Get In Formation
Sis. Elexis Wilson
Beyonce’ recently came out with a song entitled Formation. Now the song was controversial because Beyonce was boldy telling the world that she was proud of who she is and where she comes from. In her first lines she addressed the haters for making false claims about her, and then bodly states her love for her husband, child and her style of dress. Now the catch was the chorus where she says, OK Ladies, now let’s get in Formation. She makes a declaration of togetherness for womanhood. Now when you watch the video, there a group of ladies that are dancing perfectly to the beat. Each woman plays a role in her aspect of the formation. So this evening, I come to you with the title of my message being OK missionaries Now let’s get in formation.
The definition of Formation states the manner in which a thing is formed; disposition of parts, a formal structure or arrangement. As children on God we have been falling out of Formation. Now in order to be effective in the formation we must adhere to some of God’s instructions. So if you would follow me in the text that was read earlier, we are beginning our journey of Formation in 1 Peter 4:9-11
Number 1. Stop Complaining
1 Peter 4:9 the NIV version states “ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. The first order of instructions for the Formation is simple…STOP COMPLAINING. See what I realized is that we begin to complain before we even know the task. I have heard Pastors tell a vision and suddenly everyone has something to say. Sometimes our first response is not out of love but out of complaining. We tend to get so comfortable in our current state of functioning that we lose sight of the mission being service for God. We complain about situations and people not even knowing the vision. We complain about the person in office, not even knowing God’s will. We complain about the Pastor not realizing that they were appointed to that position. We complain over things that we cannot control, yet our complaining makes us feel as though we have done something special.
Missionaries, I have watched while the seasoned missionaries are fussing about the young people and the young people are complaining about the seasoned missionaries and then the millennials are stuck in the middle because we are too old for the youth but too young for the seasoned. So Am here to ask How does your complaining help with the formation? If you have been asked to say a prayer and you’re tired of always being the one to say the prayer so you say the most riduclous prayer about fishes in the sea, or leaves you need to rack up, not realizing that someone needed to just hear Thank you Jesus for this fellowship. Or when you are asked to give the scripture and you come up with Jesus Weep and we are talking about Speaking Boldly! How does your complaining help with the Formation. See God has called us as missionaries, he has said go ye into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Yes that means you Ms. Missionary. Yes our Pastors preach the word but we are work. The bible says faith without works is DEAD and if we as the missionaries are the workers and we are the ones complaining…We are DEAD to the formation of Christ. Missionaries it is time we stand in Formation and stop complaining.
My second point is Know your place in the Formation
Now right after Peter 4:9 tells us to stop complaining, versus 10 states, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards. Someone say.. I got a position in the Formation. The desire of effective Formation is understanding that everyone has a position in the Formation. The church has been falling out of Formation because everyone isn’t playing their gifted role. God has equipped EVERYONE with a gift but some of us aren’t using our gift effectively. We are positioning ourselves in situations that we have no business being a part of. See some of us just want the Elder to see us, so we are on the Executive Board of EVERY organization. We are trying to run the YPD and the WMS on every level. We are the parliamentarian for the 4th District committee, we are 2nd Vice for the Conference, we even hold some connectional offices just so we can be seen. Not because that’s our gift. So now the YPD isn’t in order and the WMS is just complaining, the local offices are confused but somehow we are lost about why we are not in formation. Someone say…Are you using your gift. See I know that I cannot be placed on the hospitality committee. I do not have the spirit to get people drinks. I feel like I will get the water jug but you can pour your own cup. I know that some days, I don’t want to smile at everyone and speak. So I make sure that I am never on anyone’s hospitality committee. I know that’s not my gift. We have people in churches and in organizations that are not using their God given gift. We have YPD Directors that don’t like kids, we have people on the food committee that can’t boil water, Here is where I am about to get in trouble yall….we have people in positions that have no clue what they are doing. Yet keep being placed in the same position…. It’s time we find our place in the formation.
1 corinthans 14:26 says When you come together, each of you has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation, Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. Church it’s time we start using what God has given us to start growing our churches. We can no longer sit back and allow the same people who we know aren’t good for the job to continue to destroy and not build our churches. We need to use our young people for their gifts. If your child can sit on their phone allday, MAKE IT A MINISTRY! Have them in charge of calling the sick and shut in to check on someone. If you have child that love to text, allow them to send out the announcements via text message. The world is changing and if we as the church don’t get in Formation we are losing! We have engineers, scholars, bankers, fashion designers, culinary artist and pastors in our mix and we are not using them! We cannot grow as a church if we are not using the gifts given to us. Your millennials want to start a email correspondence and your mad because you can’t use email, MAKE IT A SERVICE PROJECT! How to use email! Get in formation. The older women are upset because they want to keep some tradition and the millennials are complaining instead of compromising, As God has sent us out to preach his Gospel and we are too worried about who is making the Easter baskets. Missionaries its time for us to GET IN Formation.
We the church have been sitting back scared to open our doors to the world. Yet the instruction book the Bible has already told us, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. The world is going to change around us. But we can’t sit back in fear. Our God is awesome! We are scared to let the next generation take over but OUR GOD says GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU! That means the GOD in them will speak and they will overcome. Missionaries we need to get in Formation. We can not continue to function half heartedly we cannot continue to function and do things, just to say we did them. We need to get in Formation. We need to find out what our communities need and begin to provide for them. We need to get in Formation. We need to start uplifting these youth instead of telling them everything they are doing wrong..Get in Formation. We need to start growing our churches one mission project at a time. Someone needs to be saying those AME missionaries SLAY! Those woman are great, they are Spirit-Lead, they are always willing to help, they never say that’s not our job, they are always doing something besides collecting money. They are always in FORMATION. If no other auxillary can do it the missionaries can.
Which brings me to my third point: Speak Boldly
1 Peter 4 11 says, if anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of GOD. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in ALL THINGS God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. See Beyonce left out a very important aspect of her Formation and that’s God. The scripture says speak the very words of God, and with God’s strength, and in ALL Things praise him. Church no matter how much we get in FORMATION. We need to make sure that we are giving GOD all the thanks and praise. We cannot keep functioning for other people. When you start serving with the strength of God, the Formation will fall into place. When you start loving with the love of God, people will notice, when we start speaking boldly about God’s word our ministries will grow. We need to keep our focus consistently on God. We can have the most organized auxillary, but without the PRIMARY PURPOSE being to serve God. We are still not in Formation. Church ask yourself, How am I serving God? Am I serving with a complaining spirit? Am I serving just to be seen? Am I serving out of love? And once you have answered those questions, Ask again but this time ask God. What can I do to improve your kingdom? What are my gifts that you have bestowed upon me? Where and what is your will for me? Missionaries it’s time to get in formation. We need to get in formation in our personal lives as well as our church lives. Everyone has a position, and if your struggling personally with your walk with God. I asking you to step out on faith. Trust that God has a plan for your life that is greater than anything we could put together. God has been calling you for years, some of us have been sitting in the church all our lives and still can’t personally get in formation. Are you loving with patience and kindness, are you serving joyfully, are you truly giving your time and talents? God is waiting on you. God is saying, come on in the fold let me help you get in formation. You can’t do it by yourself. You been a mess for 25 years, still saying I’m going to get there on day. God is still working on me. Let God show you that your latter will be better than your beginning but you must trust that God will get you in Formation. That God will start giving you a loving spirit, that you will done complaining, that God will start opening doors for your gifts to flow, God is saying I need you missionary to come. Trust me, surrender your all to me, be my good and faithful servant so I can tell you well done. Find yourself in the Formation….Get in Formation missionaries, Get in Formation Pastors, Get in Formations Lay persons, Get in Formation church.
Let us pray…..Heavenly Father, I come asking you Oh God that we get in your Formation. I ask that you put each of us in our right place in the Formation. I come asking that if there is someone out there saying, I’m ready to get in formation but I need some help Lord, that you send your Holy Spirit to touch their hearts and renew their mind. Lord, I am asking tonight, that the missionaries who are working so hard to serve and praise your name that you give them direction and quidance to function effectively in your Formation. Send someone with the perfect gifts that will make the Formation function to edify your kingdom. Lord, and if there is someone tonight who doesn’t know you, and they are asking what’s up with this Jesus thing, what’s up with the God thing, that you show your love in their life. That your love is amazing, and that you sent your only son to die for them. Show them that they are worthy of the Formation, that you have a perfect position for them and you are waiting for them make the right move. Heavenly Father I thank you and I praise you, in Jesus Name….Amen