“If we are ‘out of our minds,’ as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are con- vinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (II Corinthians 5:13-15)
One of the things that was said about our first-century brothers and sisters is that they were “out of their minds.” From an unbeliever’s perspective, that is certainly how they must have appeared. How else would one explain the irrational joy that often occurred in the midst of their hardships? Or the seemingly obsessive passion that drove disciples to make some of the most nonsensical financial decisions for themselves? Or even their relentless preaching, hoping to convince others to walk the same path as a man who died on a cross like a common criminal? To a skeptical world, even a disciple’s belief is unbelievable. Not just unbelievable, it would have been insane!
As twenty-first-century disciples who strive to imitate our New Testament ancestors in every way, we wear the label of insanity as a badge of honour! We understand that our commitment, our zeal, our passion, and even our joy will not make sense to most outside of our fellowship. We know that our life choices, financial decisions, and refusal to compromise will seem crazy to a lot of people. But that is fine by us because if we are “‘out of our minds,’ as some say, it is for God!” Even in the time of Hosea the prophet, because of the sin and darkness of those surrounding God’s people, he writes, “the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac.” (Hosea 9:7)
Why are we so driven? Why are we so committed? Why do we refuse to compromise or quit? Why do we raise tens of thousands of dollars for Special Missions Contribution? It is because we are compelled by Christ’s love for us. How can someone quantify love? A scientist may say that love is nothing more than a chemical cocktail of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin that is released by your brain when appropriately triggered. But what on earth would cause your brain to trigger such a potion? Your sight? Your touch? Smells? Or is love random, and your brain just acts autonomously to determine when, where, and toward whom you feel love?
Explaining love scientifically or in a completely rational way is no more possible than explaining to a non-Christian why disciples do what we do. Love causes people to do the craziest things. And so does Christ’s love for us! It compels us. It inspires us. It challenges us. It makes us want to push harder when we are tired, go further when we feel like quitting, and do more even though we have less.
In Paul’s writings to the church in Corinth, he teaches, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7) Some have incorrectly argued that compelling someone to give to God is wrong. When taken in context, the above scripture is not saying it is wrong to compel people to give. In fact, that is actually what Paul was doing in that chapter and the chapter before it. Paul’s point is simply that you should not give because someone asked or because you are compelled, but because you want to. Why? As Paul stated, “for God loves a cheerful giver.”
But what determines whether or not someone is a “cheerful giver”? Again, “Christ’s love compels us.” Either way, our giving is going to be compelled. We give either because we are compelled by people or a need, or we give because we are compelled by Christ, and out of gratitude, we want to give! Therefore we not only give, but we do it cheerfully! Once more, this is something that the world cannot understand. How can you be fired up to give so much to God?
Over the past few months, it has been nothing short of inspiring to see how much effort has been exerted by disciples throughout the church to reach our $135,000 Missions Contribution goal! From doing tax returns to planning Zumba events, raising money on the streets to creating a thrift store on campus, going door to door to ask for donations to tapping shoulders and asking friends and family to donate, I am so blown away by how “out of our minds” we have been for Christ! And this all in the midst of a very difficult economy in Toronto.
Some have asked how we are planning to use the money that we have raised. A small portion of it will be used to plant the Durham Region of the Toronto Church in the latter part of the summer. But really, our aspirations are far bigger than just planting new regions in Toronto, and we have no interest in merely being a community church. As part of a worldwide movement of churches, bent on conquering the entire world for Christ, we are set up to be the pillar
church for all the work that will be done in Canada! That means that all of the future churches planted in Canada will stem from the Toronto Church!
In order to plant these future churches, we will need leaders who are capable of taking a small mission team of 12-15 disciples to any one of Canada’s ten provinces (plus three territories) or major cities and building a sold-out church! To accomplish this, we have overstaffed the Toronto Church because we believe one cannot truly learn the ministry without being full-time. These full-time leaders are strategically placed on campuses throughout Toronto, and will eventually graduate to leading a region in the Toronto Church, which is the closest simulation of what it is like to lead a church. As we build campus ministries, plant new regions, and add more and more full-time staff, we will be investing in the evangelization of the nation of Canada! What a crazy thing to do for a bunch of disciple maniacs!
With all this in mind, I hope you fully accept being “out of [your] mind” for Christ! And because we are ultimately compelled by Christ’s love, something that is impossible to quantify by any earthly metric, let us be cheerful givers as we strive to spread God’s love to a lost world! To God be all the glory!
Evan Bartholomew