The Next Great . . .



Over last few years I have come to terms with who I am in Christ. I’m not the smartest, best looking, or edgy person; I’m just me. I remember attending Baptist Bible College and hearing the stories of Jerry Falwell and what he did while at BBC. I heard men who wanted to be the next Jerry Falwell. Don’t get me wrong, I feel God used Jerry in his life but there is (or was) only one Jerry Falwell. Now that Billy Graham is not doing as much as he has done in the past, people are looking to brand the new Billy Graham. Rick Warren’s name has been thrown out as a possibility. There is only one Billy Graham and there is only one Rick Warren. God put things together to develop these men into who they are (or were) so that He (God) could/can use them in the way God has determined.

In the gospels, Jesus didn’t heal blind people in the same way every time. There are seven times that Jesus healed a blind person and each time, He used a different method. As you read the Bible, you can see the different types of people God used to bring Him glory. God didn’t use the same type of person but used a great assortment of personalities, temperaments, and backgrounds. I believe God likes to use variety and not just the same old same old.

In my years of following God, I’ve learned that the ones to who seem to have it together truly don’t. They either fall to sin or just don’t accomplish much for God. The ones who seem to achieve much (in my opinion) for the kingdom just don’t seem like much in the eyes of man. But when you see how they rely on God and see what God does through them, it’s just amazing.

Instead of trying to be the next Jerry Falwell, Billy Graham, Rick Warren, or whomever just be the best you God has made you to be. For every Jerry Falwell or Billy Graham there are hundreds or thousands of unknown men and women teaching and preach Christ that we do not know about. As David wrote in the Psalms, God knew us before we were even born and has established our steps. God has put us through the things we lived through (good, bad, or indifferent) to mold us into who we need to be to bring Him glory. Our sole purpose is to bring God glory and to give Him honor. Instead of trying to be the next great pastor or have the next great church, we should just be the best us God has made us to be.

Think about.