Tough questions

I'm currently reading "Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit," by Francis Chan. I'll readily admit that I was first attracted to the book because of its beautiful cover, but once I discovered what the book was about I was equally excited for its content.

I appreciate Chan's honest writing and Biblical approach to this book. Chan, the pastor of a Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, writes like he's giving a sermon. He presents his points clearly (and with a lot of Biblical references), often urging the reader to put down the book and instead read a relevant section of the Bible. 

Overall, the book is a fairly simple and straightforward study of the Holy Spirit. Chan doesn't present anything earth-shattering or new, but instead explores foundational themes central to our belief in the Holy Spirit -- like a list of truths about the Holy Spirit, or a list of ways the Holy Spirit manifests itself in our daily lives.

I'm about halfway through the book, and came to a passage that I found particularly challenging to me personally. The quote I mainly wanted to include here is in bold, but I felt I needed to include the rest for context: 

Did God lead you to where you are? A lot of people in my church and in my travels tell me, "I believe that God has called me to Simi Valley." Or Wichita. Or New York. Or Greenville. Or wherever. That very well may be the case. But it could also be a cop-out because you like where you live. You have a good job. The school district is safe and has high ratings. Your family lives close by (or perhaps far away, depending on your relationship with them). It makes sense that you are "called" to be there, right?

And maybe you are calle to where you live. But if you say you are called to be in the place you are, a few questions need to be considered. For example, how would you be missed if you left this place? What would change? Basically, what difference does your presence here make? Or, as my youth pastor once asked me, what would your church (and the worldwide church) look like if everyone was as committed as you are? If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, would the church be healthy and empowered? Or would it be weak and listless?

Yikes. That's an awfully convicting question. If I answered it honestly I'd have to say that the church wouldn't be very healthy at all. Definitely some food for thought.