I wanted to conclude my three part series on the Every Nation Winter Conference by highlighting Pastor Steve Murrell’s message on the Five Tension Points in our ministry. 

He used the illustration of a rubber band, which went something like this….

If a rubber band is to be shot across the room it requires a build up of tension and then a release. There are two dangers… 1. Not enough tension… 2. Too much tension.

If there is not enough tension then the rubber band doesn’t go anywhere. It simple falls to the ground, or doesn’t go very far when you try to shoot it. On the other hand, if there is too much tension, the rubber band will snap. In order for it to shoot across the room the way you intend it to there has to be the right amount of tension. 

Pastor Steve listed the tension points within the Every Nation movement as follows: 

1. Ministry & Family

2. Unity & Diversity

3. Local & International

4. Church & Campus

5. Established Leaders & Emerging Leaders

If we are just doing one or the other in these paired emphases of our movement (ie. Church & Campus), we have no tension at all in that area. If we are pushing too hard in both emphases at the same time there can be too much tension and something will eventually snap! Healthy tension is somewhere in between the extremes of neglect and overextending.

This consideration of healthy tension points, along with the illustraion of a rubber band was very helpful to me. In the past I have thought in terms of having a “healthy balance“, but I think that “tension” is a much more accurate and helpful term for discussing this issue. 

Are there any of these “5 tension points”  that you feel is actually not in a healthy tension in your personal life or ministry context?

Does anyone on your ministry team feel that there is not healthy tension in these areas? What should you do about it?