Sundays Are A Lot Like College Game Day

Yesterday's victory over Marshall (High School) University was sweet. The Mountaineers won the first Friends of Coal Bowl, 42 -10.

College Football is an exciting venue in West Virginia. Since there are no Professional Teams here, the Mountaineers and the Herd are the teams to follow. Everyone looks forward to the season with anticipation.

As I was thinking about all of the hype that goes into a Football Game I began thinking about Ministry. If you are a pastor or a church planter your greatest day is Game Day. You look forward to hitting the field (the pulpit). You look forward to new guests, returnees, and of course all of the regulars. I don't know about you, but for the most part it is exciting.

One of my main frustrations (concerning pastoring a church or planting a church) is the Yo-Yo attendees that come along with the church.

Here is what I mean.

One week you have a person(s) come to church and you think..."Man, this person is awesome, we are going to have them involved in full time Seminary before the week's out (not really, but there are some unspoken expectations)." Then, the next week comes and goes and they are no where to be found. Talk about frustrating. It simply blows my mind when this happens, but it shouldn't. I know that Satan is alive and well and that he is not interested in the Lord's churches going forward. His desire is to defeat, devour, and destroy. We should not lose heart when this happens. I have to constantly remind myself that it is God who adds to His churches. If I will simply be faithful in my presentation of the gospel, my care for the sheep and my constant prayers for the flock, then I know that God will bless StoneBridge in His Timing, not mine.