January 15, 2001
Die to self, live for God, Stroope urges
___DALLAS--The Christian life is "not about the things that you bring to this God." Rather, it's about "dead corpses" to whom God brings life, Mike Stroope told participants in the DestiNATIONS conference.
___Stroope, president of the church mobilization organization All Peoples, spoke on theopening night of the event for college students.
JAMIE WATTERS looks on as Micah Mace of Lamar University in Beaumont puts some art work on a young resident of Andrews Mark apartment complex during a ministry project at DestiNATIONS.
___"The question before you," Stroope said, is "will you live unto your name, your purposes, ... or will you die?"
___"We no longer kill bulls or pigeons; that's Old Testament," he said. "We present our bodies as living sacrifices."
___A long-time missionary himself, Stroope said he has seen people go halfway around the world but never die to self.
___People choose one of two directions in life, he said. They either give their lives to God's glory or to their own. God, however, is the "rightful person to receive glory to his name."
___God is moving through history "announcing his name, declaring his greatness," Stroope said. At the end of time, every nation will give honor to him.
___"Our God is a God of purpose," and he is seeking those who will set aside their own agendas and pursue his.
___God's purposes are either greater than all else in a person's life or they're not, Stroope said. "Let's not kid ourselves. He knows our hearts. ... I beg you, don't make this about finding the mission agency with the best deal. Don't make this about you and your future.
___"It's not about missions; it's about this God. It's not about martyrdom; it's about this God."
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