Change

I started this blog as a place to share thoughts that were running around in my head as well as ideas I had on God's call on our lives.  Little did I know when I started it that I would be reflecting so shortly on such a huge change in my ministry.  My good friend, mentor, and pastor announced last night to the church that he would be resigning at the end of the month.  Obviously, when such a change happens, thoughts flood my little brain at a quick pace.  Church members pose questions.  Friends seek answers.  I seek wisdom.

So what is going to happen to our church now?  A question I have heard a lot in the last 24 hours, and I admit, I have asked the same question myself.  Through prayer and study God led me to what is perhaps one of my favorite passages in the Bible;  Joshua 1; and there I found the answer.

What happens to our church will depend on how its members respond.  In the passage Moses has just passed away, leaving the Israelites without their leader.  I'm sure panic set in among the people.  I'm sure worry, fear, and concern flooded the masses.  Then God calls Joshua out to be the new leader.  I believe Joshua realizes that what lies ahead will not be easy.  Conflict is waiting on the other side.  Problems and challenges are waiting on the other side.  Great Blessings lie on the other side.  However, Joshua is given specific instructions on how to overcome what lies ahead;  these are instructions which I find very useful in the current situation of our church.

1)  God will be with us.  God has promised to be with us and to guide and guard us, but we must remember that He in turn expects our obedience to Him and His purposes.  I do not believe He will be with us if we forsake His mission, or if we depart from His purposes.
2)  Be Strong and Courageous.  Church is not about a pastor, a deacon, a leader in some ministry area.  Church is about glorifying God and strengthening the body of believers.  We must be strong at that, and we must be courageous enough to continue doing what it takes to reach the lost, heal the hurting, and glorify our Heavenly Father.
3)  Obey the Law.  God's word provides all the instructions we need.  Will we love each other as ourself?  Will we GO and make disciples of all?  Will we look after orphans and widows?  Will we keep ourselves pure?  We will forsake all things, all comforts, all personal desires, all self-interests to serve God?  Will we OBEY THE LAW OF GOD or obey what makes us happy?
4)  Be Strong and Courageous.
5)  Work as one.  In the latter part of the chapter we find the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.  These guys were not taking any land across the Jordan, they intended to stay on the eastern side.  However, they stepped away from their self-interests, away from their own desires and worked to help their brothers accomplish the mission of taking the land God had promised.  The church must work as one, sacrificing ourselves when necessary to accomplish what God desires for us.
6)  Be strong and courageous.  Did I mention that already?  God seems to make a big deal of it.  So in case you missed it, be strong and courageous.

God has seen change before.  God is not bothered by change.  What bothers and grieves God is when His people brawl, live in anger, slander, etc. (Ephesians 4:29-32)  Although things come and go, people come and go, technology changes like the wind, God never changes.