments
7 responses to “what does IT has to do with poverty?”
yes and Amen
i love IT.
Anne, Thanks your great question and posting on It. We miss you at Life. Can’t wait for the release of “Mad Church Disease.”
“Serving people generously with the love of Christ is like Christian cocaine”- I love it!
I picked up this book after seeing him speak for the Leadership Summit at Willow.
He was, by far, my favorite!
I have not read it yet, but it is next on my list!
I agree with the cocaine bit on serving the poor with generosity – I hope Craig and the rest of the gang at LC are living that out. I also think Craig is right on track on when it comes to using missions as a discipleship tool. Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen both of these concepts first-hand.
thank you for talking about serving…craig saying “on a typical day we never have to pray ‘give us our daily bread’” hit home. right now too many south texans are saying that, and we can point them to the lord.
just got thru sending a friend in florida several links to help houston/ galveston folks. day 16 with no power is hard on diabetics (insulin has to stay cool), the list of missing is not noticeably shrinking, charities are blowing thru emergency budgets (food bank, ronald mcdonald house) as they keep helping others while repairing their own facilities & homes. migrant workers are here with visas, but no jobs, because businesses are gone. the oyster beds are destroyed, cattle and horses are dying in the fields where saltwater has contaminated their grass & water.
please don’t think of missions as only in 3rd world countries.