As a general rule, I detest church business meetings. But last night was entirely different. It wasn’t a large group, but it was the most productive gathering for charting the future ministry of Gatetree that I have ever experienced. There was passion. There was clear thinking. There was one and only one agenda. There was great faith.

The meeting can be summarized like this—we are confident of our mission, we just aren’t sure how to accomplish it. Finally, one of our men, Mike, reminded us of a timeless biblical principle expressed by author/theologian Henry Blackaby, “God is at work in the world, and He wants you to join Him.”

Recently, I read about Bono, lead singer for the rock group U2 and an outspoken and somewhat controversial Christian philanthropist. He recently went on a tour of evangelical institutions to enlist Christian support for the AIDS crisis in Africa. Along the way, he said something to the effect that our mission in the world is not to do our own thing and ask God to bless it, but to find out what God is already doing in the world and get where He is. Same thing.

So what is God up to? I don’t know all the ways God is at work, but I do see four things He is doing in American culture;

First, God is creating in people a hunger for spiritual answers to life’s more difficult questions. That’s why you see the spiritual and the mystical as dominating themes in film and television.

Second, there appears to be a new interest in Jesus. Once again, the popularity of books and media show that to be so. People who may have been closed to Christians or Christianity may now be rethinking their beliefs.

Third, fear. People are afraid. Since 9/11, no one feels safe anymore. And when people are afraid, they are much more open to God than when they are complacent and comfortable.

And finally, people are looking for meaning and purpose in life. How else can you explain the phenomenal success of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life that took everyone by surprise?

I mention these things because it’s important to remember that, (whatever projects or actions we take to accomplish our mission) when we go out in the world that the conversation that ends with the Gospel has already begun. God is already at work in the world. It is time to go where He is and join the conversation.