A Steam Gun Has Many Parts, by Chad Young

 

Today, I’m so excited to welcome Chad Young to LBOC. He is the author of the new book, Authenticity: Real Faith in a Phony, Superficial World. This is a great book about what it means to truly BE a Christian and let God’s work flow from who you are. Stay tuned in the next couple weeks. I’m currently reading this book and have a strong feeling you’re going to see more about it here.

… But in the mean time … Here’s Chad …

A Steam Gun Has Many Parts, by Chad Young

My son Clark is fascinated with guns. My wife Elizabeth and I attempt to discourage this fascination, but so far our efforts have been futile. At two years old, before we realized he even knew about guns, he ran around the house with toy cars, held them as if they were guns and pretended to shoot them. Two of his very first words were: “Pow! Pow!” At first we hid the toy guns cousins bought him for Christmas, but he just found sticks in the back yard and used them as rifles.

Clark is also very bright, and he amazes us by coming up with brilliant inventions. Recently, Elizabeth asked Clark what he wanted for his birthday, and this is what Clark said (in an innocent little 4 year-old voice):

Clark: “I want a gun that shoots steam bullets but doesn’t hurt you.”

Elizabeth: “Have you seen one of those on TV or in the store?”

Clark: “No, but I think they should make one.”

Elizabeth (amazed): “How does it work?”

Clark: “It has water inside and a heater. The heater turns the water into steam, and then the steam comes out of a tube and forms tiny bubble bullets. When you pull the trigger, the bullets don’t hurt you because they are just made of water and air. But the gun won’t work unless you have a heater.”

Clark was right! He realized his imaginary steam gun must have water, a heater, and normal gun parts such as a trigger and barrel! Each part of the gun is significant to the gun’s function and effectiveness.

As I pondered Clark’s idea, it occurred to me that Clark’s gun worked a lot like the body of Christ. True, few people ever compare the church to a gun, but there is a comparison to be made! Like each gun part, we were designed to play specific roles within the body of Christ. Only by becoming involved in a local church can we fully understand our role and determine our purpose within the church. Just as each and every part of a steam gun is essential to the overall performance of the gun, each member of the body of Christ is essential to the effectiveness of the body. It’s the responsibility of each believer to get involved in the local body of Christ.

God designed His church to include diversity and people with different gifts and abilities, so that we might all work together to make up the body of Christ. Paul writes, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

Are you connected to a local body of believers? If so, are you using your gifts for God’s glory? What are some ways you can be more involved or help your local church to be healthier or more effective? Two areas which are often neglected in a church are prayer and outreach, and yet they are two of the most critical elements of a healthy church. Can you help your church be more effective in one of these areas or another area God may be placing on your heart?

Spend time praising God and thanking him for sending his Son Jesus. Before Jesus came to give us eternal life, God’s people tried to live for God on their own effort, but inevitably they failed. That’s why Christ came. God knew we could never have an authentic relationship with him without his help; he sent Christ to die for our sins. By accepting Jesus’ free gift of salvation and surrendering our hearts to him, we can experience an intimate relationship with God and help the body of Christ to be healthy as well. Confess any sin these verses bring to mind, and make a commitment to help your local body of believers to impact your community for Christ.

LBOC would love for you to leave a comment below and tell us how God is using you. Remember, this is not boasting in self but in the Lord, so share away! And inspire us!

… To find out more about Chad’s wonderful book, visit …

http://www.findingauthenticchristianity.com/authenticity-the-book/

About the Author:

Chad Young is the author of Authenticity: Real Faith in a Phony, Superficial World, available at Amazon. As Campus Crusade for Christ’s director for the South Carolina Lowcountry with a scope of 25 college campuses and 70,000 students, Chad resides in Charleston, SC, with his wife Elizabeth and their four young children: Wyatt, Clark, Evelyn and Josilynn. He holds an undergraduate degree from Clemson University and a graduate degree from Georgia Tech; Chad worked in the paper industry for 6 years before going into full-time ministry. He has served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ for 9 years and has also written a discipleship training manual. He has a passion for helping students learn what it means to have an authentic relationship with Christ.