It’s been over 2.5 years since I last posted on this website. Back in January of 2010, I became the Pastor at Calvary Fayette and was both frightened and excited by the prospect! I had thought this was the culmination of God’s plans for me…something which made all the mistakes and problems of the past make sense. And by every external measure, I failed.

Having taken on this relatively new satellite church of about 35 members which had been spun off from another Calvary Chapel when their pastor accepted a position at another church, I endeavored to teach the whole counsel of God, love them, and give them godly counsel and guidance. But despite a number of faithful and patient people who were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty in helping me build this church, our numbers dwindled over the following year and a half. Of course, we had our problems like all churches do (whether you hear about them or not); like having to ask some people to leave the second Sunday I was there; a split of sorts about a month later when someone who felt they should have been the pastor left to start their own thing and took about a third of the congregation with them; dealing with unrepentant sexual sin in the church. Some left for innocuous reasons…others became bored or offended for one reason or another. Some stayed right to the end.

Then, of course, there are many things which I could have done better. I was a new and inexperienced pastor and not the most exciting public speaker or the warmest “people person.” I should have made a greater effort to provide encouragement and hope along with the uncompromising truth of God’s Word. But my primary focus from the start was not on meeting the congregation’s needs but on endeavoring to pastor the church according to the whole counsel of God’s Word. I was more concerned with winning God’s approval than the approval of my congregation. Whether I was successful in that regard or not, I won’t know until I stand before our Lord. But I know that most people would consider that to be the obvious reason why the church failed. However, I’ve always said that, “I would rather fail doing it God’s way than succeed doing it man’s way.”

I still don’t know exactly why it happened (although I’m sure there are many who would be glad to tell me). But over the course of a year and a half we were finally down to 4 people and I had to close the doors. Suffering that slow death took its toll on me and left me with a crippled faith and many questions and doubts. It felt as if I had walked out on that “limb of faith” and it had broken off.

I retreated to my home church hoping to sit back and get restored only to see it close its doors about 2 months later after having gone through a year of division and turmoil. Even though I certainly wasn’t looking for it and didn’t feel prepared in wake of everything that had happened, I considered taking over as pastor there. But too much “bad water” had gone under the bridge. The church’s reputation had been tainted by all the division and it was no longer financially viable. I even considered starting an entirely new church, but that idea came to grinding halt at the last minute. All of these events served to only further erode my hope and faith and I drifted in despair for some time.

We visited a few other local churches including another Calvary Chapel where I knew the pastor but didn’t feel led to go to any of them. We eventually wound up at a nearby Calvary Chapel where many of the people from my former home church had landed. The pastor was an anointed teacher, the fellowship was sweet, and the worship was good. And there were familiar friends and faces. We’ve been there for the past few months and been greatly blessed. But last Sunday the pastor announced that he had accepted a position elsewhere. And the hits just KEEP on coming…

So just to summarize the changes that I’m aware of that have occurred within the past year concerning the churches just within a 50 mile radius of where I live: 2 churches have closed, 1 is preparing to close, 2 pastors have voluntarily left the ministry, 1 pastor was forced to step down, and 1 pastor has moved to another church. Of course, there have been even more changes if you just want to go back another year or two. There are people in these churches who have gone through 2 or 3 churches or 2 or 3 pastors in the past 3 years. I’m sure that many of them are tempted to say to heck with the whole thing and give up on the whole idea of Calvary Chapel and/or church, in general.

WHAT'S GOING ON?!

Now I realize that my perspective has been colored by my recent experiences. And God sometimes moves pastors around and few churches (as institutions) last forever. But still…doesn’t all this seem to be more than can just be chalked up to coincidence or normal attrition? And remember, this is just what I personally am aware of. Who knows how much more of this is going on worldwide? Is God allowing Satan to sift Calvary Chapel? Or perhaps even to sift all churches around the planet?

It certainly seems that way. However, there are many churches which appear to be thriving. And some of them are churches which are sound in doctrine and passionate in their love for one another and for bringing the gospel to the world. But many seem to have deviated from the narrow path in their desperate attempt to get every warm body they can by any means they can. With some, it’s by pitching the prosperity gospel (i.e., God wants everybody to be successful, rich, and healthy). Others cater to those craving emotional and mystical experiences. Still others are indistinguishable from a secular concert, comedy club, or motivational seminar. Whatever works, is of God, right? The truth, it seems, has taken a backseat to pragmatism.

This “whatever works” approach to Christianity has caused the masses in the church to accept bigger and bigger deviations from scripture. Verses are ripped out of their context and used to enshrine twisted doctrines. The measure of the whole counsel of God is rarely applied. And all of this is no accident. It’s all in preparation for the Great Delusion…the idea that a man could be God. You see, many of those in church today will still be here after the rapture because they subscribed to a false gospel. And this pragmatic approach will have them prepared to slide right into the Antichrist’s new “church.”

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Timothy 4:3,4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN DESIRES, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Ephesians 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Yet, it’s also important to remember that suffering isn’t always a result of personal sin. Many times trials are simply a byproduct of living in a fallen world. And the Bible is replete with examples of righteous men and women who suffered due to no fault of their own. Pain and anguish are “God’s sandpaper” which He often elects to use to shape us into the image of His Son.

But whether it’s due to a need for repentance or simply because God is trying to sanctify us, God is putting His church…His people…through the fire. And as each letter to the churches in Revelations ends, we must “overcome.”

Revelation 2:26 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations”

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall

SO...WHAT DO WE DO?

So how should these very real possibilities be handled when your church is going through a major transition? Of course, we want to encourage and reassure people. But we don’t want to give them Peter Pan advice and ask them to just “keep their happy thoughts.” That sort of misguided attempt to keep things “positive” could lead to the catastrophic failure of someone’s faith if the church doesn’t continue. They’ll feel that were deceived by the leaders of the church and, more importantly, that God didn’t follow through on His promises. Remember, God never promised that INDIVIDUAL church organizations would continue forever! He simply promised that “the gates of Hades” (i.e., the schemes of the Devil) would not prevail again the Church (collectively all those who have been born of the Spirit).

These situations call for a sober assessment of the church with every attempt being made to keep a balance between reassuring people that God is still caring and providing for them and the church while acknowledging that the church is going to go through a difficult time where their prayers and support will be more important than ever. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge the fact that it’s very likely that there will be tough times ahead. But reassure them that God is indeed “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

A failure to manage the congregation’s expectations in such instances is really just one specific expression of a much larger problem we have in today’s church; that of selectively editing the gospel, the nature of God, and the Bible’s teaching concerning the nature of the Christian walk in the name of trying to keep things “positive” and avoiding unpleasant issues. It’s that ol’ pragmatism creeping in again…trying to keep the gospel marketable…focusing on “the selling points.”

That may work in good times. But people see through it pretty quickly when tough times come around. We no longer have the luxury of countenancing such wishful thinking. The Christian walk is a war and we’re quickly approaching our greatest battle. References to persecution and wrestling “against the rulers of the darkness of this age” which we’ve always interpreted as merely “spiritual metaphors” are fast becoming living realities. We need to acknowledge that the church is being sifted as wheat and soberly set our expectations accordingly. We know how the war ends. But in the meantime, we need to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” and “fight the good fight” realizing that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

2 Timothy 2:3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10,11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.