We Should Not be Discouraged
Many if not most local churches of our day are experiencing a decline in weekly attendance and participation and we wonder why. Much of the leadership (pastors, elders, deacons, etc.) of these churches are becoming greatly discouraged. I have felt somewhat discouraged myself as after 4 years of teaching a Sunday School class, the class has not grown significantly in size. Such discouragement, however, is not Godly. We should remember that God is doing things in those who do participate that we do not see. We should remember that size is not an indicator of God’s blessings. I was reminded of that truth recently when I read the following article by John MacArthur.
“Size does not signify God’s blessing. In Scripture big budgets, affluent members, and large memberships rolls are never portrayed as valid goals. Real success is not prosperity, power, prominence, popularity, or any of the other worldly notions of success. Real success is doing the will of God regardless of the consequences.”
I gather from pastor MacArthur’s post that in whatever position we hold in the church we should do our best by preparation, and faithfulness to the Word, and leave the results in God’s hands. This has proved true in MacArthur’s church (Grace Community of Panorama city, Ca.) and the Evangelical Baptist of Myanmar. Both have grown from a very small number to thousands. To note, They grew not buy human eloquence, Charisma, or wit but by the intervention of God the Holy Spirit.
We Christians are to plant the seed, water the seed and nourish the seed, but it is God who gives the increase. Consider the following commentary by late Arthur W. Pink of 1st Peter 1:411 – “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen”
To please God, a person must be just an instrument for God to use. For a few seconds, picture in your mind the variety of wonderful and useful appliances we have in our homes. They have been engineered and built to perform tasks of all kinds. But without the inflow of electrical power they are just lumps of metal and plastic, unable to function and serve. They cannot do their work until power is applied from a dynamic outside source.
So it is in the work of God in the church. Many people preach and teach. Many take part in the music. Certain ones try to administer God’s work. But if the power of God’s Spirit does not have freedom to energize all they do, these workers might just as well stay home.
Natural gifts are not enough in God’s work. The mighty Spirit of God must have freedom to animate and quicken with His overtones of creativity and blessing. Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts, 5-6.
Pink’s closing prayer – “Lord, deliver us from our dependency on natural gifts. We hunger for effectiveness in Your work, but too seldom turn loose to let Your power flow through us. Amen.”
Should not this be our prayer and commitment? Me thinks it should!
Steve