I personally would like an “UN-LIKE” button, but there is already enough parading of drama for the world to see to add any more emotion to the site.

What is it in us that want to be liked?  There is this insatiable desire inside all humankind to be liked and loved by others.  From those that are people persons to those that are loners, there is still that desire for attention of some kind.

Since God has place that desire in us, I don’t want you to think that it is wrong to have this desire.  The better thought to ponder is “WHO” should like me.  And the answer is spelled shorter that most of the names on our friend lists.  G.O.D.

For most of us, we have probably spent a considerable amount of time not caring what God thought of us.  But when we have the opportunity to experience His grace, it changes EVERYTHING.

Most of those on our friend lists, can’t possibly ever be what that “LIKE BUTTON” indicates.  They may like our pics, posts, and yes even the person that we are, but there is ONE that loved us so much that He gave his life for us.

John 3:16  is a well known verse, but despite it’s perpetual use by many people around the world, it’s truth is often overlooked.  It says, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” I “LIKE” that.

My hope for you is that you live your life for HIM and not so much THEM.

LIKE if you believe it,,,,,,, ….OK just kidding

The church, both local and universal, should be thinking on this.  The Morphine Effect can set itself up in the church.  Great music, great food, great fellowship, great worship, great small groups, great ANYTHING, can be a great thing to have, but oftentimes the people can get so mesmerized in the things they like or the things that feel good, that they miss the hemorrhaging of people out the back door and those who need intensive care.

When I was a kid and my parents had been divorced, I began to take a liking to going to my dads house because to me it was basically more fun to be there.  There were various things that made dad the “Fun Dad.”

When people come and go from churches, usually part of the known or unknown hemorrhage, a lot of times they can land with the church that is the “Fun Dad.”  The danger comes when that fun atmosphere creates a mentality that this is all that the body of Christ is about, and then those who were once part of the hemorrhage are now a part of the euphoria and in turn miss the loss of fellow followers of Christ who got lost in the shuffle, all at the sake of stimulation over souls.

I don’t believe anyone sets out on a journey to ignore a major issue in their church, but the Morphine Effect is real and is playing a substantial role in church struggles and accounts for a great number of souls who stay in their recliners when the church doors are open.

If we want to see a substantial shift in this effect, we need to be as focused on the back door as we are on the front.  We need to be getting down and dirty in the messy spirituality that is likely to be more prevalent than fun stuff that fun dad (church) might bring.

I’m on it!!!  I pray that you are as well.

Have an awesome week.

David Santistevan

Do you ever feel like you’re alone?

That your struggles are different than everyone else’s?

You hear worship leaders talk about their live recordings, large teams, and expansive click track setups while you struggle to get people to attend your church.

You’re wondering if you’ll have a drummer on Sunday, let alone how unified your team will be in worship.

Just because you lead worship at a small church doesn’t make you less anointed, less significant, less important to the body of Christ.

Matter of fact, we need you.

We Need You

I thank God for the big worship leaders who resource the church with their songs. I thank God for the mega churches who are doing incredible things.

But I also thank God for the small church worship leaders – the unknown.

You teach us about the value of one soul – it’s not just about drawing and entertaining mass crowds. It’s about seeing one life come to Christ.

You teach us about the purity and simplicity of worship – our hearts connecting to our Maker’s. It’s about purity of heart, not production.

You teach us that best is not always bigger. It’s better to be small and humble than large and conceited.

You teach us that ministry isn’t about becoming a celebrity. It’s about reaching unreached people in every corner of the world.

So don’t stop giving, pouring out, and investing in your local community.

We, the body of Christ, thank you.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay. – Robert Frost