We Must Be Doing Something Right
This weekend, Lisa said, "Oooooooh, it's going to be freezing next week. High of 60!"I just knew my friends in the cooler climes would appreciate that.
Some ten years ago, the College Church entered into an intense time of prayer. Groups were formed and people met in homes to ask God for direction, vision, and clarity of purpose. There was a strong sense of unity and a pervading certainty that God was listening and ready to work wonders through us. I have a vivid memory of the entire episode and my one fear throughout: that few people were taking seriously enough how much the enemy was going to hate what we were doing.
He attacked, as we knew he would. Individuals and families started going through some very rough times and some of the College family let him get the best of them, even to the point of turning on others. Eventually, the groups disbanded, our minister was summarily dismissed with little regard to his feelings or the long-term health of the body, and a large group of people found other places to worship.
It was, in my opinion, the single worst event in the history of the College Church.
Last year, we embarked on 40 days of prayer, searching again for guidance. Few of our leaders felt any answers were given but we did not give up. We have continued in prayer and have now formed a committee (oy, committees...) to interview church members (how I hate that word) in search of priorities for our body. We are not neglecting to continue in asking God to point us where He wants us to go. It's a big job and we are serious about it.
And we find ourselves under attack. Big surprise.
I don't think it's an accident that Lisa and I keep taking hits to our car, our house, and our belongings. Satan has a lot of power over "things." I don't think it's an accident that our elders and our committee members have been "having a run of bad luck" lately. And I don't think it's an accident that yesterday's planned announcement of a major kick-off event for the process turned into a momentum-sucking fiasco. We know the source of these things and we recognize that we must be doing something right for them to happen.
Still, I dread the thought of repeating mistakes. I dread the thought that we're not taking him seriously enough. We keep saying over and over that these things must be drenched in prayer and we mustn't let up. So I solicit yours now. Keep our elders in mind. Keep our ministers in mind. Keep the committee in mind. And pray for the College Church. This could be a much-needed turnaround point in the history of that body of believers.
Or it could be something else entirely.
posted by Thurman8er @ 9:05 AM
3 Comments:
Wow – Your words gave me the “jitters” as I read them. It is amazing how much “history” in a church can be repeated. I certainly pray that this isn’t the case or at least to the previous end result.
My prayer is where the evil one attempts to sabotage, may the God of the Universe intervene in your’s, the elders, the committee, and the entire College Church Family behalf!
Through you and Sandra it has become my Family.
Many of the prayers are being answered directly through discerning men of faith, such as yourself, who are speaking for God. Your personal growth in faith and your ability to equip others is testament to God's continual work at College.
What a perspective you have! Prayer is the answer. God can and will bring you all through this. What is on the other side we may not know, but remember that God can see the other side. Faith is believing that He is working out the answer for us. It is believing that what we hope for will be seen in what God works for us. He really knows best. May God show you His purposes soon!
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