Notes on Pastor Steve Murrell’s preaching:

2 Corinthians 2:12-13(ESV) 

When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

1. We are called to preach the gospel and make disciples.

We are not called to debate, argue or drop subtle hints of the gospel but to preach the gospel.

We are not called to preach our own cultural trappings of the gospel. We are not called to preach the church’s vision and mission but the gospel. The mission of the church is to preach the gospel and make disciples.

2. We are not called to walk through every open door. 

Paul had an open door for the gospel but he walked away. NOT ALL OPEN DOORS ARE  FOR ME AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE FOR NOW. Sometimes the will of God is for us to walk away from that open door.

HERE IS THE HIGHLIGHT FOR ME FROM PASTOR STEVE’S TALK that will forever liberate me:

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM FULFILLING OUR CALLING AND FULFILLING OUR POTENTIAL.

If we live our life trying to fulfill our potential, we will walk though every single door that opens whether we are called to do it or not. It is a weary life to do everything that can be possibly done in the name of God. It is a light burden and an easy yoke to be doing what we are called to do. If we understand our calling, we can walk away from open doors.

This hit me real hard. I have been trying to maximize my potential and trying to do many things. Even when my wife would remind me to pray about it and ask God if I really need to do it, I always shrug and say, “it is an opportunity and an open door.”  The result of such thinking is that whenever I accept anything that I am not called to do – I am taking time away from something that I am called to do. I do all of this in the name of potential and not the call of God for my life.

Paul had no peace because his brother Titus was not there even if there was a wide open door because the relationship is not there. It makes you grateful because I know I do not want to do ministry and God does not want me to do ministry without my family, my friends and pastors. We need to realize that we are called together to do church. Church is a community – therefore I can’t do it alone. Thus, you cannot say you are a disciple of Christ if you have no meaningful relationships in church community.