Do BIG Things!

Have you read the bestselling book by Alex & Brett Harris Do HARD Things?


Theirs is a unique story. As 16-year-old twins they developed the most-visited web site ever for Christian teenagers (http://www.therebelution.com/). Then just 2 years later they wrote their bestseller which has been mightily used of God to challenge and entire generation of millennials to launch a “rebellion against low expectations.”

I had the unique opportunity this week to meet and minister alongside one of the twins (Brett Harris) at a large youth conference in Ohio. I found Brett to be a Godly and highly-motivated young man. He is a true servant of God – with a great desire to impact others for eternity. (Please pray for the entire Harris family, as their Mom went home to be with the Lord recently following a brief bout with cancer!)

However, I must admit that I struggle some with the idea of “hard” things. I found myself thinking that there must be more to accomplishment than just a significant level of difficulty. I get their point. I really do. I’ve read the book and I listened to Brett’s talk on the importance of doing “hard things”. I too want to challenge others to consider developing high expectations and to prayerfully dream of doing great things for God.

Yet, in my mind I wonder. I wonder if the level of difficulty is the point. God has used the Harris brothers in remarkable ways; and after hearing Brett speak on the subject, I am almost positive that they would agree with my premise in this post. But, I wonder if going beyond what is expected (if you haven’t read their book yet, you should!) should be our objective.

I believe with all my heart that God wants us to consider BIG things!

Take a fresh look at the Bible’s “Great Commission” passages. (Notice my emphases below.)

Matthew 28:19 & 20, “Go therefore and make disciples of ALL the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe ALL things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you ALWAYS, even to the END OF THE AGE.”

Mark 16: 20, “And He said to then, ‘Go into ALL THE WORLD and preach the gospel to EVERY creature.”

Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in ALL Judea and Samaria, and to the END OF THE EARTH.”

Think about the scope of that assignment: ALL nations, ALL things, ALWAYS, to the END OF THE AGE; ALL the world, EVERY creature; to the END OF THE EARTH.

That God-given obligation to His church never ceases to amaze me! We have a huge project ahead of us. Looking at the Great Commission this way motivates me to think that God has charged us and equipped us to do BIG things. The Lord Himself developed His plan for this age when He declared in Matthew 16:18, “…I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

God’s work (the church) is what He is doing in our age. That’s His plan. I admit that I love being a part of something big. I read these verses and come away challenged with an overwhelming desire to be a part of the biggest thing ever. I want to be a part of what God is doing – and, let me tell you something – that’s BIG!

I want to do all I can to call this generation to be a part of something big. The Lord has put a burden on my heart to be a voice motivating this generation to BIG things! Perhaps God’s plan has always been to challenge each emerging generation to be a part of His big, global, eternal plan! I say that after reading passages such as 2 Timothy 4:16 – 22. Take a few moments to read through those verses noticing the words all, every, and forever. Here, in the last letter we have from the aged Apostle Paul, is a global and eternal challenge for his student, Timothy. In verse 16, Paul writes that “all” of his so-called friends and co-workers had deserted him in his time of need. But, in contrast to that human discouragement, Paul lists his life goal in the very next verse. Look what he says. “…that ALL the Gentiles might hear.” He knew God’s work would face opposition and so, he writes, “…the Lord will deliver me from EVERY evil work and will preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory FOREVER AND EVER.”

Wow, what a visionary. In spite of personal disappointments and spiritual opposition, Paul kept his focus on His Lord’s ability to accomplish His work and to fulfill His mission.

I love the language here – ALL, EVERY, and FOREVER. God is all-about doing BIG things – global things and eternal things. Friends, that’s BIG!

So, with my sincere apologies to the Harris brothers, let’s challenge this generation instead toward BIG things – God's work in this age! We must be about the things that matter – the work of God that will last forever.

Please join me in praying for an emerging generation to develop an all-consuming desire, with corresponding goals, dreams, and plans, to accomplish God’s work in our age. We must be about calling this generation to accomplish BIG things – EVERYWHERE, with ALL people groups – things that will last FOREVER.

As Paul would say, “Grace be with you. Amen!”