Passion

JUNE 29 — Over the last several weeks, as I help lead us through our annual ministry planning process for our urban church in Chicago, I am struck by our leadership conversation asking each one of us…..WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? We are a church, mostly in our 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, who are trying to engage with God, and to show others how to engage with God. We are trying to reach out from the awesome grace we have received and to do urban ministry here in Chicago. To do that, you have to have passion for the lost and for the city.

What is passion? Webster’s defines it as…… “

A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger.
2. 1. Ardent love.
2. Strong sexual desire; lust.
3. The object of such love or desire.
3. 1. Boundless enthusiasm: His skills as a player don’t quite match his passion for the game.
2. The object of such enthusiasm: Soccer is her passion.
4. An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger: He’s been known to fly into a passion without warning.
5. Passion
1. The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion, as related in the New Testament.
2. A narrative, musical setting, or pictorial representation of Jesus’s sufferings.
6. Archaic. Martyrdom.
7. Archaic. Passivity.
8. Synonyms: passion, fervor, fire, zeal, ardor
These nouns denote powerful, intense emotion. Passion is a deep, overwhelming emotion: “There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy” (Richard Brinsley Sheridan). The term may signify sexual desire or anger: “He flew into a violent passion and abused me mercilessly” (H.G. Wells). Fervor is great warmth and intensity of feeling: “The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal” (William James). Fire is burning passion: “In our youth our hearts were touched with fire” (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.). Zeal is strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance: “Laurie [resolved], with a glow of philanthropic zeal, to found and endow an institution for… women with artistic tendencies” (Louisa May Alcott). Ardor is fiery intensity of feeling: “the furious ardor of my zeal repressed” (Charles Churchill).

WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates’ contribution to the computer-software industry is nothing short of astonishing. He didn’t invent the PC, he revolutionized it. He had a passion to be the best in the computer software business. Now, having conquered the industry, Gates is turning his attention — and a large portion of his personal fortune — to the charitable foundation he and his wife, Melinda, started in 2000. He recently announced that he intends to give up his day-to-day duties at the company over the next two years to concentrate on his foundation, which focuses on education and global health needs. He shows us his passion with the next line of his interview……”I’m very lucky to have two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging,” Gates said. “As I prepare for this change, I firmly believe the road ahead for Microsoft is as bright as ever.” Bill is passionate about focusing his time and efforts on education and global needs. Each of the nations represented in the FIFA World Cup play this month are passionate about their team. Cycling fans are passionate this month about about the Tour de France.

As we try to be salt and light, how do we use our passions to further the Kingdom, I love Erwin McManus’s talk at the 2004 Passion Conference — as he exhorts people to get up, engage with God, he finishes with “I don’t care what you do……JUST DO SOMETHING!” What do you think? Give me your thoughts……..

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