The Power of the Big Idea...Continued from page 3
I know that as church leaders we can't control the media and the barrage of information that comes at our people ? and we don't want to control it. But what we do want is to challenge our people with the truth of God's Word and insist that it be lived out missionally. When we contribute to the bombardment of little ideas, we are implicitly telling our people that not all of God's truth has to be accompanied by obedient action. We are implicitly telling our people that just because they hear the truth doesn't mean they necessarily have to live it out. We are telling our people that what is really important is saying it and not doing it.
ONE BIG IDEA = MORE CLARITY AND ACTION
I was in a graduate class when I heard the Big Idea explained for the first time. The professor, Jim Pluddeman, challenged my classmates and me by saying that the Bible was written to be understood and applied. He said, "The effective teacher is like a person who takes a strong rope, ties one end around the big ideas of Scripture, ties the other end around the major themes of life, and then through the power of the Spirit struggles to pull the two together." I was just beginning to understand that accomplishing the mission of Jesus would mean focusing on one Big Idea, not trying to juggle competing little ideas.
Jesus did not confuse people with a lot of little ideas. Instead, he presented one Big Idea with a clear call to action: "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. `Come, follow me,' Jesus said, `and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him"(Matt. 4:18-20).
I can't help but notice that Jesus didn't say to Peter and Andrew, "Come, be Christians." When Jesus met someone for the first time, he challenged them with one Big Idea: "Follow me." A Big Idea that was simple but not easy. If Peter and Andrew were asked, "What did Jesus teach you today?" there is no way they would respond like this: (Silence.) "Ummm ..." (More silence.) "Ummm .. " (Still more silence.) "Um mm .... And if they did, it would not be because they were confused and didn't understand, but rather because they were stunned at the boldness and size of Jesus' request.
This Big Idea was very clear, and the call to action could not be misunderstood. The simplicity and clarity of that Big Idea, "Follow me," was what catalyzed a movement of Christ followers into action. And these Christ followers knew what was expected of them and would do anything and everything, including trade their very lives, to accomplish the mission of Jesus.
What about "deeper teaching"? That is what the rich young ruler wanted. He came to Jesus and began to explain that he already knew the commandments ? "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother" (Mark 10:19) ? and that he had obeyed these commands since he was a boy. He wanted more. He wanted a midweek service. He wanted graduate-level teaching.