I realize that some of my readers are preparing to worship this weekend with a struggling congregation. A lot of church leaders—including pastors—are dealing with this issue. If that’s the case for you, I hope these words are helpful to you.
- Even the strongest churches have likely had times in their history when the struggle was real.
We hear about the victories of churches, but we don’t often hear about the difficult times almost every congregation has faced at some point. Whatever you face today doesn’t have to be the end of the story. - Somebody’s been praying for you and your church. I don’t know who that is, but I just trust that someone who knows you takes seriously his or her responsibility to pray for leaders. Whoever that person may be for you, even the prayers of only one person can encourage and strengthen you.
- God doesn’t always “let us in on” what He’s doing behind the scenes—but that doesn’t mean He’s not working. He might well be working in ways that would surprise you, but He’s chosen not to give you the details yet. That’s okay, though, since He’s God—and we’re not!
- If you teach and preach the Word of God this weekend, it will not come back to you empty (Isa 55:11). We either believe what it says—that God will accomplish what He intends through His Word—or we do not. If we genuinely believe it, we have hope no matter what we face in our church this weekend.
- You can bring joy to your congregation regardless of any sense of hopelessness around you.That’s because your personal joy doesn’t have to be based on your situation. In fact, it can’t be if it’s true joy. No matter what you’re dealing with, God still loves you as His child—and you are forgiven.
- The devil will not ultimately prevail against God’s church. It might seem like he’s winning far too often, but Jesus defeated him through His cross (Col 2:15). The devil’s active and powerful, but he’s a defeated foe. We have to cling to that truth.
- God might just show you a glimpse of His glory this weekend. Even if it seems like a long time since He’s done that, it might just happen in the next few days. Trust Him. Push away from demonized despair. Instead, look for God’s work. Praise Him when you see it.
If you’d like for our readers to pray for you, just let us know.
Dr. Lawless I especially appreciate no. 4. Sometimes it feels like good Biblical preaching does not make a difference but it is great to be reminded that the Word itself says that it will in deed succeed! Thanks for the encouragement!
Yes, please pray for our church. We are down to about 35 people and unless something happens we may be forced out. It’s been a very long, very painful 16 years here.