* - “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39).

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. The context of this passage: the apostles are preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem and are arrested by the Sadducees, a priestly group associated with the leadership of the Temple in Jerusalem. During the night, the angel of the Lord frees the apostles and they continue preaching the Gospel in the temple court. The temple guards and the chief priests are furious with the apostles and bring them to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. After much questioning, a Pharisee named Gamaliel speaks up and shares the verses above. Gamaliel convinces the rest of the court of his logic and the apostles are released.

The rest is history.

Fast forward two-thousand years. We again sit at a point in time where a group of people have banded together believing in a dream. And the dream is audacious: transformation of nations in this generation. There are many groups, secular and religious, that have a similar tagline. In business planning 101, one of the first things taught is to craft a mission statement that is big. But what separates this movement from others with similar aspirations of a global impact?

I graduated from business school, so I think of cause and effect. Ask any McKinsey consultant on how to build a stellar company and you will undoubtedly get the “10 points to build a winning company” and multiple strategy frameworks and business models. “If you just apply these principles, success is in your grips!”

I am learning that if we use this same approach towards this movement– resting only on our own cleaver and wit – it will fail! We can implement a great idea on AIDS awareness or craft an “artscapade” in the community or even minister to broken families. But if God is not in this, forget it. We might as well fold up shop.

But if this is of God, there is no stopping this movement. And what is a clear sign that a movement is birthed by God and not of human origin? Prayer.

I hope that as we continue to march forward in this movement, God’s people will be found on their knees, depending and trusting in an awesome and mighty God. Personally, I struggle with letting go and surrendering to God. But the great thing is that when I come to those points of full surrender to God and dependency on Him, God gets all the glory.

And isn’t that what this entire movement is about?

Prayerfully on my knees,

-Moses