Staying the Course

Recently I heard about another pastor who is leaving his church. First of all he is not leaving for anything bad. He feels lead of the spirit that his time is up. That's cool with me but it got me to thinking. More often than not pastors are leaving their church for all the wrong reasons. Here's two that seem to be common and they usually accompany pastoring a small church. They leave for a larger church in pursuit of a "better situation". Or they feel they have taken the church as far as they can and leave feeling somewhat of a failure. Many of these never return to ministry feeling frustrated and burned out. I have personally known men in both these situations. I will never question what God speaks to an individual but very often our flesh is the real reason behind it.

Unfortunately today success in ministry is measured in what one author stated as "The Three B's" Buildings, Budgets, and Butts in the seats. Numbers and size. A bigger building, higher attendance and a big balance in the checking account is the sign of a successful church and a great leader. Some have used this as the measure of a healthy church as well. Success or church health is not very often connected to the impact a church has. Lives that were changed. People being sent out as pastors or missionaries. Community reputation. Nope. Still the most common question a pastor is asked is "How many you running?" On top of that there are all these websites and seminars telling us what we have to do so we can "get more people to come and stay". Every year the speakers at these seminars are mega church pastors telling us how to make our small church big. All this can be a lot of pressure for any pastor to live up to but especially the pastor of the smaller church. And the truth is that most evangelical churches in America are 100 or under. They far outnumber the big churches.

With all this it's no wonder that so many pastors move on so quickly. Looking for relief or a better situation. But what about staying the course? Sticking it out. Not concerning yourself with what man thinks but what God thinks. You just may be surprised. I also heard of a pastor who was going to graduation parties for kids he saw grow up in his church. Now that's what I'm talking about. We will never know how many lives we really touch if we give up too easily.

I have wanted to quit many times. I pastor a small church. I wanted to quit when as a bivocational pastor I was laid off from my job. What was I going to do? Oh yeah go find a bigger church who could pay me a salary. No. We stayed the course and a year later God provided a salary. I wanted to quit many times when I thought I wasn't reaching anybody. Not making a difference. Then someone would tell me how a sermon touched them or give a testimony of what the church means to them. I could go on and on. I didn't quit. I stayed the course always reminded of the words from the parable of the talents. "Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with little" What are we doing with what God has given us? Have we been faithful? Or are we having a pity party? Or looking for a bigger pay day? The next part of that verse says this, "Now I will put you in charge of much" (paraphrase). If we stay the course God will reward us. Maybe in this life, but definitely in the life to come.

Let me encourage you whoever you are, whatever you do to stay the course. Whether it's ministry, a job, a single mom don't quit. God will reward your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

Until next time,

Pastor Paul