In Uganda we spent time with the King Alfred team on a building site constructing a boarding house at Butagya Primary School. (Scroll back there's lots more info about it earlier.) Although some of us tried to boss on site there was only one real boss: John. John was a Ugandan with a chubby tummy, a huge smile and a lot of responsibility. It was John's job to oversee all of the work on the site. He had to ensure each brick was put perfectly in place in order to support the ones being placed on top.
Now at the time I thought John was a ultra pernickety. To me the building of the boarding house was a matter of urgency for two reasons. Firstly the children needed somewhere to sleep and secondly our time there was limited. As I looked around the school (which we had now turned into a building site) and assessed the situation it looked like we needed to work fast.
At least forty school girls, between the ages of 5-14, were now scattered amongst the human chain that had been formed to transport the bricks from one end of the site to the other. Dressed in sunshine yellow dresses which matched their smiles, the girls giggled and laughed at the mazoongos (turning pink beneath the hot African sun) who were struggling to keep up passing the hundred ton bricks (they told us they were made of mud but I think they lied!) to the children who effortlessly tossed them onto the site to be used. Some carried them on their heads, cushioned with leaves to protect their scalps. The mazonngos even had a go but the less said about that the better eh Pastie!? The girls in line were currently sleeping in their classroom, huddled together like animals but with poorer sanitation.
My eyes could only see the immediate situation. These beautiful girls needed a boarding house (somewhere to sleep) and fast. So you can imagine my frustration and confusion when John (site manager) insisted on checking each individual brick put in place and then proceeded to adjust any that were placed incorrectly or were "rubbished" as he would say. John was an expert bricky and an awesome teacher. He was even patient with me when I couldn't get the hang of the tools (I know now that string is an extremely important tool in every brickies toolkit). This string thing had a weight on the end and I am told it measured something. I was also told the name of it, which I've momentarily forgotten but know doubt my brothers will remind me of it once they've read this. Anyway, it was used to make sure the bricks were straight, which most of mine weren't :(
For a week John and the team laid the bricks....slowly. They used the process of laying one, checking it with the special string and so on...and on ...and on! And so we left that site with the boarding house unfinished. It did leave me slightly dissatisfied as I would've loved to see the girls in it and the roof on but I was content with John's promise that the job "would get done". Looking back I'm so glad John was there. I'm thankful that he corrected my bricks and that the men finishing the build know how to use the string thing correctly. You see I know that when that building is complete it will be magnificent. It will be a beautiful home for the girls and they don't deserve anything less than magnificent. So imagine that is one small group of dedicated people building a boarding house for school children- imagine the church (think global, think massive!) rebuilding the temple for Christ coming. (Nehemiah 6)
Since arriving here at Hillsong Church Australia we've been receiving amazing (although challenging) teaching and we've met some beautiful (ridiculously stunning) men and women who love God. People who believe they are like the bricks. No not square and made of mud (although I'm sure some smart theologian could come up with a sermon out of that n prove me wrong what with the murry clay n all that!) but they believe they are people placed perfectly where God wants them to be.
More so they believe that the brick that follows- the next generation of believers- will be seriously effected by whether or not they are in line. I know you guys back in Scotland are imagining the same thing. I know that you are fighting hard to get into line with God and to position yourself in a great place so that you can bless future generations. So I want to thank you first of all for your example and your vision, that you are trusting God and believing his promises (Isaiah 43: 5-7, Jeremiah 29:11-14)) but also to challenge you. Remember we are not the foundations: we are part of the build.
For centuries Christains have been spreading the gospel to all nations so we can trust that we have some amazing foundations. Some of the greatest people who ever lived have laid them- the most obvious and strongest rock ever Jesus- and that's just the start. Since his death (and resurection) his disciples have been building: Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Billy Graham to name a few and that's only who my wee brain knows about.
I want to encourage you that wherever you are in the wall make sure your contribution counts cos it will most definately effect those that follow. It is up to you whether or not it effects them in a positive way or a negative one. What's more it doesn't matter if you are not the cornerstone, someone taking extra weight and responsibilty, (although well done if you are) without you and your contribution the cornerstones would fall too.
That's a huge lesson I'm learning here: "Together we are better!" (Brian Houston)
The church (and I'm talking globally) is one team and like the bricks we can all support each other. If you look around the church and you're squirming in the position you're in maybe you need to think about repositioning yourself. If you see everyone else and wish you were where they are or doing the job they are doing, or worse still you don't want their job but you don't want them to be blessed by it either well I suggest you find a John. Find someone who will help you get in line (or how to use the tools we've got on our site- trust me the bibles a whole lot easier to use than the string thing 'n' it makes more sense, well to me at least!) Like John they will be patient and take time with you. Remember they are overseeing the job- they don't want you to fall cos that only holds up progress. We want a church that is constantly progressing! We have no time for "regressors"! (Ephesians 5:16)
If you feel, wait a minute I'm not even a brick yet. I'm still in the mould 'n' I'm not sure I'll be able to fit. Remeber the one who made you, made you perfectly just how you're supposed to be. He made you to be part of the build. (Phillippians 1:6)
In Africa materials are expensive so they waste NOTHING. A couple of time a few of the mazoongos (not naming any names) would spoil a brick, dropping it from the cushion on their heads. Others were damaged when the human chain started laughing hysterically! Nobody cast them aside. Never once did John say "Oh well that one's damaged we can't use it." No! He simply sanded off the rough edges and made it fit. He even went to the trouble of adding a lil extra mud to a couple and reshaping them so they could be used. Most often these "damaged" bricks were used as the cornerstones cos he said they were the strongest. How much more does God love it when he can reshape us and use us to make something magnificant!? (Math 18: 10-14)
When we first arrived at Hillsong we were immediately challenged by a vision they have here. They call it The I heart Revolution: (www.iheartrevolution.com)
"Imagine a global church and the impact it could have on the world!"
I thank God that you guys are imagining a global church and together we are witnessing how it is changing the world. Although we are not the foundations we are part of the build and we're progressing. We are building on what's gone before and preparing something better for the future.
God is building a global church and we need each other. If we unite we are stronger. The world is watching and like me on the building site they are becoming impatient. They can see (and feel) the immediate needs. They want an answer like the girls wanted somewhere to sleep. I believe we have the answer- Jesus!
Are you committed to the build?
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