WHAT WE CAN CONTROL

Some churches are on the incline. God’s work is obvious and the congregation is growing spiritually and numerically. They are alive and thrive. More churches are in recline. They are stuck and stagnant. As many come in the front door are going out the back door, and where amens were formerly heard, they have been replaced with yawns. In our day, most churches seem in decline. Their spiritual health is failing and the membership is fading. Before the year ends, a significant number will be in hospice care—or even deceased. 

Is it the preacher’s fault?  

Certainly, the pastor must look in the mirror of the Word and let the Spirit show him if he is not up to the task. A spiritual inventory is a necessity. It may be that the preacher has doctrinal departure, moral compromise, a lack of effort, or something else. I cannot see a church succeeding if their shepherd is failing. 

Yet, there are men of God who are true to the Word of God—men who pray fervently and preach faithfully—who still serve dying churches. Whatever strategies they employ, the results are the same. These pastors carry a heavy burden and shed many tears and wonder what they can do.

Hebrews 4:1-2 remind us to focus on what we can control. There were people who had made profession of faith, but without possession of faith, and they were departing from the fellowship. The inspired writer deals with this by presenting an Old Testament illustration of this New Testament reality in the children of Israel who did not attain the promise, but instead perished. Moses brought them out, but did not bring them in. The issue was not Moses’ leadership. He was not a sinless man, but he was a steadfast leader. It was not a failure of leadership, but a failure of the people. 

There was FAITHFUL PROCLAMATION, “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them.”  Moses was a faithful and fearless proclaimer of truth. Yet, he did not bring them in. I have often said, “If the Word of God won’t do it, it won’t get done.” What is in control of the preacher is that he can prepare himself spiritually and studiously to preach the Word steadfastly—and see people reject the message and walk away. The Word doesn’t get it done, not through the fault of the preacher, but the failing of the people. 

The sad reality is there can be FAILED PROFITABILITY, “but the word they heard did not profit them.” Consider the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Only one fourth of the fields were fruitful. The problem was not the seed—the seed was the Word of God. The problem was not the sower—he diligently spoke the truth. The problem was the soil as it fell on hard hearts with no receptivity, shallow hearts with only superficiality, and carnal hearts with worldly mentality. The preacher has control of being faithful in proclamation. If the Word of God won’t do it, it won’t get done, but sometimes it won’t get done because of the condition of the congregation’s hearts.

The issue here is a FAITHLESS PEOPLE, “the word…not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”  No matter how solid the message, how powerful the manner of delivery, and how anointed the messenger may be—all that is in his control—if the people do not respond in faith, then the congregation will not flourish. The Word rejected in unbelief will instead have a deadening effect. The sermon always gets results if it is faithfully, fervently, and fearlessly proclaimed by a consecrated man. People will leave the sanctuary different—better if they receive the Word, but worse if they reject it. 

If we try to shoulder a responsibility that is beyond our control, we face a risk. Moses became so frustrated and infuriated that he disobeyed God in anger. He would see the Promised Land and yet not enter it. Don’t allow anger and bitterness to lead you to make a mess of your ministry. 

Just do what is in your control. Live godly, pray fervently, love fully, and preach faithfully, and leave the results to God.