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I read today that Sir Edmund Hillary died, the first man ever to ascend Everest. I often think of the rigors he went through and the focus he had to accomplish such a feat. I respect the sustained effort it must have taken a laser like focus, he was all in. I sense this stirring in my soul, this need for a focus on discipleship. So many of the things that we criticize the church for has nothing to do with the faults of the church it has to do with people. People that are immature and not grasping the depth of scripture and the responsibility of every believer to grow, not be grown by a program or system but by the Spirit and Word of God. There are people who know way more than they can ever apply, yet they will grow in application as they teach and disciple others. Sustainable and healthy growth happens person-by-person, life on life, not system-by-system. We need a death to a consumer mindset that says what church does is give to me while the biblical model says what can you give to the bride, how do you function in a body, or how do I serve a Kingdom. Not a whole lot of what I want in there but there is some much that changes in me when I go there giving and serving. I think this is the appropriate response for a King.