Repetitive Instruction

Let me preface this post by saying, I love my kids.

Let me follow that statement with, I'm pretty sure a few new gray hairs turned in my gotee yesterday.

Last night, I had en epiphany last night about grandparents.

They have much more patience with grand-kids, than their parents do. And the reason for this is simple... the kids don't pull with Grandpa and Grandma what they push with the parents.

Correspondingly, grand-parenting comes with an internal joy... it's the satisfaction that the time is around the corner, when the parents will return for their kids and exchange the pleasant goodbyes of "here they are... have fun!"  Like they've been wound up.

What is it, that parents can turn their face to 50 sheds of red or blue in giving instruction and direction to their children resulting in peace and quiet for no longer than a few seconds. Then it starts again. And after a decent nights rest, its starts again in the morning. Such as final preparations for church.

As last night came to a close... does this happen in churches? Do pastors feel this way? Are congregations anything like kids? The teen-age attitude that begins long before their age is in the teens. The rough-housing. The desire of the same toy. The disagreement over which cartoon to watch on Netflix.

[insert your priceless church conflict here]

If we haven't seen them, we've heard of them. And responded like parents. Seriously, this needs to be said? Repeated? How old are you? Why is this an issue? Did you not hear me the first time? Who's kid are you?

It's hard to be effective and efficient, as a parent or a pastor when it seems there is no growth. No progress. And the repetitious instruction and direction gets old... yet, must be maintained, if we expect in the long run for kids to grow up mature and healthy, and for the believer to have the same transpire in their faith.

Pray, this #effectiveSunday, that pastors and churches would experience healthy growth. In the maturity of their faith. In the ability to show compassion. In the efforts to express the love of Christ. May the frustrations of ministry and the repetition of issues, not detour or derail their focus. Pray for strength in the times of discouragement. May the church of Christ be one that brings honor and glory to God... in how we live our life; in how we point a lost and dying world to His life.

For the advancement of the gospel of Christ.

- PNC