The Endgame

Let me ask you a question: Why do I waste so much time on these articles? It’s a question that I as a writer need to know. It’s important to know your “Why?” Let me state the obvious. The whole purpose these articles are written each week comes down to one reason. That is to help equip you, the audience. But let me explain this further. Do you all remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer? I keep mentioning his name for good reason. For those of you who don’t know, he was a famous German theologian around the era of World War II. Something he mentioned as he was pastor of a church is that it’s one thing to give you, the audience, the word of God. And most people believe it’s up to the pastor to create a roaring revival. Or it’s up to the pastor to bring in a large audience each Sunday. If you hadn’t caught it yet, you should know these assumptions are ridiculous. Dietrich Bonhoeffer went on to state that it’s not up to the pastor, but rather is up to you, the individual. Us preachers can give God’s word to you, but it’s your choice of what to do with it.

That’s what I’m hoping for. Through these articles and podcasts that us in this ministry post, we hope that it will help you the individual to make a more positive impact in this needy world. That’s the endgame. There are people out there who are in need, and it is the responsibility of yours and mine to do something about it.

Speaking of large audiences, this second part of the article will be about the endgame of why pastors give a sermon every Sunday. We don’t have this problem so much in eastern Kentucky, because most pastors have full-time jobs. And, therefore, don’t stress out over small church numbers. But this is a topic to talk about nonetheless, because the world around us is full of pastors that do such. At the beginning of the book of Revelation, it talks about seven churches. Before I go any further, spoiler alert to those of you who haven’t read this scripture yet! These seven churches of Asia Minor are examined by Jesus himself. He goes onto praise those who have stuck with Him through tough times, and condemns those who have not. To make a long story short, the churches that Jesus praises are those small congregations who are made fun of and laughed at. The rich and prosperous churches are condemned by Jesus for not having “true faith.” Please listen to this point because it is very important. The health of the church is not about numbers or wealth! It’s about you heart, and how close it is to God. It’s about a relationship with Him, and following His will of loving others. Don’t worry about money or numbers. God already owns all the gold in the world, so don’t even bother. What God doesn’t have that He would like to have are the hearts of the lost and broken. So let us be messengers for Christ and reunite the two.

As I leave you today, I will give you a question to ponder. What is the current state of spiritual health here in America? If Jesus was here, what would he say about you, me, and those around us? Leave your comments, and let’s create a positive conversation!