Pressing Forward

This picture looks like a lot of churches today.

I read this from the editor of a magazine I subscribe to:

“If we want different results, we can’t keep doing things the same way, right?”

I think he’s hit it right on. We often desire to see change in our churches. We would love to see growth, a greater impact for Christ in our communities, more effective outreach, and the list could go on and on. So many people want to see things differently, but then they continue to be satisfied with just being comfortable; just doing things they way they always have been done.

I had lunch yesterday with a great friend of mine who serves on a large pastoral staff of a large church and he was sharing some frustrations with me of how the church and even some staff maybe have become too comfortable with the way things are. There seems to be no desire to change, but simply to do things the way they’ve always been done. And maybe in a large church it’s easy to be comfortable–there’s no budget trouble, there’s people staffing every area of ministry, and attendance is stable.

But what if attendance starts to drop or at least doesn’t rise for a couple years? What happens when people start to panic because the budget isn’t being met? Then things might change. Then leaders might start thinking more of what their church could be instead of preserving the way it is now.

Praise God for problems churches go through! I say that only because I’ve seen the hope that comes through some of the petty problems that end up showing the true sides of people, but in the end, show the glory of God. Praise God that our budget, which is just a bunch of numbers we threw on a piece of paper, sometimes is in trouble! Praise God that we sometimes can’t find people to commit to serving in an area of ministry! Praise god that people are starting to wonder why we’ve had the same numbers for the last two years!

Maybe these churches will realize that everything in the world is changing around them, and they must be able to reach a changing group of people. And maybe our large churches who are tempted to sit back, relax, and just keep moving on, will realize that they have a huge potential to be even more of a light for Christ in their community.

We can’t be comfortable; we must be committed.

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain.” -1 Timothy 6:3-6

That last sentence in this letter to Timothy from Paul in Scripture sums it up. What should be the only contentment in our lives? Godliness. Is your church completely full of godliness? Is your community completely full of godliness? Are you completely full of godliness? Then we shouldn’t be comfortable.

We have much to gain…

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Satan prowls around this earth like a roaring lion, and we think it’s a petting zoo.

Maybe the title of this post alarms you somewhat because I used the word “hell,” but it is a real place. I’ve been so frustrated lately with seeing people who claim to be Christians petting this lion called Satan like it’s no big deal. The language used, actions, things heard or looked at, and the blatant apathy toward God by people who profess to follow Him is a clear indication that there is no realization of the spiritual warfare going on around us. Satan is very real!

Listen to God’s Word:

“3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

“10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Why would Paul take time to warn and present a plan of action against the spiritual warfare going on around us if it wasn’t an issue? Yet we play around like it’s no big deal. One day, some people are going to find themselves devoured; maybe it will hit them then.

Field trips are used in school to give students a first-hand look at something they learn about in the classroom. It gives students an actual experience with the subject of their learning.

I’ve given a couple Scripture references above that could teach someone about how real Satan is (and there are others too), but what will it take for people to realize that Satan is real and wants to devour them, but that Jesus Christ has victory of Satan, sin, and even death! It’s almost like we should load up buses of people and take them to hell so they can see that it’s real! Though this is impossible, I’m not sure right now what it will take to get some people to realize what’s happening around them. One day they’ll realize, but then it will be too late.

How can we help people understand how powerful Satan is on this earth, and help them understand what Jesus Christ did for them by dying on the cross for their sins?  I’m not perfect, and I mess up still.  But that’s why it’s called warfare.

Let’s put the lion back in his cage.