Follow me...not on Twitter.

I must confess, I've had a Twitter account for close to four years now and I think I have only signed in once. I'm not sure if I like the idea "following" people, or having people "follow" me. I know this is a great tool for networking and staying connected, I guess this idea of following people leaves me asking why. Why should I follow someone, and why would anybody follow me? If you think I'm being too anti social media stick with me, hopefully this will make sense soon.

For the past two weeks as a staff we have been reading and discussing Paul's letter to the Philippians. This has allowed me to take two weeks to chew on Paul's words and really wrestle with how I view God, His Church, my relationships, and myself. One thing really struck me as I read Paul's words, and it was on the issue of "following".

Paul says "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you." Philippians 3:17

The reason why this struck me is because I am in a season of "following" a lot of different leaders. I have been given this great opportunity at Restore to do a leadership residency to learn as much about church planting before Stephanie and I plant in the city. I am following leaders because they are "successful". They have planted churches that are growing and making disciples. There are some who have formed models for ministry that I have great respect for and am always learning from. But then there's Paul, the greatest church planter the church has ever known. He writes to this church in Philippi and he tells them to follow his example. He tells them to follow his life. Paul challenged whole churches to be more concerned about their love for Jesus, and real transformation than a strategy on how to grow a ministry.

Before Paul tells the church to follow his example he says these words "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship and sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul wanted the church to follow his example, even in this. I wonder, if Paul had a Twitter account would anybody follow him. And I also wonder if I really want to follow Paul's example. Do I really want to know Christ in such an intimate way that I would share in his suffering, becoming like him in his death?! I honestly don't know. And that concerns me. This actually concerns me when I look across the scope of church planting because honestly these are questions we don't really consider. Maybe because we would rather follow the successful leader than follow the imprisoned apostle. Following Paul may result in harsh rejection, labelled as an extremist among other church planters who aim to be culturally relevant which is not a bad thing, but the Gospel message is offensive and will be rejected by some. On the other hand, following Paul could reveal the sweet reality of what a life and ministry completely surrendered to Jesus could look like. It could mean we really experience the power of the resurrection in ourselves and the people around us.  

I say all this, not to discredit Twitter or the leaders that I know and have great respect for. I say all this because I want to focus on the most important things. I want to make sure my motives stay pure and that I don't follow people for the wrong reasons. Finally, I say all this because I one day want to be able to say to the people I lead "follow me". Not because of anything I have done or because I am perfect, but because above everything else I want to know Christ.