{"id":1907,"date":"2014-09-24T15:27:40","date_gmt":"2014-09-24T19:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jkitchen.org\/?p=1907"},"modified":"2014-09-24T15:27:40","modified_gmt":"2014-09-24T19:27:40","slug":"strategic-living-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jkitchen.org\/?p=1907","title":{"rendered":"Strategic Living, part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my last post we began to explore the idea of living strategically. After Jesus rose from the dead and as He was ready to ascend back to heaven He outlined for His followers the strategy in which He would lead us for the rest of time. Jesus laid out for them and us the strategy that would usher Him back to earth in His Second Coming. This was not something just for the first century, but for all the centuries to come. This was not something just for super-Christians, but for all us ordinary Christ-followers in all ages and in all places. If we are Christ\u2019s, we\u2019re all on one mission\u2014God\u2019s.<\/p>\n

What does it mean to live strategically?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with a definition: Strategic<\/strong><\/span>: str\u01ddt\u00ec:d\u0292ik.<\/em> adj. of or relating to strategy \u01c1 of material needed for war but not available in sufficient quantity in the country needing it. (Webster)<\/p>\n

Honestly, when I saw the second part of the definition, I was surprised. That\u2019s not what came to mind when I thought of \u201cstrategic.\u201d But then life is often a battle, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

What do you need in this arena of battle\/life which you may not possess in sufficient measure? Several things, including: purpose, vision, power, and intentionality.<\/p>\n

Jesus addressed all three when He said: \u201cBut you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.\u201d<\/span><\/em> (Acts 1:8)<\/p>\n

The unfolding of the rest of history is laid out in this simple sentence. This is the God-designed, divinely-ordained strategy for all the rest of time\u2014for His entire Church, for each church, and for every Christian.<\/p>\n

As we\u2019ve seen the strategy has four key parts: the advance of the gospel to \u2026
\n1) \u201cJerusalem\u201d<\/span>
\n2) \u201call Judea\u201d<\/span>
\n3) \u201cand Samaria\u201d<\/span>
\n4) \u201cto the end of the earth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Acts<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider just the first prong of this four-fold strategy\u2014reaching our Jerusalem. Each prong operates on two axes: geographical and cultural. To identify and deploy strategically into your \u201cJerusalem\u201d think in terms of those \u201cgeographically near\u201d and \u201cculturally like\u201d you. I\u2019m talking about people close at your hand and \u201clike\u201d you in things like income, neighborhoods, tastes, schools, work, ethnicity, language, etc.<\/p>\n

Jesus is calling each of us to live strategically (with purpose, vision, power and intentionality) in relationship to the people He has put near to us both geographically and culturally. How are we to do that?<\/p>\n

This starts out pretty simple. Just take a moment and write down the names of three to five people under each of these categories:<\/p>\n