Thriving Through Adversity

I'll be honest, the last few months have had their share of adversity. Decisions by some have caused others to bear an unexpected load. Lack of information lead some to reach conclusions that miss the mark. Because of conversations I believe I must keep confidential, I can't completely set the record straight and am at the mercy of what others choose to say.

This is not a post to complain but one to celebrate what God is doing.

We've had a great summer at Cross Road (crbclr.org). And it's not over yet. By the end of the week we'll complete out fourth round of Vacation Bible School with the best participation in my tenure as pastor. We just got back from a mission trip where we engaged people who do not have a personal relationship with Christ. And we took three of our members who had not been on a mission trip during the time I've been pastor. Our summer attendance and giving has not dropped like most churches see during the vacation season.

Best of all, God is changing lives. Our people have a hunger for God's word and a desire to reflect his glory. We are thinking more about stuff that takes place when we are not gathered; like impacting the workplace and making a difference among our circles of friends. We are being better stewards of our resources both as a collective group and as individuals. That will translate into more resources for ministry to reach more people.

You may pull up our annual reports and question my contention that God is moving among us. What I am seeing is the early stages of revival among a few of our members. That won't move the needle of measurement very much but it is the start. And I'm celebrating that. I expect more to get involved. I expect more to join the movement. And as they do we'll see measurable growth in the annual statistics. Really, the measurables are indicators of what has already taken place. What we are experiencing today will show up on the reports later.

For now, I'll celebrate because God is moving among us. My prayer is that the adversity is seen for what it is: a distraction from God's mission. Like my friend Wylie Jones says, "Keep your eyes on Jesus and God will take care of everything else!"