By the time this devotion goes out, it will officially be the season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday on the 22nd of February. The beginning of Lent, and preparations for Easter, obviously remind us of the mourning at the cross and the victory of the resurrection. For me, it has a very special, additional meaning. While nothing can overshadow the events of Easter, this season brings to mind February 14, 2021. This was the launch of our church's first virtual service (so branded our "soft launch") with Easter 2021 being our first in-person service. This means that in 2023, our church will be celebrating our 2-year anniversary.
The conventional wisdom is that most church plants don't last. A couple decades ago, a statistic was often cited that 80% of all church plants would end up closing their doors in the first couple of years. I have no idea where this statistic started, but it has been quoted many times in sermons, books, and seminars. While some modern studies have suggested that the truth is much more optimistic than this, church planting is still difficult, especially in a society which is becoming increasingly post-Christian and where established churches are seeing declines in active membership.
Yet... here we are. It is not without it's ups and downs, blessings and famine, stability and instability. As a church, we have seen leaders shift, facilities changes, and been pushed into exploring new ways of offering and expanding worship to different people... and all without compromising the truth of the Gospel. None of this is due to our own efforts; God has been here every step of the way, guiding us in our opportunities and decisions to be a more effective tool for HIS good.
In a word, we have persevered and God has shown His goodness through it. In James we read...
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
God continues to show His blessings to us through the opportunities we have to help others. He gives us a sense of purpose and meaning through the hearts touched through our sense of community and family. He guides us as we change and evolve through the many physical and spiritual opportunities He has laid before us. Though it is not always easy, we are blessed to be able to experience these things through our perseverance.
As a church, we continue to persevere. As individuals, we too can persevere through the things many might think would overcome us. We can persevere through physical trials because we serve a God bigger than the trial. We can persevere through the unknown because we serve a God bigger than the unknown. We can persevere through criticism, judgment, and petty rumors because we serve a God bigger than false truths.
So long as our perseverance is firmly founded in God... whether that be our perseverance as a church family or as individuals trying to live our lives... nothing can overcome us; we serve a God who can overcome it all.
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