Trust in God for the Increase

By Dr. Bill Lewis

 

 

 

Often people ask about the work in Valdosta and, generally, they want to know about the attendance and/or finances of the mission work.  It is only natural for people to focus on the numbers because numbers provide an objective or visible picture of church growth, but the numbers, though necessary and helpful, can also be a source of great frustration for a church planter or pastor.  Church planters, and most pastors, are keenly aware that their work is often being judged by others on the basis of numbers rather than the effort or work put forth.  As a result many church planters and pastors grow weary and quit prematurely.

It is a struggle to maintain a positive attitude in the midst of a work that seems to be falling short of the goals and ambitions of the church planter or pastor.  It is far too easy to take your eyes off the Lord and stare into failure until it slowly drags you down into complete defeat.  Many church planters, and pastors, readily identify with Moses who once questioned the Lord’s motives, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant?  And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me?” (Numbers 11:11 NASB).  Moses continued in the 14th and 15th verses in Numbers 11 by stating, “I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me.  So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”  Moses, like many modern servants of God, feared failure.

The fear of failure probably has prematurely ended many ministries.  As I survey my own past, I now know that when my ministry was young it seemed to be much easier to pack up and move rather than run the risk of failing.  It did, however, eventually hit me that moving too soon only guaranteed failure as opposed to rescuing me from failure.

You might ask, “Brother Bill, why are you discussing this in this article?  Have you reached a point in Valdosta where you are considering leaving the work?”  Let me quickly answer that question with a resounding no.  I would, however, be lying if I told you that I have not experienced frustration and disappointment in the work because I most certainly have.  No, I’m fine and remain committed to the work, but over the past year some of our pastors around the state have shared their frustrations with me.  Some have acknowledged that they are considering leaving their current works.

Because a strong base of supportive churches is vital to the propagation of the Gospel and the planting of new churches the lack of stability in our pastors causes me to be concerned.  Most who have shared admit that they are not having any real problems in their present location, but they share that they are simply frustrated over the lack of growth and the inability to bring about meaningful change that would help their church reach more for Christ.

The apparent success of others only seems to intensify the feelings of frustration.  It is not that these good men of God are plagued by jealousy and resentment over the success of others.  Most of the pastors considering moving on are truly happy for the successes of others.  They are team players in the army of the Lord and want to see the Kingdom grow wherever that growth might come.  I believe that these pastors simply feel left out of the battle.  They are struggling feeling as if they have been abandoned to the bench and left out of the game.

My prayer for these good men is that God will put them in the game in their current location.  My hope is that God will find a way to bless their ministries in an objective, visible manner.  I personally find encouragement in Paul’s words as Eugene Peterson paraphrases them in I Corinthians chapter three, “Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow” (I Corinthians 3:5-9; The Message).

When the numbers begin to get to me and they often do, I remind myself that it is my job to carry out my “servant assignment” and leave the growth to the Lord.  I must plant, water, and cultivate, but it is God who provides the increase.  Pray for our pastors.  Encourage them every opportunity you are granted.  Those of us in mission churches need their strength, wisdom, leadership, and prayers.