I want to take a moment to speak about some simple rules for cultivating a supernatural lifestyle. The key might be in cultivating a supernatural lifestyle-friendly incubator! Leaders, what I am saying is that we can't be frustrated if supernatural life is not flowing because we have not created a safe, inspiring place to practice it. I want to speak to you on broad encouragements that will help you create and lead in a vibrant, active, supernatural community of believers. I am just going to give you a series of simple word pictures from real life…

The Nursery
When a child comes into a family it lands in the nursery. The nursery is filled with encouraging things, and discouraging things are removed. The sounds and sights of a nursery are soothing, and a mother’s voice fills the air more than any other sounds. Loud noises and sharp objects are removed from the nursery along with anything that could bring fear or shock or pain to the child. As the child gets older these things are modified bit by bit to allow the child’s physical ability to meet the increasing challenges of his maturing life including walking, playing by himself, opening doors, going to the potty, and getting along with the dog.

Friends, let’s make a happy, safe nursery in which new believers can grow. Let’s build a greenhouse that incubates young life until it can stand on its own out in the open (just to give a word picture option.) People like me, who are barking at mature leaders about raising their ministry IQ should probably not be put in charge of the nursery. My leadership work is a lot more like watching an episode of The Unit, and not much like listening to Baby Einstein. That’s no problem if we all have the good sense to put the nurturing pastors in charge of the younger believers, and if we have sense enough to not let younger believers use power tools. Pastors, sing songs over even the tiniest babies about God’s love, about their intrinsic beauty, and about the adventures they will go on in the spiritually dynamic kingdom of God! Our youngest don’t need to be shielded from supernatural life, they simply need to be introduced in a loving way. Ephesians 4:14 does require key leadership to be aware of both the low and the high in the scales of maturity. Finally, we should go ahead and make the conclusion that at some point we expect everyone to mature enough to A.) be able to walk on their own and take responsibilities, and B.) not be longing for the nursery when they are big.

A Messy Room
Small children have a weak concept of clean. Adults, sometimes, have obsessive views of clean. These two things can conflict unless everyone is willing to change. When my two boys were smaller we did require them to do something in terms of ruling their room and bringing things into order like put the stuffed puppies on the bed before you come down for breakfast. They did not have to make the bed, clean their clothes, or wash the windows when they were small. Can you imagine what would have happened to their young souls if they were forced to worry more about the rules of cleanliness, rather than the joy of discovery and adventure?

Comrades, let’s not think that because we speak of the “ordered household” we are implying that everyone from the top to the bottom of the maturity scale are called to the same level of ordered responsibilities. This is probably the single biggest killer of supernatural expressions in the Church that meets together. If leadership is more obsessed with doing right, rather than just doing something, then usually the result is no one does anything. Obsession with the rules creates more fear than the willingness to try, and people will avoid the possibility of failure and public diminishment even if the prize in front of them is very valuable. Are there to be rules? Sure. But rules a game of kickball are different than the rules for performing brain surgery. Let’s relax and remember that Jesus has given us a fa