The System of Labyrinths (part 1)

If you watched the famous children's film "Adventure of Electronics", it is probably easy to remember how hard the mafia tried to find the "button", which would help them gain control over the electronic boy. No sacrifice of money or effort was too great.. They blindly believed that it would open the door to new opportunities.

Traveling through the labyrinth of pastoral ministry, I also was similar to the one who was desperately trying to find the "button". Sometimes I thought it was very close. This occurred especially in moments of successful ministry, when everyone was marveling at our fruitfulness or after the regular sermon, the words were said, "It was a good sermon." All of this seems so wonderful and it gives an impetus to move forward, but things are not what they seem.

All attempts to find a methodology or the secret of success in building the church lead nowhere. Again and again I was desperately continuing the search for a new system. Now, looking back, I understand what I did not in the past. I was already too deep in the system. I was part of it. It was part of me. I could not escape the system, and the system was using me. My mind was full of models and standard approaches. Moreover, I was not thinking about whether these models and approaches of ministry meet the Biblical principles of the teachings of Christ. And only now I realize I was looking for "button" for ministry success , but the Holy Spirit in His loving hand guided me to find a way out of the system. I think if I had heard this ten years ago, I would have been very terrified and could not even imagine the possibility of pastoral ministry beyond the traditional church system.

For me, all the new adventure and understanding began with the question, "What keeps us from effectively planting new churches?" I had for five or six years been responsible for church planting in a missionary organization. In an attempt to find the "button", I found something that scared me at first, and then completely turned over my perception of the Church of Jesus Christ. What I found led me to a new understanding of God's kingdom and my role in it. I could no longer continue to serve as I had done in the past because I wanted to be honest with myself and follow the convictions to which I had come concerning the nature of the church and the human role in it. Eventually, I realized that I had come to a moment of truth and that I will never be able to go back to the "comfort zone" to which I was so accustomed and where everything was so familiar. I knew it would be difficult to search for answers, because most would not even understand my questions. I do not know whether it was a conscious step (now that's hard to remember), but in an instant, I felt that something ended and something else more difficult to understand but interesting and joyful, had already begun. This is what I would call- "freedom". True freedom- where there is only you and Christ. Where you recognize that no program or model will truly work because life based on programs and models is not life. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Thank you Lord, that You led me to this "exit", which, in essence, is the beginning journey with you!

David Bosch in his book Transforming Mission said that, "Jesus brought the doctrine of the kingdom, and we turned it into the church (organization, system)”. Today, I clearly see the main task of the church, and it lies in the fact of getting back to what was brought by Jesus.

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (Colossians 2:6)

But how? I do not want to say that I know all the answers to this question, but I firmly believe that we must begin not with searching for a button, but with a simple and intimate relationship with Jesus. In such a relationship, not in programs, models and strategies we find that which directs our lives and that which leads us to real life. Christ came for this!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly "( John 10.10)

Stas Boroznets

Stas is developing a network of simple churches in Moldova.

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