The winds of change are blowing.

Every day, something new happens in our culture, whether that means our local community, where we work, or even within our family. It is also true in the Church. 

There is a Chinese proverb that states you can respond to them in one of two ways: Some people build walls, and others build windmills.

You have a choice of how to respond to all the changes coming at you. You can be angry and grumble about them, or you can embrace them and build a better future.

Change is coming; whether that is a good thing or bad thing, in large part, is up to you.

Whenever I talk to someone about sharing their faith with a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor, my advice is always the same. I tell them to pay close attention to open doors and closed doors for a discussion of religion.

Open doors are times when the person you are trying to reach starts talking about something spiritual. This can be as simple as mentioning a scene they saw on TV to something as complex as a theological question. In that moment, they open up their minds to a discussion of the things of God. This is your opportunity to talk and talk and talk.

Closed doors are when that same person stops talking about anything spiritual and often changes the subject. That means the doors have closed, and they no longer have a desire to converse about faith. It is time to stop talking and move on to the next thing.

This is critical because people have strong convictions, and they want people around them to know what they believe. The result is that they bulldoze every conversation toward faith, and people begin to resent the discussion. The other option is that their loved one starts talking, and they want to share everything they know, even when the door closes. Which also has a negative result.

Well-intentioned people find themselves frustrated that they cannot make headway in sharing Jesus. Often, they describe it as “hitting their head against a wall.” The reason is that you have run headfirst into a closed door.

One goal for every Christian is to develop a well-trained “gospel ear.” You can listen for phrases, questions, comments, and stories that open the door to spiritual conversations. It can also help you to know when to keep your mouth shut. In the end, your impact will be more significant than you can imagine because the other person wants to engage the faith you desperately want to share.

It happens almost every year. The football player makes a fantastic play and breaks away down the field with an apparent touchdown ahead. They drop the ball and begin celebrating. The fans cheer, and the player relishes the accolades of the crowd.

The problem is that they dropped the ball a few steps short of the goal line. The referee, closely watching the play, sees the mistake and never blows his whistle. The other team picks up the ball, and there is no score because the player did not make it to the goal.

The Christian life is to be played to the final goal line. Stopping anywhere short is a mistake. And celebrating anything before the points are secured is also a blunder.

I think of this analogy almost weekly. Someone I once knew on my journey of faith had a bright future ahead of them. They were the loudest singer in Children’s Church, the most enthusiastic teenager in the youth group, the cornerstone of their college ministry, and the shining example of faith in a young adult. They were involved in full-time ministry, a volunteer leader, or held an office in their Church. They taught Sunday school, led small groups, and retired with dreams of dramatic influence on their family. AND then they walk away from the faith. They quit serving, attending, and living for Jesus short of the goal line.

My heart breaks watching one life after another derail on their journey with Jesus for a myriad of reasons. I want believers to grab ahold of their faith and never let go.

On the flip side, I watch people make a mess of their lives, ignore God, and drag themselves through unnecessary heartache. They spend their lives away from the Church and faith as prodigal sons. AND then one day, they turn to Jesus. They start serving, attending, and living for Jesus and cross the goal line with a thriving faith.

My heart is also overjoyed when someone comes home to Jesus and lives the rest of their life as a Christian.

Where you are today doesn’t matter; it is where you finish that counts.

Turn to Jesus. And then hold tight to what you believe and never drop the ball. Celebration is for those who cross the line clinging to Jesus with all their might.

Recently, a Connection Pastor shared on his blog a simple idea. Depending on the traffic, his work requires a 15-20 minute commute each day. He has committed himself to using that time for the service of the Lord. Each morning, he calls someone to check on their life, ministry, and current situation if he is praying for them. He calls or voice messages someone in his Church to give a word of encouragement or spiritual support. Then, on the ride home in the evening, he does the same thing. Most days, he is able to catch one person on the way to work and one on the way home. 

God gives each of us these routine moments each day that are easy to throw away. There are little gaps in our schedules that are often used for mindless scrolling of social media. What if you decided to give those times over to the work of the Lord? What if you made a call to someone in your Church if you are able to talk? What if you sent an encouraging message or email instead of getting on Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram?

Just think, over the span of just one week, you might be able to touch ten lives. In a month, you might be able to connect with 20-30 people. Those little bonding moments could help to build the faith of others and strengthen your Church community.

This article challenged me to fill the gaps in my life with God. I have not perfected it yet, but I am working to make it a regular part of my thinking. I hope you will consider joining me.  

Growing up in Church, my preacher warned that we should never sugarcoat the Gospel. I have heard that same phrase used hundreds of times since I entered the ministry. The statement was born from the concern that some Churches, preachers, and teachers say things to make the message of Jesus sound sweet when, in reality, it is a call to die to our old self so that we can walk in new life. The implication is that the Christian faith is a difficult life, and don’t let anyone tell you it is easy.

In the past several years of my ministry, I have encountered numerous people who suffered at the hands of Church leaders who were abusive, manipulative, and mean in the name of Jesus. Their desire to not sugarcoat the Gospel has made them angry, confrontive, and negative. The Gospel they preached was raw and aggressive, with not one drop of sweetness.

One part of my ministry has been to offer help, hope, and healing to those who have been hurt by people in the Church. I frequently apologize for the behavior of others in my position. I always offer sympathy and compassion. More than once, I held out the tissue box so that we could both have a good cry. Numerous believers carry the pain and confusion that has come from well-intended leaders.  

I remind those people that the heart of the Gospel is good news. Jesus came with compassion and offered guidance to the harassed and helpless (Mt. 9:36). He invited all who were weary and burdened to come to him, and he would give them rest (Mt. 11:28). Jesus is described as one who would not break a bruised reed (Mt. 12:20). In addition, a Christian is called to love his neighbor (Mt. 19:19) and one another (1 Jn 3:23). Together believers carry one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2) while encouraging one another and building each other up (1 Thes. 5:11). There is such a sweet spirit in the gospel message to everyone hurting.

Jesus does call people to leave their sins and change their lives; I am not denying that fact. The Christian life is a difficult journey filled with tough choices. But it also contains sweet words for the soul. It is a message of help and healing, too. Saying that does not mean I am trying to sugarcoat the Gospel; rather, I am preaching a complete gospel.

One of the men of our congregation was asked if he was interested in a leadership position as a deacon in our Church. He responded simply, “Oh, I have already done my time.”

His words rang with a sense of frustrated fulfillment. He had served as a Church leader at some point, and he did not enjoy it. In fact, it had been a burden for him, but he fulfilled his obligation to do it once, and he was never going to return.

I count Church leadership as a privilege. God allows me to be a significant part of his work on earth. He enables me to use the gifts he gave me for the betterment of others. I can be a part of the solution to problems, not just a person who complains. One day, future generations may be blessed by the decisions I helped make and the service that I gave. My life as a leader gives me purpose and meaning behind the grind of daily work because I am a part of something with eternal significance.

Sure, it comes with a great deal of responsibility. That should never be taken lightly. In Hebrews, it says that leaders must give an account for the people they watch over. It also states that their work should be a joy, not a burden (Hebrews 13:17).

I hope to lead a Church where people cannot wait to be leaders. They see it as a great privilege to be a significant part of the Lord’s work. I want them to respond to the question of leadership with, “Why yes, I will do it; I can hardly wait to get started.”

Last week, I sat through two days of a conference. It is an annual event that I thoroughly enjoy … until this year.

This year, it hit me differently. The sermons did not touch my heart and soul like in previous years. The worship did not seem as inspiring as it usually does. The workshops did not offer the practical wisdom I needed for my ministry. The fellowship of pastors and Church leaders was devoid of the typical joy and enthusiasm.

On the ride home, I was processing my experience when a thought came to me quite clearly: Maybe the problem this year was with me.

Lately, I have been exhausted from the workload. There is never a day I don’t have a long list of things to do. This list includes meetings with people at all hours of the day. While I love these times, as an introvert, they exhaust me.

Also, Easter is earlier this year, putting extra pressure on me to focus on Church events. The most productive season of the Church is upon me, and I do not want to waste a minute of it. Soon, summer will be here, and everyone will be at the lake or the ball game. I must strike while the iron is hot.

Perhaps I wasn’t entirely blessed by the conference because of my physical, emotional, and spiritual starting point.

Why do I tell you all this? Because I think the same thing can happen to anyone on any given Sunday. Worship can seem dry and dull because of what is going on in your life. The preaching can feel lifeless and unpractical when you are exhausted. People can appear aloof or mean when your emotional tank is empty.

Sometimes, the best question is not, “What is wrong with my Church lately.” Instead, it is, “What is going on with me?” 

Your Church might be struggling right now, but it also might be a phase you are going through.

There was a discussion at the conference I attended during one of the workshops. The old statement was that 80% of the work was done by 20% of the people. The conversation that ensued was whether that number was valid in most Churches anymore. Some said the new research was closer to 90% done by 10% of the people. Others argued that the number was more like 95%, done by 5% of those attending.

Everyone in the room could agree on one thing. The number of people serving had not risen from that 20% and, if anything, was steadily declining. Currently, the group serving each week in the Church is possibly the lowest in history.

As one of those five, ten, or twenty percent who serve consistently, I want the rest of you to know that it is exhausting.

There is so much that can and should be done every single week. There are people to serve in the name of Jesus. There is also the work of teaching and preaching the Gospel. The setup and clean-up before and after the job is done. So. Much. To. Do.

The old expression is, “Many hands make light work.” Every time you step up to serve, you are pleasing the Lord, blessing the recipients, AND relieving the workload of others.

Everyone wins when you step out to do something in faith, and we often forget the joy it brings to those diligently serving every week. Your hands make their work lighter.

I know this for sure: you are a blessing to someone in your Church every time you serve.

This is one of my favorite songs at the Church I lead. The tempo is upbeat, the lyrics are easy to sing, and everyone seems to like it, so the vocals fill the room.

It captures a line from the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done,” and applies it to the Church. Lord, as a congregation of believers, we want to be your kingdom of God on earth. And the believers sing it on Sunday morning to say, “Start here, right now.”

I would like you to expand your concept of the word HERE.

What would it mean for you to sing that song, or at least say that phrase, everywhere you went?

Lord, use me to build your kingdom HERE – here in my marriage. Here in my parenting. Here in my career. Here in my leisure time. Here in private moments.

The kingdom of God is something that I hope permeates every Church, but more than that, I hope it expands into every part of our lives.  

I am a firm believer in Divine Appointments. There are moments in life when it is clear that God has orchestrated a series of events to bring people together. Two people with similar backgrounds find themselves at the same event and end up sitting at the same table, where they strike up a new friendship. That one moment transforms every other moment after it. The person was in the right place at the right time, and God brought an astonishing result.

If that is true, then there exists the possibility of Divine Cancelations. There also moments in life where we miss out on opportunities God had planned for us because we did not follow through with our plans. If they had gone to the small group they had signed up for, they might have met this incredible person who could help shape the rest of their lives. Instead, they missed the chance to experience something God had designed for them because they were not in the right place at the right time.

Christians love talking about all those powerful moments where God’s hand was clearly at work, and they saw it. Sometimes, we need to ponder all the missed opportunities because we were busy and tired and canceled what was planned.

As a believer, make every effort to follow through, do what you say, and show up where you are expected because you never know what God might be putting together.