The Power of Purpose: Breaking Through to Intentional Living - Softcover

Catt, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1433650436 ISBN 13: 9781433650437

Publisher: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2017

Synopsis

Why am I here? Why is the church here? Do we still have a place in the world? What is our purpose? In an age when formerly great churches struggle to survive, baptismal pools are dry and altars empty, and the church is aging, seemingly indifferent to the next generation, we are tempted to believe we have no purpose. We are tempted to give up on living the meaningful, countercultural lives to which Christ has called us, and to give in to a world that encourages us to go with the flow. How will we respond? In his letter to the Philippians, Paul gives advice that is invaluable to the twenty-first century church. The Philippians were assembled in the middle of a corrupt, sensual society, fighting against the norms of the world around them. They were God's representatives in a secular society, and they maintained a singular focus, vision, and purpose. In The Power of Purpose , Pastor Michael Catt walks us through this letter to the Philippians, exploring how God is still calling His church, even in the rapidly changing world of the 21 st century, to be his representatives. He is calling us to maintain a singular focus and vision. He is calling us to the power of purpose.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Catt has served as senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, since 1989 and is executive producer of the popular films Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous that originated from the congregation. He also authored Fireproof Your Life and founded the ReFRESH revival conference. Michael and his wife, Terri, have two children.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Power of Purpose

Breaking Through to Intentional Living

By Michael Catt

B&H Publishing Group

Copyright © 2017 Michael Catt
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4336-5043-7

Contents

Introduction: Defining Our Purpose, 
Chapter 1 Living a Purposeful Life, 
Chapter 2 Purposeful Prayer, 
Chapter 3 A Purposeful Perspective, 
Chapter 4 The Power of Purpose, 
Chapter 5 Purposeful Consistency, 
Chapter 6 Purposeful Servants, 
Chapter 7 Living on Purpose Is Practical, 
Chapter 8 Purposeful in My Relationship with Christ, 
Chapter 9 Purposeful in Standing for Truth, 
Chapter 10 Purposeful in Praise and Prayer, 
Chapter 11 Purpose Brings Contentment, 
Acknowledgments, 
Notes, 

CHAPTER 1

LIVING A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

Philippians 1:1–2

God doesn't call people who are qualified. He calls people who are willing, and then He qualifies them.

— Richard Parker

I HAVE hundreds of biographies in my personal library — biblical heroes, historical personalities, politicians, entertainers, and sports figures. When you read a biography, you learn things about a person you may have never known by just hearing a few facts about them. Paul often includes biographical snippets in his letters to help us know what's going on in his life. At the beginning of the book of Philippians, he gives readers a glimpse of his own perspective of the current situation: "Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:1–2). From these two verses we know who is accompanying Paul and who his audience is.

From a prison cell, the apostle puts pen to parchment with a purpose in mind — to encourage a church that has brought him great joy. This body of believers in Philippi had taken seriously their partnership with Christ. Paul is not thinking about a building, but a people who had made a lasting impression on him.

NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL

I've chosen Paul's letter to the Philippians as the focus for this book about purpose. These men and women were assembled in the middle of a corrupt, sensual society, fighting against the trends of political correctness and "business as usual." They were God's representatives in a secular society, and they maintained a singular focus, vision, and purpose.

In the Sacra Script Field Notes on Philippians, the authors note, "Christians who cease to stand out begin to blend into their surrounding culture. When the mind-set and values of secular society concerning lifestyles, faith, morality, responsibility, conduct, marriage, sexuality, and truth influence one's mind and take hold of one's heart they inevitably affect one's attitude and behavior. Society begins to influence the life and mission of the church rather than the other way around. ... Tragically, light gives way to darkness."

In a world that encourages us to just go with the flow, this letter stands as a reminder of our purpose as Christ-followers. We are called to be the church, the bride of Christ, who stands against the whims of the age. The corrupt culture of the twenty-first century is nothing new. This dichotomy between light and darkness, believers and a lost world, has existed since the beginning of time. In the midst of temptations to conform to or retreat from our society, salt cannot afford to lose its saltiness. If we lack a sense of calling and an understanding of purpose, we'll begin to question God, His character, and His Word.

The church cannot fall into the same trap the Israelites of old fell into. They experienced miraculous deliverance from captivity, but they didn't want to pay the price to take the Promised Land. They forgot their purpose as a people and a nation. When life got difficult or uncomfortable, they moaned of returning to Egypt and slowly began to forget the God of their salvation. We must also avoid the path of compromise, as black and white have been smeared into a dingy gray. If we aren't careful, like Israel, we will compromise, erect idols, and forsake the one true God.

Look around at your community. Once great churches now struggle to merely maintain. Baptismal pools are dry and altars are empty. The church is aging, seemingly indifferent to the next generation. Why? We can blame economics, sociological trends, or changing demographics, but in reality, those are empty excuses. The real issue with a dying church is one thing: we've forgotten our purpose. And sadly, we have little desire to fix the problem.

But Paul's letter to the Philippians holds out hope on the wings of joy in Christ. In this letter we discover how joy can sustain us no matter the circumstances. Many commentators have called it the Epistle of Joy. George Mitchell titled his commentary, Chained and Cheerful. Stuart Briscoe preached a sermon series called "Happiness Beyond Our Happenings." You get the picture. This is a book that encourages us to live on a higher plane, unmoved by the winds of change around us.

Paul had countless reasons to complain and throw a pity party, but he chose to be joyful. While imprisoned in Rome, he writes a thank-you note for the financial gift the church at Philippi has invested in his ministry. Yet as he writes, he is reminded of his early experiences in this place with these people. It was not all smooth sailing, but it turned out for a greater good and a greater glory. Ron Dunn used to say to me, "Good and evil run on parallel tracks, and they normally arrive about the same time." This was true in Philippi. God had turned the city around and was using them mightily to advance His kingdom.

These believers lived in a strategic location in the Roman Empire — an economic and military hub located in the Roman colony of Macedonia. Philippi was located on a major road in northern Greece and was home to the first church established in Macedonia. Paul deeply loved this body of believers as evidenced in his intimate, personal letter. He thanks God for them, longs to be reunited with them, and gratefully recognizes the importance of their prayers for him. Regardless of his own future, Paul didn't want these fellow saints to lose their focus in the days ahead.

I imagine that countless memories about Philippi flooded Paul's mind as he wrote. He must have thought of Lydia and her Bible study group. He probably reminisced about the demon-possessed girl who had been delivered and remembered how God had opened doors in that strategic city. I'm sure he even reflected on God's saving grace that rescued the jailer who only a few hours before had beaten Paul and Silas and thrown them into prison. A smile possibly graced his face as he thought back on that experience when, beaten and bloody, he and Silas started singing praise songs to God. Through it all, God had done a great work in Philippi, and Paul was encouraged to know it was continuing.

How do you view life? Do you see setbacks as part of God's plan? Is your tendency to moan, groan, and complain, or to rejoice? Would anyone say you have the gratitude attitude? Stuart Briscoe urges, "When you find yourself in prison, or in a hospital bed, or tied to a kitchen sink, or anchored to an office desk, it's a good thing to remember what God has been doing in your life instead of moaning about your present status."

Not every church is known for being the kind of church that someone like Paul would be proud to be a part of. What is your church known for? What is your city known for? If someone was a part of your city and church ten years ago and they came back or wrote a letter to you, would they be able to say that you were still on track, living a purposeful life?

Unfortunately, many churches are known for what they used to be. Once great buildings are now abandoned or deteriorating. Why? They lost their sense of purpose and calling. Whether we like it or not, America is by and large a post-Christian nation. We've lost our purpose as a nation because we've lost our purpose as the people of God. One reason our great cities are filled with crime and hatred is because churches abandoned our cities and moved to the suburbs decades ago, and we are now living with the consequences of a lost purpose, vision, and passion for things that matter.

Many cities fail to change with the times and lose their purpose in the process. I visited a city in New England a few years ago that once was the largest carriage and coach center in America. But when the automobile emerged, they didn't adjust to the times, and the times passed them by — and now that town is just another spot along the road.

Cities are often known for some distinguishing site, industry, or historical figure. Jerusalem is known as the City of God and the center of Jewish life. New York is marked by Wall Street, Broadway, and the Yankees. Atlanta is affiliated with Chick-fil-A and Coca-Cola. Los Angeles is recognized as the hot spot for celebrities and the television and film industries. The city where I live, Albany, Georgia, is the birthplace of Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle, and Ray Stevens, among others. Unfortunately, this "Good Life City" is in decline and has been recognized as the fourth poorest city in America. Most churches are dead or dying, major industries have left, and many lament the problems without offering any solutions. It's a tough place to serve, but it's home for Sherwood Church and my family, and we believe God put us here for a purpose.

PURPOSEFUL CHURCH

All across the world there are churches that stand out when you hear their names — some because of their great impact and others because of what they used to be. The Moody Church in Chicago is still a vibrant, vital force in the city where D. L. Moody started his work. However, the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, where the great Charles Spurgeon pastored, is a mere shadow of what it was in the nineteenth century. The Church in the Dump in Cairo houses more than ten thousand people who literally meet in a garbage dump each week. Many of the churches in South Korea, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, are known for their prayer meetings. The church I pastor is typically known for making movies. Those movies were never our purpose, but they have been a tool in helping us achieve our purpose to touch the world from Albany, Georgia. In 2015, my family and I took a trip to Italy. The cathedrals were beautiful and ornate, but they were mostly empty except for tourists. We even saw small groups of people gathered to worship while hundreds and hundreds of tourists were snapping pictures of statues, frescos, and mosaics. When a place of worship becomes a tourist site, there's been a loss of purpose.

Paul probably would not have mentioned some of the things on our list when we talk about what makes a church great. He measured by standards that wouldn't fit on an annual report. If someone wrote a letter about you or your church, would you be concerned about the content? Would you be fearful of the revealed facts? Overwhelmingly, Philippians is a positive letter. Yes there were concerns, but Paul wrote a great deal about his own life, mission, and purpose, while reminding these believers about theirs.

Since the early 2000s, I've been traveling the country with a team of pastors leading ReFRESH Conferences. We've served and ministered to thousands of pastors and lay leaders as we seek to call the church back to Christ in revival. We've discovered that many pastors and lay leaders are discouraged and have lost their sense of calling. When that happens, purpose is lost. I've talked to hundreds of pastors who are struggling with ministry, identity, calling, and lack of purpose. Many are close to giving up. Some are hoping the grass will be greener on the other side.

If that's you, if you're in that place of hoping the grass is greener on the other side, let me ask you a question: Why are you breathing? I often ask that when trying to share the gospel with a stranger. It's a purposeful question. It demands thought and some kind of response. So, allow me to apply that question in the context of purpose. What's your purpose in life? Why has God placed you on planet Earth? Is it just to grow up, get married, have kids, get a job, and ultimately retire and die? Surely there's more to life than that. I once saw a gravestone that said, "Born a human being, died a wholesale grocer." We were born for purpose. God has gifted you, called you, and empowered you to live a purposeful life. Don't miss it. If you don't live on purpose, you'll miss a great adventure.

CHAPTER 2

PURPOSEFUL PRAYER

Philippians 1:1–5

Lack of praying does not handicap us; it paralyzes us.

— Warren Wiersbe

Nothing is so deadening to the divine as an habitual dealing with the outside of holy things.

— George MacDonald

IN ONE way or another, every aspect of the Christian life, when lived out properly, has a definite purpose. If we are purposeful, we seek to glorify God, share our faith, study the Scriptures, and take seriously what it means to be a disciple. Interestingly, the only thing Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them was how to pray (Luke 11:1ff). So if we're serious about being Christ-followers, then we'll also be purposeful about prayer.

However, studies reveal (and if we're honest we would all admit) that prayer is the hardest thing we do as believers. For many it's a desperate plea only in times of crisis; for a few others it's their purpose and calling to intercede for others. But for most of us, prayer lacks purpose, structure, and consistency.

We all love the idea of people praying for us. We post on social media that we are praying when someone shares a serious situation. We casually tell people at church that we'll be praying and then forget it before we even get to our car. But what if prayer was purposeful, intentional, and focused? Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, "The act of praying is the very highest energy of which the human mind is capable; praying, that is, with the total concentration of the faculties."

Take a moment and remind yourself that Jesus ever lives to make intercession on your behalf (Heb. 7:25). Jesus is praying for you right now in heaven. The Spirit lives in you and is praying for you right now (Rom. 8:26). Clearly, one of the purposes of our eternal God is prayer for the saints. Let's not allow our prayers to die while our Intercessor lives.

Purposeful prayer is bold in approaching the throne of grace, and it is specific. General prayers yield general answers; specific prayers yield specific answers. We must move beyond the elementary praying of, "Bless those for whom it is our duty to pray" and "Bless the gift and the giver."

POWERLESS WITHOUT PRAYER

There is a stark reality revealed in the Christian life that believers cannot rise above the level of their personal prayer life. If we want to live on purpose for God, we need a guiding hand. Prayer is the system of checks and balances where we don't just talk to God, but God also speaks to our hearts. Bob Cotton notes, "True prayer is rooted in the promises and covenants of God, in His past achievements, in His ability to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."

If we aren't purposeful in prayer, we are powerless, both individually and corporately. A church is no stronger than her prayer ministry. Given the fact that Paul was constantly on the run, planting churches, evangelizing the lost, and defending the faith against the Judaizers and Gnostics, it's amazing to see the depth of his prayers. The apostle's prayers impacted the world, emboldened the church, and caused the devil to shudder. Might I suggest that one reason our churches are prayerless is because many of our church members aren't members of Christ.

Although there are thousands of books on prayer, we find little prayer in our churches today. According to one survey, the average pastor prays less than five minutes a day. The church prayer meeting has gone the way of the dinosaur. If you want to kill attendance in the average church, call a prayer meeting. George Duncan wrote, "One lesson that stands out vividly in this particular passage is that the work of God depends upon the men of God and ultimately upon obedience to God. ... The whole issue that God has with the church does not lie in the realm of ignorance — already we know so much; it is our obedience that is at fault, we fail to do the will of God."

At Sherwood we have purposefully planned for a multifaceted Intercessory Prayer Ministry.

• Our Prayer Tower is available to our members twenty-four hours a day.

• We have prayer altars at the front of the Worship Center.

• As a staff, we pray for ten families each week and write prayer cards to them.

• When we built the current Worship Center, we built a prayer closet under the platform (Spurgeon's Prayer Room) where intercessors gather on Sundays to pray during the services.

• I send out an email to more than four hundred intercessors almost every week with specific prayer requests regarding my ministry and family.

• We have a "House of Prayer" on Sunday evenings prior to the service.

• Each year we fill out HIM-possible cards (needs you have that only God can meet) and lay them on the altar for people to pray over.

Have you ever met someone whose purpose in life was prayer? I have. These people have been used by God to stir, challenge, and convict me. Don Miller was the greatest man of prayer I ever met. He traveled the world for decades teaching prayer conferences, and he knew how to take God at His Word. I have a brief recording of Don in his nineties, praying for me shortly before he died.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Power of Purpose by Michael Catt. Copyright © 2017 Michael Catt. Excerpted by permission of B&H Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Broadman & Holman Publishers
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1433650436
• ISBN 13: 9781433650437
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272