Blog

by Jason DeZurik

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.
- Proverbs 3:5-8

The title of this blog post is a quote that my good friend Shane Adams says a lot. For those of you seeing it possibly for the first time, it basically refers to the importance of everyone who is a part of an organization or of a group needing to get on the same page in their beliefs before moving forward. “Alignment Before Assignment.” It conveys the idea that when dealing with a group of people, it is wise to try and get everyone not necessarily to be thinking the same thing, but to get them heading in the same direction before giving a destination of where we should be heading. “Alignment before assignment.” This is, in essence, how Jesus taught His disciples, and it is virtually the example of Christ in leading people. It seems that many, even inside the Church, struggle with this idea.

Some of you might be wondering why I write that many inside the Church struggle with this idea. Relating to denominational differences, this is attributed to John Wesley: "In the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, freedom; in all things, love."

This quote is something I heard many, many years ago while serving under Pastor Derik Hines and Pastor Marc Quinter. It is a quote I learned to embrace as a youth minister. It helped me think through and realize not just the importance of working with all Christians to advance the Kingdom of God, but the importance of embracing our differences in theology and differences in methods – our denominational differences. Though I learned this and attempted to practice this for many years, I had not yet realized how many others struggled with this concept and putting this into practice in their own lives. This is part of the reason we started Worldview Warriors.

At the inception of this ministry, I had no idea about the incredible journey God was about to take me, my wife, my children, and some close friends on. I freely admit that I was naïve, mainly because we had not taken the journey yet. Throughout this time, I came to embrace the very fact that people are people and that not all differences are bad or should be a struggle in relationships with one another. Many people today seem to want to change someone else to be in their “own image” or make that person do their “bidding,” instead of embracing who God has made that person to be with the gifts and talents He has given to that person. Hence, dare I say, many people end up abusing others for the sake of growing their own little kingdom here on the earth, instead of growing the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

I write all of this because for years, I struggled with the very fact that, in my mind, some Christians just didn’t seem to “get it” regarding the importance of advancing God’s Kingdom here on the earth. I have come to realize this was pride and arrogance on my part. I was being incredibly judgmental of others at that time, and I apologize for doing this. I hope and pray that if I have offended anyone that you can come to a place of forgiving me.

Now, with all that said, I have found “my tribe,” if you will, and I have come to realize the importance of the meaning of John Wesley’s words even more than before. This journey we have been on has brought us to a congregation named Evangelical Pietist Church of Chatfield, just north of Bucyrus, Ohio. Two years ago, by becoming the pastor of this small congregation in Ohio, the Lord has brought me much peace of mind in loving God, loving others, and truly striving to live for Him in all that I do.

“It is not enough to have knowledge of the Christian faith, for Christianity consists rather of practice. Christianity should not be docile, but active. We should therefore awaken a fervent love among our Christians, first, toward one another and then toward all men.”
- Philipp Jakob Spener, the father of Pietism (1635-1705)

While understanding the grace that God gives is incredibly important, we also must begin to understand and strive to put our faith in Jesus Christ into action. It’s both/and. It’s not an either/or proposition. In my personal experience, with many people inside the Church, pastors as well as those lay leaders who belong to the priesthood of believers, many seem to believe that it’s one or the other:

#1. The grace of God only inasmuch to where we have no responsibility whatsoever in advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth or
#2. Work, work, work, work, work! In and for the Lord, but work. It’s both/and. We need to be studying, reading, and listening for the voice of God and then putting His word into action. Hear the voice of God and obey. It really is that simple.

Some of you might be wondering how this all connects with the ministry of Worldview Warriors. For years, we here at Worldview Warriors have been about encouraging and equipping students and the saints to Impact this generation for Jesus Christ. Short of the Lord leading us in a completely different direction, we won’t stop doing that. But we know we need to get better at discipleship. We have been encouraging and equipping not only students but their parents and grandparents in being prepared to share their faith in Jesus Christ, and now we are looking to engage even more with small groups and discipleship. This is all still a work in progress, but know that as a ministry, we are seeking the Lord as individuals and in groups through prayer and studying God’s Word for guidance and direction for ourselves and for Worldview Warriors.

What does the future hold? I truly don’t know. What I do know, though, is that this is a very exciting time during this part of the journey. I hope and pray you will come along with us during this amazing time of uncertainty and transparency. Please continue to pray.

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
- Psalm 1

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