The Curse of Chesney Hawkes and The Call of God...

If for some reason you have been on another planet and you don’t know who Chesney Hawkes is or if you fancy a little dance down memory lane then take a minute to visit him here

Out of approximately 50,000 single releases, The One and Only was the twentieth most successful release of the nineties. It was the very definition of a ONE HIT WONDER! Chesney is still performing today and a few friends of mine recently went to a Student gig where the crowd spent the whole time shouting “sing the one and only” and then “sing the one and only” and then “sing the one and only”. Poor bloke... Imagine the proud moment when your single becomes a big hit around the globe and then imagine the humiliation of a life spent having to sing that blasted song over and over again!

Now I am not blaming Chesney for this (not exclusively anyway) but I think that the spirit of his song seems to influence us when it comes to thinking about the Call of God on our lives. So often we think about “me and my ministry” without considering other people or seeing our destiny outworked in the context of community. To put it bluntly Gods plans are not just about you.

Jesus spoke loads about the Kingdom and only a few times about church (now that’s a blog in itself!) but one of the key church verses is here...

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

The word "church" here is translated from the Greek ekklesia, meaning "called-out" or "assembly." The "church in the wilderness" consisted of those called out of physical Egypt and slavery; the New Testament church are those called out of the spiritual slavery into new life.

Once again if you are wondering if you are ever going to be “Called by God” for great things then I am pleased to say it is already in your name and nature.

You are a “CALLED OUT ONE”. You are part of a community of people who have been called by God to extend the kingdom. It is God's ministry we are going for, not yours. There is in God’s mind only one super star and one hero and that is Jesus Christ. Amazingly, we are part of his body. The church is the super star not you or me. God is raising up a nameless, faceless empowered generation who will fulfil the purpose for which we were all Called out for. And you are part of the team.

You may become a legend but you will still be a Leg - End, you are still part of the body.

If you have a specific spiritual gift it is for the benefit of the body of Christ. If you have a unique destiny it is to be outworked in community. If you have a purpose then it is for the benefit of the world. If you want to dream, dream bigger. If you want to see the Kingdom truly come, begin to seek God for your entire generation, not just for yourself. Begin to reach out to those around you who are still locked into a mindset that believes they are not yet special. And begin to empower others to empower others to empower others in the called out community.

Am I the ONE AND ONLY? No my friend you are not. And the quicker we see the bigger picture, the faster we will see what we were called out from and called out to as his church.