My Dreams are Too Small…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Sun, April 26, 2009
- Viewed 57
- (15) comments so far
That’s the problem… my dreams are Todd-sized, rather than God-sized. You’d think I’d learn my lesson by now. God can do immeasurably more than I can ever imagine. And I need to revisit some of my ideas with a whole new perspective… a perspective that allows God to broaden the horizon that Todd thought he had down cold.
What are you dreaming about? Is it a you-sized dream or a God-sized dream? If you’re hoping to impact 50 people, then why not 500? Are you dreaming of things that only God can do, or simply attempting things that you can organize and pull off with your own ability?
Maybe you should join me this morning and re-think your strategy! Let me know what your new dream is! You can email me at .
Have a great week!
Todd
I was challenged today: My dreams aren't big enough.
Dreaming and envisioning the future is something I really enjoy doing. I'm a builder. I love to take an idea and run with it… create something out of it… and turn it over to others to take to the next level.
I like to think of myself as somewhat of an idea guy. You know, the guy who comes up with a ton of lame ideas most of the time, and some of the time actually hits on something that has some possible potential.
But today, I was stretched. I was talking to a friend who is on a church team that is doing some really cool things. You are probably using some of their tools in your ministry, and you might not even know it. I was impacted by the enormity of his ideas. These ideas will not just affect the church he serves, but other churches in his community, state, the nation; and literally the world.
This is big stuff. And it's not just one idea that his team is working on; but a handful of significant projects, many of which will very likely change the way you and I do ministry in the future. The potential Kingdom impact will be long term and exponential. If these ideas take hold, they have the potential to win literally thousands of new believers worldwide.
I walked away thinking… snap… my dreams are too small!
Comments
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John Donahue on Mon, April 27, 2009
In the last couple of days, I have been really wrestling with this same idea. Exponential ‘09 started the process, hearing about the thousands of churches in places like Korea opened my mind to what God is doing globally.
Before, I was happy with my small thinking, now, God has totally wrecked me and I am starting to dream more God-sized dreams.
Thanks for your transparency and your post.
CS on Mon, April 27, 2009
Todd:
“What are you dreaming about? Is it a you-sized dream or a God-sized dream? If you’re hoping to impact 50 people, then why not 500? Are you dreaming of things that only God can do, or simply attempting things that you can organize and pull off with your own ability?”
I have heard so many people recently give sermons, type on blogs, or share with others that our dreams should be larger and, “God-sized.” That what we envision shouldn’t be meager and small, but should be grand and world-changing.
But here’s a weird question: what if what you need to be doing should be smaller, quieter, and more isolated? What if, instead of dreaming big and going for groups of 500 people or more, that God really wants you to only affect 50 or just 5 people instead?
I know how the large endeavors take the limelight, and how God can make much of little, but what if He wants us to do something small instead? Would that be worse than a large endeavor? Either way, how can you determine which way you should go?
Just something to ponder.
—
CS
ianmcn on Mon, April 27, 2009
I’ve actually been pondering the opposite recently. Maybe sometimes we dream too big? It’s easy to dream for revival, but hard to share your faith with your neighbour. One person dreaming about worldwide revival is unlikely to do anything, but millions of people dreaming about impacting their streets with the gospel might just lead to worldwide revival!
In the end, it’s not what you dream that makes the difference, it’s what you do. Don’t let your dreams get so big that you never actually do anything!
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 27, 2009
Todd,
One of my fellow staffers and I had a similar conversation on the plane home from Exponential (It was great to meet you, btw!).
CS,
good point, but I hope we have big “God-sized” dreams about what we and those five people can do with His Holy Spirit.
CS on Mon, April 27, 2009
Peter:
“good point, but I hope we have big “God-sized” dreams about what we and those five people can do with His Holy Spirit.”
Bingo! It’s kind of like the person who says, “I pray that 1000 people come to church this Sunday to hear the Gospel.” I would rather pray that one man falls on his face before God in repentance and faith and becomes a truly born-again Christian.
—
CS
Peter Hamm on Mon, April 27, 2009
CS,
Although I think there is nothing wrong with “big-sized” dreams in many contexts, I agree with you. We will make a bigger splash if we make more “God-sized” impact in the small number of people who are right in our circle than try and impact large numbers we don’t know.
You would’ve loved Neil Cole at Exponential!
Dave Z on Mon, April 27, 2009
Used to know a pastor to whom God had given a “vision” of a tremendous ministry that would include nationwide TV and other media. Never happend. MOF, his church eventualy withered and died.
Sometimes our dreams are just that - OUR dreams, not God’s.
I’m especially suspicious if such dreams involve elevating the prominence and visability of the dreamer.
Leonard on Mon, April 27, 2009
CS, the two should not be pitted against each other. 1000 people coming to Christ or 1 person falling on his face before God. These 2 things are both God sized, not a preference one over the other.
Thanks Todd for the post and the encouragement to dream. A God sized dream is not necessarily a large or small dream but rather a dream to which the size is given by God.
CS on Mon, April 27, 2009
Leonard:
“CS, the two should not be pitted against each other. 1000 people coming to Christ or 1 person falling on his face before God. These 2 things are both God sized, not a preference one over the other.”
Actually, I said 1000 people coming to church, not coming to Christ. I was using two different things than comparing the identical thing volume-wise. I’d gladly take 1000 people who come to Christ than just one any day of the week.
My point is that there is this compulsion to keep dreaming large and having these grandiose ideas for what God could do. I’m saying, “What if God wants us to instead dream small, but have those little things do so much more?”
—
CS
Leonard on Mon, April 27, 2009
You are right CS, I am sorry I misread what you posted. I would still pray both as I am sure you would too.
runescape accounts on Mon, April 27, 2009
good point, but I hope we have big “God-sized” dreams about what we and those five people can do with His Holy Spirit.
Andy on Thu, April 30, 2009
I like this post. Todd I agree with you that we should always be thinking “God-Sized.” But what does that mean exactly? Does it mean that it must always be large, or exceedingly abundantly above what I can think? OR does “God-Sized” mean simply that it is exactly the size that God wants? If our vision is to be “God-Sized” then if God asks us to impact 5 or 5 million then we are doing a good thing.
Its something that I have been thinking about lately and I think that Ephesians 5:25 puts it well. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” Not ahead or behind, bigger or smaller, but exactly where he leads.
RH302 on Sun, June 07, 2009
It is a wonderful post to read on. 70-297 You have beautifully described your thinking and ideas. I have liked that very much. There is no doubt in saying that God can execute massively more than we all can ever visualize. 642-072 You are totally right that you require to return to a few of your thoughts with a complete fresh viewpoint. Thanks.
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Only Clothing on Tue, June 23, 2009
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