The devastation is tangible. I’m not referring to the physical wasteland left behind by the derecho that razed East-Central Iowa between I-80 and Highway 30. The current news cycle, which greets us morning after morning with new theories, speculations, conspiracies, reports of unrest, bugaboos, and crises, churns the landscape turning churches and pastors alike into wastelands decimated by conflict. It’s exhausting.
So, what do you do?
The tension of the times will not likely not cease and as such, let me offer two practical steps you should be taking as leaders guiding people through this chaos.
Focus on Jesus.
When I consider the never-ending waves that keep crashing on the church right now, I cannot help but think of Peter stepping out of the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee to go meet Jesus, who was walking out toward them. Peter says to his Lord, “‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” (Mt. 14:28-29) The story amazes me. Peter’s boldness, his confidence, his audacity, they stir up something deeply within me. O’ to have a faith so bold! If only it held for more than an instant. Of course, you know the rest of the story. The rousing wind flashes through Peter’s sightline. He notices the swells. And he panics, completely forgetting the savior whom he trusted enough to step out of a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee onto the water. (Did I mention Peter was in a boat far from shore? I did? Ok…good.) Peter immediately begins sinking and he cries out, “Lord, save me.” (Mt. 14:30)
Pastor, many in your congregation are just like Peter in that moment. In the midst of a wildly unpredictable season of life, their focus easily and often unconsciously drifts to an unceasing stream of information (and in these days, disinformation and misinformation). Eyes formerly trained on Jesus steal quick glances at the world and suddenly they rubber-neck at the unfolding situation around them. I know you’re burdened in the moment and you struggle with trying to figure out what life will look like “on the other side of this” because everybody around the world feels it. Your senses are heightened by the concerns for not just the physical wellbeing of the flock, but their spiritual wellbeing as well. It’s as though we’re all in a pit and all is darkness around us save for light filtering down from the pithead far above.
But here is a desperately important fact: the promises of the Bible are true and more than anything your people need to be reminded of them.
In the midst of hard times and circumstances, people don’t need a “Sola Boot-strap-a” mindset. They don’t need a pastor to tell them six steps to digging out after the storms of life. They don’t need self-help. They need rescued. They need Jesus. And they need you to show them how Jesus brings comfort, how the gospel’s message is good news and not just some nice historical anecdote. So, here’s the plan—point people to Jesus. Turn people’s gaze to him with your every word. Be like Peter in his second epistle as he considers his role in helping his readers remember the gospel,
Therefore, I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder…And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. (2 Pet. 1:12-13, 15)
Everyone, myself and yourself included, needs Jesus to be our peace, our anchor, and our rock in unsteady times.
Which leads me to my second practical piece of advice…
Focus on Jesus!
Hear me out.
Pastor, you need to focus your eyes on Jesus as well.
By nature, we are, as pastors, industrious sorts; it comes with the territory. We all enter the pastorate with the same mindset. We feel like we have something to offer God’s people. In many ways it resembles entering into the covenant of marriage. We commit ourselves to loving the church and shepherding the flock, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part, and we expect our congregations to love, honor, and respect that commitment as well.
I know of few who labor as heavily as pastors. The grindstone of the pastorate can turn any man into a smoldering wick as the oil runs dry in his lamp. Even in the easiest ministry seasons, developing ministry initiatives, focusing on missions projects, and building relationships slowly and methodically exhaust a pastor’s physical, emotional, and spiritual wells.
Our current moment heightens the pressure to constantly monitor the news cycle in order to provide prompt, concise, biblically-accurate responses about the development of outbreaks and preventative measures and justice and protests and political campaigns and agendas, all of which filter through the social media accounts of members of your congregation. It seems that each morning a new theory sprouted overnight; a new controversial treatment option leafed out while you were looking the other way; a social media post from one of your members about the Marxist agenda of social justice warriors caused division among your people as they hotly argued over the phrase, “Black Lives Matter”. (I don’t know if you know this, but nuance is gone. Everything is “either-or” with no margin for “both-and”. There are no gray areas to be held in tension; only black and white and you’re either on one side or the other.) The race is on and keeping up is part of your job description. You are always on call. You have the spiritual health of more than your immediate family on your shoulders, you bear the extra baggage of an adopted family as well. Fearing what will happen to your church if you don’t pilot the ship well, you might concern yourself with planning for a future you cannot accurately predict and fret over the losses of people, funds, influence, relationships, and the like.
Do you feel like turning in your Bible and commentaries and leadership books and church constitution and by-laws and your “clergy” tag for the hospital parking lot yet?
You’re human and just like your congregants, you too are Peter sinking in the sea, crying out, “Lord, save me.”
You have been appointed to this task, pastor. You have answered God call on your life. You have stood up and declared, like the prophet, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isa. 6:8) So in these impossible moments, this excruciating season, consider one of the most profound things Jesus ever said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mt. 11:28-30) Jesus says to go to him and take his yoke upon you. He’s inviting you to cast your burden on him and to take up his burden. The hardships, the struggles, and the rejections are part and parcel of the gospel ministry. Jesus knew that better than any. At his crucifixion, he was abandoned by nearly every person who ever followed him, and he invites us to that same sense of isolation so that we will turn to him and him alone to provide our comfort. That feels counterintuitive, but God constantly strips away our reliance on any worldly resource or allegiance to cause his people to seek his face. Why would that be different with a pastor?
In his providence God appointed you an under-shepherd for his flock in this ludicrously demanding time. Take heart and comfort in the fact that you are part of God’s plan to lead his church in the midst of the “crazy.” He worked throughout history to make sure that you were right where you are sitting or standing right now reading these words. Take that yoke, accept that burden, and rest in the knowledge that God will carry you through. Look to Jesus, Pastor, in the coming days. Fix your eyes on the founder and perfecter of your faith in order to run with perseverance the race set before you.
My hope?
To remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have.
To stir you up by way of reminder.
To make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Look to Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria
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