Nostalgia is defined as a sentimental longing or affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

The older you get, the more places you have that create feelings of nostalgia. For many people, one of those places is the Church. It gives us fond memories of our grandparents or parents as we think about their lives and faith.

One sad side effect of this is that people get attached to buildings, pews, decorations, and instruments. They do not want to change anything for fear of losing those pleasant old feelings.

The challenge is that the Church should not look back but rather look ahead. Instead of focusing on warm feelings about old times, how about we create a place that our children and grandchildren will love? Rather than clutching tightly to outdated tools, why don’t we grab ahold of new tools so that the next generation will be engaged at our gatherings?

I am happy that my grandparents and parents left me a legacy of faith. I know it was a battle for them to cling to Jesus with a community of believers. But holding onto nostalgic feelings will only make me feel good momentarily. My children and grandchildren knowing Jesus will produce good feelings for eternity.

The goal of my ministry is to lead people into a fully committed relationship with Jesus through the local Church.

For me to do this, it requires everything.

I picture it like a coach on a team. They want to win the championship, so they use every tool at their disposal to make it happen.

Sometimes, that requires quiet instruction and other times, it takes in-your-face tactics. Sometimes, it is early morning playbooks with donuts, and other times, it is late at night with caffeine. Sometimes, it requires being a cheerleader, and other times a drill sergeant.

I see this in Jesus’s ministry. Sometimes, he ministers with compassion and understanding. Other times, he seems angry and flips tables. One minute, he is praising Peter for his good confession, and the next, he is calling him Satan. He casts out demons in disgust and embraces sinners with grace. One thing I have learned from reading about Jesus’s life is that his tactics seem all over the map.

For me, the problem is that I never know what will work best. What works with one person sends another into revolt. But I must keep trying. Sitting back and casually watching people walk a path toward Hell is not an option for me.

I want everyone to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection and live the rest of their lives with him as their Lord. I will stop only short of sin to make that happen.

People frequently will tell me, “Our Church needs to …”

There is a long list of the ways that sentence ends. Our Church needs to help the homeless. Our Church needs to do more outreach. Our Church needs to be more compassionate to the hurting. Our Church needs more people serving the kids. Our Church needs to do this, and our Church needs to do that.

Usually, they mean, “Other people need to be more like Jesus in our Church community.”

A simple response is to ask, “Tell me your people.” I would like you to tell me the last needy person you helped, tell me who you are sharing this gospel with right now, or tell me who you are contacting regularly as an act of compassion.

Generally speaking, they have no names to share. What is implied in their statements is, “I am not going to do these things, but other people should.” They think if the pastor, elders, deacons, and ministry leaders would just put in more effort, then everything would be better at our Church.

The reality is that ministry is for everyone. Every. Single. Person.

Whenever your mind gets filled with “Someone should do this,” just know that maybe you are that someone.

Be fully aware that you are only hearing part of the story. Every story has multiple layers.

There are hidden backstories. Different perspectives impact interpretations. There is the mental distortion that comes from varying experiences.

Take everything you hear with a hint of skepticism. If possible, go to the source. Ask other people who were there for their insights. Gather information before you draw conclusions.

Because Churches are a community of people, they are often known for sharing stories with one another that paint themselves in a positive light and others in the dark. However, reality is not always so black and white.

Cultivate discernment and empathy when encountering such narratives. Recognize that complex situations seldom have simple explanations.

Recently, I was questioned about a couple of my articles. I was told that I wrote them after an incident, and they seemed reactionary.

Here is the honest truth: The idea for those posts was written in my blog journal months ago, and the complete article was written a week before any of the events happened. (I swear that is true.)

The fact that something similar happened a few days after I wrote them is a mere coincidence.

Or is it?

Perhaps we worship a God who is working both before and after the events of our lives.

When you read an article, hear a sermon, or find a video that speaks directly to a situation in your life, my guess is that it is not there by coincidence but by providence.

I am totally convinced from my conversations with other pastors, along with my personal experience, that the forces of evil hate it when a Church community succeeds.

Personally, my soul is lit on fire when guests come to our worship, when people are being baptized, and when lives are being transformed. My enthusiasm can go through the roof as we have significant events and see new people or when certain holidays lead to a packed building. As the gospel’s impact grows through my ministry and the Church I lead, I feel joy deep inside at the fantastic work of the Lord.

Then, when I get up in the morning, the first thing I do when I get to the office is hit my knees in prayer. That is because, with every life transformed, I know evil will hate it and attack. My emotions will be tested as they run from apathetic to depressed to angry. Temptations will lurk around every corner. Critics will rise, and criticism will flow. Disunity will permeate the leaders, and we will be tempted to turn on each other. The darkness will try to devour new believers and kill their enthusiasm for Jesus. Some days, it will seem like nothing is going right.

As the Church attacks the gates of Hell, there will be ugly battles that develop within the Church and its leadership, both internally and externally.    

When the light grows, the darkness will use every trick and tactic to push it back. That is why you need to pray for the Church staff, Elders, Deacons, and ministry leaders regularly. We fight not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces that do not want us to succeed.  

Church leaders often talk about how people make up their minds about a Church in the first few minutes of arriving on their campus on Sunday morning. I firmly believe this is true. Guests are looking for easy access to the facility, along with warm and friendly people in a pleasant environment. Good parking, friendly greeters, clear signage, and inviting worship are essential.

Recently, I heard a Church leader talk about what can happen three years into a new Church. This is the point where the newness has worn off. People now know everyone more personally, including all the good and bad. There starts to become a “sameness” to every Sunday. Soon, we become bored.

At this point, one of two things can happen. Our attendance can become less frequent, and we quietly fade into the background of the Church until we don’t go at all. The other option is that we find a new and exciting Church and we begin the process over.

I am not entirely sure this happens for everyone in year three, but I know it happens for everyone at some point. Just like all relationships, there comes a time to invest more energy to keep it going or pull away and quit.

Unfortunately, for those people who fade or change Churches, spiritual maturity will always allude them. They will always be chasing some feeling created when they are new to a community of believers instead of digging deeply into faith. 

Know this: seasons of boredom are common, even in the Church. The key to spiritual growth is pressing on long after the thrill is gone.

One of the most common traits I find in Churches is grace. Most people are kind to others’ weaknesses. They are willing to forgive sins and shortcomings when they encounter them in other believers. It is truly a safe place for people who have failed or are failing.

The problem arises when grace is used as a mask for an unwillingness to confront sin and push people toward spiritual maturity.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Church in the city of Corinth, he writes about a man living in sin. A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). And what makes matters worse is that the Church is proud of this. That might initially sound shocking to some Christians, but the reason they were proud is understandable. They boasted that they were full of grace toward people struggling with sin. Unfortunately, in their grace, they were unwilling to confront anything.

Paul has to write the Church and tell them to “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” In other words, “Throw him out of your Church community so that he sees you will not tolerate sin, and he might change his ways.” The end goal is that “his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.”

The good news of the story is that in his second letter, Paul tells them to “forgive and comfort” this man. (2 Corinthians 2:5-11) The Church had done as Paul instructed, and the man changed his life and now pleaded for forgiveness. Paul tells the believers in that Church to show grace now that he has changed.

I fear that many times, Christians offer grace simply because they are non-confrontational and not because they want the best for the other person. Grace must walk hand in hand with repentance. Otherwise, it is not really grace but a mask for our unwillingness to be confrontational.

Lately, I have been questioning not just the content of my life but also the tone.

Is it possible to have all the correct answers and incorrectly live them?

The fruit of the Spirit of God is not anger, aggression, or arrogance. The voice of the Spirit through our lives is not loud, constantly confrontational, or out of control. This life contains very little shouting, commotion, or growling at other people.

Paul writes to the believers in the region of Galatia, and he states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

The fruit of the Spirit in our lives has a pleasant sound. There are smiles, laughter, and quiet tones. People are kind to one another, love abounds, and behavior is controlled.

Being a follower of Jesus means we will see Godly behavior in our actions, and it will also be heard in our tone.

This refers to the practice of behaving in an exaggerated or flamboyant manner to garner favorable attention. This phenomenon is not limited to any particular field but is often observed in various public spheres.

Consider this scenario: A preacher loudly proclaims his unwavering stance against sin. He then shares a video clip of his Sunday sermon online. In the footage, he vehemently denounces various contemporary evils, asserting that true Christians oppose such behaviors. The congregation responds with standing ovations, enthusiastic cheers, and repeated exclamations of “Hallelujah” as he passionately delivers his message from the pulpit.

What he was doing is called “grandstanding.” The preacher deliberately voices opinions he knows will resonate with his audience, primarily to appear righteous and generate a positive response. While this approach may be effective in rallying like-minded individuals, it often lacks depth and fails to address the complexities of faith and morality.

Genuine spiritual guidance often takes a different approach. This weekend, I hope you will join a faith community that focuses on exploring Jesus’ teachings and salvation rather than on creating a spectacle.