2020 has the potential to be the blight that destroys the harvest of souls in post Christian America, or it can be the wake-up call that the Church needs to get us back to our roots.
I think C.S. Lewis captured our collective sentiment quite well when he wrote his first installment of The Chronicles of Narnia, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” As the four Pevensie children found themselves in a magical winter wonderland, there was one hitch: it was always winter, but never Christmas.
I love winter. I like snow, a hot bowl of soup on a cold night, and the smells, sights, and sentiment of the season. Unlike my wife, who grew up in the temperate climate of Brazil, I wouldn’t trade the four seasons even though it means that I have to shovel the driveway and winterize the house. But even I wouldn’t want to live in a year long winter without the hope of Christmas.
This past year seems like the longest doldrum on this generation’s record; a prolonged period of hunkering down and waiting for the season to change. Without any significant progress on the horizon, we are hesitant to do anything, and as we linger, we are prone to grow lethargic.
2020 has the potential to be the blight that destroys the harvest of souls in post Christian America, or it can be the wake-up call that the Church needs to get us back to our roots. Maybe there is something that we can learn from this past year that will make us even more effective at reaching the lost and making disciples.
OpenIng The City Gates
Jesus said that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Yet, Christians seem to forget this in the midst of threats against our religious freedom. Governments across the planet who are hostile to God have spent the last two thousand years trying to prevent the spread of Christianity, but while they might tear down church buildings and martyr believers, the gospel tends to flourish under persecution. In fact, churches are more likely to close their doors due to internal strife than external restrictions.
Instead of waiting around for permission to do ministry, we ought to consider our position in society as a city that is set on a hill. We are intended to be a place of refuge for those who are suffering. Throughout the ages, Christians have put themselves in harm's way to take the gospel to the front lines. Now the front lines are right at our door. It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
We cannot simply focus on our inreach ministries, maintaining our congregations. We must also consider how we approach outreach in a world of social distancing. I have seen many churches reinvent how they minister to their communities, from handing out meals, to hosting AA meetings, and providing grief and relationship counseling. This may be the greatest opportunity the Church has had in a generation to establish itself as a place with open doors to serve their community.
Seasoning the Salt
The greatest impediment to effective ministry is negativity. I say this knowing how cynical I tend to be. While I may couch my objections in being honest and realistic, the truth is that my propensity for negativity often leaves me blind toward opportunities. Whenever we find ourselves complaining about how rotten everything has gone, we must remember that we were called to be the salt that preserves everything from decaying. It’s self incriminating.
Salt that has lost its saltiness cannot be re-seasoned. Churches don’t lose their potency because they are diluted by the world, but because they have ceased to be salt. It’s very subtle and people hardly ever notice it, but over time, the purity of salt gets replaced by rocks. Side by side, it might be hard to tell the difference until they are tested. Ministries can go on for years before their ineffectiveness is recognized, but the church loses its power when it stops preaching the gospel and replaces it with empty platitudes.
The only thing that can turn rocks into salt is the transformative properties of the blood of Christ. If we want to be effective in our world, we are going to have to start by preaching the gospel to ourselves. If we sit at the foot of the cross long enough we will be changed.
Focusing the Light
If we shine a light on this past year, we should be able to come up with a few bright ideas (pun intended). Instead of worrying that we have to reinvent how we do ministry, we can consider it an opportunity to get back to the basics and do the little things well.
The first thing we need to remember is that darkness does not have any power over light. It might feel like it is pressing in on us and weighing us down, but darkness does not have any weight to it and it is quickly dissipated by the smallest of lights. As my Dad always says, “The darker the night, the brighter the light.” This is our greatest opportunity to shine, not our greatest obstacle to overcome.
Our eyes are drawn to the light in pitch darkness. That is why it is so important for Christians to live hopeful lives in the midst of a world in despair. The Apostle Peter wrote to the Church during a time of great persecution. He didn’t tell them to hide their light and weather the storm, he told them to be ready to give an answer when asked about their hope.
This is a time to really focus our light. There are plenty of causes worthy of our consideration, but we must be careful that we do not lose sight of mankind's greatest problem, the looming judgment of our sinful condition. Satan would be happy if we could rid the world of crime as long as we never mention the way of salvation. The world needs experts on the gospel, and who better to help them than those who have experienced the joy of salvation firsthand. It’s easy to get distracted by focusing on the speck in our brother’s eye, but if we are consistently preaching the gospel to ourselves, we will see clearly how to help our neighbors.
As we turn a corner into the new year, it is essential that we approach the future with eternity in perspective. We can be optimistic that God is in control and He is opening the door to greater ministry in our communities. He has strategically placed us where we are to make a difference for His Kingdom. Let’s proclaim the gospel with boldness and live with hope so that others might join with us in giving glory to our Father in heaven.