No, this blog post isn’t about Duck Dynasty. It’s about having the expectation that God’s going to do great things this year.
There’s a phrase in the business world called BHAG – Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. It’s about setting reach-for-the-stars kinds of goals, and then galvanizing your team to achieve them.
Christianity has their own version of this, but it involves prayer – Big, Hairy, Audacious Prayer. It’s reach-for-the-stars kind of prayer, asking God to do things in your life and ministry that only He can do, and expecting Him to do them.
God is interested in answering BHAPs that glorify Him. These are faith-filled prayers that bring about heart change. Changing hearts is something God loves to do because it’s something ONLY He can do. He gets all of the credit!
So what does a BHAP look like? It looks like a prayer for the prodigal son to return home. It’s a prayer asking God to help you love someone who’s not-quite-loveable. It’s a prayer of pleading for the ability to forgive someone who has wronged you. It’s asking God to woo the hearts of an entire generation of young people, so they will be passionate followers of Him, ready to change the world.
That’s my BHAP. I want God to use me as part of His wooing of an entire generation. I wake up every morning asking Him to fill my mind with new, creative ways to demonstrate His love for young people and to encourage and inspire them to put their faith 100% in Him.
I want to provoke young people to passionately pursue Jesus Christ and take His life-giving message to the ends of the Earth! It’s a big, hairy, audacious prayer that ONLY the Lord can do.
The awesome part of praying a BHAP is seeing God work through you and me to accomplish the prayer. That’s right! He works through individuals to achieve these awesome things for His glory.
He’s inviting you to be a part of this. He’s galvanizing His team to achieve a reach-for-the-stars kind of goal. I know what my BHAP is for 2016, and I’m waiting expectantly for the Lord to see it through.
The opportunity is before you. Place your trust in the Lord, make a choice based on faith, and rest in His grace to accomplish the impossible!
What is your BHAP for 2016?
Ron Luce was the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries from 1986-2015. Ron and his wife Katie dreamed to raise young people who would change the world.
Ron received his bachelor's degree in Psychology and Theology from Oral Roberts University and his master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tulsa, along with an honorary doctorate from Jerry Falwell of Liberty University. He is a sought-after speaker who has traveled to more than 60 countries and has made numerous media appearances, such as Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio broadcast, CNN, The O'Reilly Factor, ABC Nightline, The 700 Club, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the Sean Hannity Show. Ron has also written 35 books for teens, youth pastors, and parents and continues to speak at leaders' conferences helping parents and pastors understand the plight of today's youth and showing them how all of us can be part of the solution.
Ron and Katie currently live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their son Cameron. They have two daughters, Hannah and Charity.