What if your church closed, not just for a few weeks, like with COVID 19, but forever?
Now, I'm kingdom minded enough to know, given the number of congregations across GTBN, if my church closed I could find a church family through which to minister and be ministered to. And so could you. So, in this sense, no single congregation is indispensable.
But consider this. Each local church is a full manifestation of the body of Christ, sharing His mission to make disciples. There is a stewardship to consider too, resources dedicated over the years to assure a given people in a given place have every opportunity to know Christ. What happens when all this goes away?
Well, when a church closes there is one less place of light in a community. Perhaps other churches will fill the gap, but it may be that people of a certain cultural background, or language no longer have ready access to the gospel. If nearby congregations are unhealthy, doctrinally suspect, perhaps lacking a heart for the community or not really growing disciples, lost is a center for raising believers most likely to reach the area. And I've not even touched on the grief as faithful members go their separate ways.
Don't misunderstand me. I believe in God's sovereignty, and His church prevails in the end. I've read the Book. And I've seen enough dysfunctional congregations to know more than a few that need to close.
But when a church closes the losses run deep.
You wonder, why do I bring this up? Well, I'm currently working with a church that is unsure how many more Sundays they can gather. Before weeks of shutdown, nobody questioned their sustainability. Now, they are unsure whether their ministry will recover.
Our Lord has an answer for this fellowship. A significant aspect to my call is helping churches in just this situation. But in working with them, a thought has crossed my mind that I believe will benefit you and your church. It’s simple really. Since no single congregation is guaranteed tomorrow, you should be faithful to the opportunities God provides today.
When planting churches in Nebraska and New Mexico, I learned that the resources are in the harvest. In other words, the best way to have resources for tomorrow's ministry is by faithfulness to His call today. Disciples you make today will be leaders for ministry tomorrow.
Every local church matters to God. And as a Network we will give ourselves to helping struggling congregations discover their next steps for Him. But the best way to prevent the losses described above is dedicated faithfulness today to the disciple making task Christ has appointed to us. Your church fills a significant role in God’s work across SETX. So let’s make today count.
Blessings,
Bro. Jim