Written by Mark Driskill:
Read Mark 2:13-17
Bethel Mennonite Camp is a special place. Since the early 1950’s hundreds of children and teens have been forever changed by its ministry. I consider it a high privilege to serve there. One of the more special places at the camp is the chapel. Many a life has been set free and sent out into the entire world with the gospel form that place. Most people don’t know this, but before that chapel building was a chapel it was used as a chicken house. For years it was used to house egg laying, ground scratching, and messy chickens. Then one day someone decided it would make a great chapel. I guess you could say that old
building was changed from a house for chickens to a launching pad for eagles.
What was once a haven for those that peck and scratch for survival is now used to send teens and children soaring the heights for God and his kingdom. There is no telling how many eagles have been launched around the world with the gospel from that little chapel in Clayhole, Kentucky. I guess that’s one of the big questions our Lord asks of us church folk in today’s passage; Are we in the business of housing chickens or launching Eagles?
The scribes and Pharisees were spiritual chicken farmers. Their goal was to turn the temple of God into a coup for spiritual chickens. In my experience raising chickens I have come to see that they are directionless, fearful creatures who are constantly pecking at each other and trying to survive. They will follow anyone who throws out just enough seed to keep them following. The only thing that seems as important as self preservation to a chicken is protecting ones place in the pecking order. This is the way of chickens on the farm and in the church. Scribes and Pharisees then and now love leading chickens. They can be led very easily without too much investment or care. You can feed them just about anything and they will gobble it up without much thought. As long as they drop a golden egg in the offering plate who cares about the stink they make or the way they peck at each other? Chickens are very easy to lead as long as you can keep them under control. If they don’t cooperate you can always devour them. It doesn’t matter that they never really get outside the chicken house, in fact that’s preferable. It keeps everyone under control and out of trouble.
Eagles on the other hand are virtually impossible to control. Once they mount the sky and start hunting, watch out! These powerful creatures are nobody’s victim. They have no time for pecking orders and seed chasing. They would rather ride the wind than scratch in the dirt. No wonder the religious leaders became angry at Jesus when he began turning chicken sinners and tax collectors into soaring eagles full of vision and purpose. Levi was changed dramatically from being a money scratching tax swindler to a mighty sky hunter for the souls of men and women. Tradition has it that he eventually ended up taking the gospel to Ethiopia where he was martyred for his Lord. He was changed from a chicken to an eagle. That’s what Jesus came to do. He is not interested in throwing the same old religious seed to self serving chickens in the church house. He came to launch visionary, courageous eagles into the sky for the sake of his kingdom. As God’s people we need to ask ourselves what we are about in our churches; raising chickens or launching Eagles. Are we just scratching and pecking our way through life thinking only of our survival? Or are we scanning the horizon for new opportunities to glorify God?
Does your church have a vision that resembles a chicken or an Eagle? Are you just running form place to place making sure you get fed or are you riding the currents of the Spirit wherever they lead? Is your church a house for chickens or a launching pad for Eagles? I prefer the latter. Will you spend this day pecking at one another, and scratching around for survival, or mounting to the sky for the kingdom of God?
Challenge: Begin today asking God to give you a God- sized vision for your life. Write out your purpose in life in one sentence. Determine to live like an Eagle, not a Chicken.
Mark Driskill and his wife Mary are homeschooling community ministers in Breathitt County Kentucky. They have four children. They co pastor Emmanuel fellowship Church, serve as Camp Pastors at Bethel Mennonite Camp, and Mark Teaches at Oakdale Christian Academy. Mark is web minister for Begotten by the Word , a ministry of Helping Hands Christian Resources. Once a month he preaches on the local radio station through the “Lion of Judah” program.
Mark also preaches in youth rallies and revivals upon request at no charge. Their vision is to see true spiritual awakening come to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and to the nation.
Contact information:
Email: driskill@hilbillymail.com
Facebook: Mark Driskill
Address: PO Box 1159 Jackson KY.
