Why Spread the Flame?

So, why the name “Spread the Flame”?  What’s it all about?

Glad you asked… (Well, you are reading this for a reason, right?)

Fifteen years ago I listened to a message that would leave an indelible mark on my life and shape my future ministry.

Missionary Evangelist Steve Hill preached a message where he used Olympic torchbearers as an illustration.  He vividly painted the picture of those who had the honor of carrying the olympic torch for their nation while the world looked on.

Each person didn’t run the race completely on their own, but had the responsibility to pass the torch to the next person.  Eventually the fire would make it all the way to the crowded and cheering stadium where the final large fire would be lit.

The evangelist asked the crowd listening that day what they thought would happen if one of those runners decided that he didn’t want to run anymore?

What if he didn’t want to carry the fire?

What if he chose to give up?

What shame he would bring to his country and himself!  The world is watching and expecting the fire to be lit so the festivities can begin, but someone didn’t make their connection.

In the same way,

I realized that I had been given a torch.  It was the calling that God had placed on my life.

I realized that it was only as valuable if I was able to pass it on to others.  The gift, the burden, the experiences, and the power need to be transferred to the waiting generation.  If chose to drop the torch, it would mean failure and shame for my country, the Kingdom of God.

The message that day stayed with me during that season, and still is deep inside of me today.  It motivates me to push on despite the aches, pains, and set backs.  I pushes me beyond my weaknesses.  If I ever fail, I get back up, learn from it, and press on again. For the joy that is set before me, I run this race with perseverance.  And I am just getting started.

There is a “fire” that I carry on the inside.  

It is a passion and zeal that represents a zeal for the Glory of God in the Earth and a passion for this generation to come to know it. This fire also represents a zealous love has taken me to where I am now.  It compels me.  It represents power.  The power to enact the mission of Luke 4:18-19 and make it a reality in the Earth.

Jesus promised that he would baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:8) In fact, God Himself is represented as a “consuming fire”! (Hebrews 12:29)

In Buddhist culture, fire is representative of “desire.”  Desire of any kind is seen to be “undesirable” because in Buddhist thought desire causes suffering and suffering is the highest problem in the Buddhist mind.  This is the MAIN problem the Buddha sought to understand the foundation of all Buddhist teaching!

I do understand how “illicit desires” cause suffering, but I do not agree that ALL desire is bad!  Even monks will admit that they desire knowledge, wisdom, and ultimate release from suffering.  This is not the same as craving sinful things.

God desires for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  He was willing to lay down his comforts and come to this world in the Body of Jesus Christ in order to see this come to pass.

Love in Buddhism is not something that is to be desired either.

Because from love comes desire and all desire causes suffering then we are made to believe that the highest religious ideal is to not desire, therefore to not love.  This doesn’t work itself out very well in practical terms, even in Thai society.  Why?  Because we were made to love!  And the love of God is the purest form of love ever known!

We see clearly that the message God gave to share is that he “loved the world so much” that he gave his only begotten son. (John 3:16-17)  His love caused him to suffer, but in the end, he suffered for our suffering!  He took our place.  Now we are privileged to suffer with Him for the sake of others. (Romans 8:16-17), (Philippians 1:29), (1 Peter 2:21), (1 Peter 5:10)(John 15:18-20)

So, we see the message we carry and want to “spread” is a counter-cultural message!

It is truly REVOLUTIONARY!

It is a message whose wisdom is not of this world.  The devil, the enemy of God, wants us as human beings to be apathetic and undesirious then he can do as he pleases!  His highest goal would be for people to be “asleep” and not desiring anything in this world.  But God wants us “on fire”!-not in the passions of this world which do cause suffering, but “on fire” in passionate pursuit of Him and His eternal Kingdom purposes!  I do not lay down to “accept fate!”

So here I am Fifteen years later after hearing that key message on the torchbearer.

No matter where I am, who I’m with, and what I’m doing…my goal is still the same…

to SpreadTheFlame.

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