Run With It

In what can be considered part 3, of #missionFriday 's Take This Message post, I almost titled this post Advancing The Message.

We prayed about the delivery. We prayed about not messing it up. And now, making sure we are effective upon completion of its safe delivery.

Effectiveness is measured by what is gained and maintained.

Sure there is an "effective net gain" with the understanding that there will be losses sustained along the way. But if you are losing more than you are gaining, then you remain on a "net losing" streak.

Think about this for a moment.

We are losing more pastors in a month to burnout than a good number of churches see in new salvations over the course of a year.
 
Surely, we are not consistently adding as many new pastors into ministry on a monthly basis as we are losing. Most organizations can't sustain a loss in personnel of this magnitude. The mega-corporations can manage for a while, but eventually, even they move back into hiring and increasing their workforce. Otherwise, they start taking drastic measures to scale back operations accordingly. Also, something the church should not be doing.

More people in need. More people hurting. More people seeking spiritual significance. More people closer to the very eternal outcome they don't think will actually, ever happen.

MORE. In dire need of the truth, of the super-natural power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, capable of saving every degree of sinner, even if we are the only ones who think such a thing exists. To God, we are all in need of His Son.

And we are all in need of effective ministry that leads us to become more like Christ and draw closer to God.

Pray this #effectiveSunday, that Pastors will experience a rejuvenation in their ministry, as they receive good reports of what is transpiring in their ministry and community. For those that are close to burnout, may the Holy Spirit work anew and afresh, that the power of the message is from God and not man. May God move on the hearts and lives of those who hear, prompting their response to God in accordance to what is going in their lives. Forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, healing, salvation, deliverance...

For whatever we need from the Lord, His response has always, simply been: I AM.

Advancing the cause of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God.

- PNC

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