Looking to the Early Church for Inspiration
The concept of “seeking” God is often attributed to individuals who are interested in the Christian faith but not yet believers. But biblically speaking, seeking God is what Christians do—Christians pursue intimacy with the Lord, knowledge of Him, His guidance and presence, His blessing.
All Christians should be people who seek the Lord daily and with their whole hearts, but unfortunately, this mindset is not what characterizes much of the American church. All too often, believers think they don’t have enough time to seek God in an intensive way, but perhaps it isn’t a time problem, it’s an appetite problem: we are hungering after the wrong things.
In this episode of Forerunners of America, Christian Union founder and CEO Matt Bennett discusses what it means to seek the Lord and practical steps towards living a seeking God lifestyle. Bennett points to the early church as being marked primarily by their whole-hearted and constant pursuit of God. Though others might argue that the early church was known for their miracles, the martyrs, their generosity or their love, Bennett argues that it was their commitment to seeking the Lord day and night that undergirds everything else. It was because the church so faithfully sought the Lord that miracles and conversions happened and that they were filled with love, obedience and generosity. And it is this seeking God lifestyle that American Christians must recover and pursue.
To provide believers with a practical tool, Bennett created a Seeking God Lifestyle curriculum that works through seven principles of seeking God. These principles include humility through fasting, prayer, immense intake of the word of God, community, repentance, obedience, and perseverance. As we begin to develop new habits of seeking God, God draws near to us. As we pursue Him, He responds with his presence, his blessing, and his power.
Bennett’s desire to see all Christians earnestly seeking the Lord is written into the foundation of Christian Union. The same Seeking God Lifestyle curriculum that is available to be downloaded at Christian Union Day and Night is one of the Bible courses that first-year students at all CU campuses are taught. As students catch the vision and biblical basis for seeking God, they are equipped with the tools and community to grow in their love and devotion to Him.
Watch the full episode here.
