THE BATTLE RESUMES

For the better part of forty years, I dealt with the realization of spiritual oppression.  Any pastor who is serious about his/her work knows what I'm talking about.  Because we are the point person for the church, we make ourselves a target for the enemy of our souls!  We proclaim the Word in worship.  We recruit, train and deploy workers into the harvest.  We challenge people firmly and consistently to live their lives to make a difference in our world.  Satan doesn't like this!  He opposes us through any means that will distract, discourage or discredit us!  

You've read the stories of pastors who erred morally.  Others - in far greater numbers - simply quit because of the stress and pressure.  There are many reasons why pastors find other, less stressful ways to make a living!  Few recognize the directness of Satan's opposition.  It can be - at times - intense.  And note this fact:  the more fruitful and effective the ministry is - the more it will garner Satan's attention!  

I retired in 2016.  I noticed right away the almost complete release from this spiritual opposition!  My retirement had taken me out of that integral role of direct influence.  I was less of a threat to the enemy of our souls!

Then, just a few weeks ago, I was invited to accept a part-time, temporary role leading a church.  I attended there last Sunday and met some of the people.  I sat down Monday with about nine of the church's leaders.  Wednesday was my first official day in this new position as 'Interim Pastor'.  

My mind is percolating with thoughts and ideas as this new reality is thrust upon me.  My prayer time has become even more an expression of my dependence on God for wisdom, discernment, and intimacy with Him!  I intuitively knew what my first message would be - and I'm ready to deliver it this morning!  There's an excitement in my spirit as I resume a role that I thought was only in the past.

Yesterday [Saturday] was an easy day.  I enjoyed my morning time with the Lord and His Word.  I shoveled snow.  I ran to Boardman to pick up a few things.  I had no major issues on my agenda.

When I arrived back home, I began to feel low.  Deb noticed it and questioned me.  She made a few suggestions on how I might shake it off and enjoy the rest of the day.  

I've been down this road before.  I slipped back to my study and tried to read.  I couldn't stay focused.  Then, slowly, it began to dawn on me.  The next morning I would be speaking to the Foundery people about renewing THE MISSION!  I would be influencing people to be more intentional, more vibrant, more focused on seeking and saving the lost!

My sly enemy was using one of his most effective instruments on me - depression.  If he could undermine my confidence and excitement, perhaps he could drain my energy and passion?  But a few moments of spiritual discernment gave me the spiritual insight to dispel his attacks and renew my zeal for my new role.  

The battle is over, but the war continues.  We must be vigilant!  We must be on guard!  We must be deliberate in staying connected to Christ!  

By the way, this is one of the main reasons why it is ESSENTIAL that you pray for your pastor!  S/he is likely experiencing spiritual oppression at a level that exceeds normal!  Their leadership role puts them front and center in Satan's sights!  Intercede for them regularly.  Hold up their hands in the same way that Joshua and Caleb held up Moses' hands!  

Peter makes this perfectly clear to us in I Peter 5:8 [NKJV]

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 

And you can be fairly certain that your pastor is one of his targets!

TRANSITIONING A CHURCH

The Apostle Paul stood between two groups as a type of mediator.  This is wonderfully illustrated in Ephesians 2 [especially noticeable if read in The Message].  Here he tries to bring together Gentiles and circumcised Jews [water and oil]!  This delicate work takes wisdom and a deep, unquestioned commitment to both groups!  No bias can be shown or his work will be nullified.  The Jews and the Gentiles need to know that Paul is totally for them!  Paul performs this task masterfully!  Just observe his tact:

^14-15 The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

16-18 Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.

Paul - like Christ - has a deep longing for these long-separated groups to be unified in the love of Christ and the fulfillment of His mission! 

On a massively different level, as a pastor I too have stood between these two kinds of groups.

·         New, excited, passionate believers and mature, established, lukewarm believers.

·         Pentecostal believers who long to see gifts exercised and traditional believers who are suspect of anything new and extreme.

These groups need one another more than they realize!  Each group has strengths that the other group needs! Yet often the communication lines are clogged or broken! 

One of the great challenges for me through the years was trying to preach to a growing congregation [which, by the way, is a pleasant challenge!].   How do you meet the needs of those who don’t know the Word yet and need to be taught the basics and encouraged in their new-found faith;  as opposed to preaching to those who’ve been walking in ‘the way’ for years and are looking for ‘meat’ and not just ‘milk’? 

When you focus on the needs of the new believers, the old believers already know this and lose interest.

When you focus on the mature believers, the new believers are lost and don’t understand the concepts.

[Of course, this is only an issue in churches where THERE ARE new believers!]

As with Paul, both groups need to know that you love them and are committed to them.  As the leader of both groups, you cannot show bias.   However, you also cannot allow yourself to be pushed around or manipulated by either group!  You must stand strong in the faith, committed to the Word, and accepting and caring for all involved!  It is a gargantuan task that requires an intimate walk with God! 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.      IF YOU’RE PART OF A GROWING CHURCH, pray for your pastor as she/he tries to bring unity to the body and give everyone a sense of common direction!

2.      Be deliberate about getting to know new believers/attenders and helping them to – as quickly as possible – assimilate into the ‘body’!  [After four years of attending our current church, I’m still struggling with names and a sense of ‘belonging’.]  Long-term attenders (members?) are known, revered and have a voice.  New attenders (members?) are often unknown, ignored and have no voice.  We must ALL work to change that! 

3.      Develop a church wide attitude that looks at new people as God-sent to add to the beauty of the body and to equip the body for even greater service in the future!  New people are not a threat to established leaders, they are an asset to those currently leading and may represent the potential for new ministries and new directions for the church!