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On August 18, 2020 By In Church, Discipleship

The Case for Keeping Children in Worship, Part 2

Introduction

Part 1

The goal of this discussion is to foster conversation on a topic that is too neglected in evangelical churches. And speaking of evangelicals, I am one of those who proudly affirm the “evangel” and if the “icals” were a team I’d cheer them on as well. So, I am trying to speak from a place of wild familiarity.

I also don’t want to shame anyone into keeping their kids through the whole service when they haven’t thought carefully about it and are simply acting out of guilt. Guilt-based decisions have the durability of an ice cream cone left out in the Florida sun. Making decisions that are not common in various congregations (and in this case the majority) need to be done discerningly. One of my answers to people about children and schooling and other related subjects is that I love my children much more than your ideal scenario. In other words, if a Church practices something that I am not comfortable with regarding my children, my children will always take precedence over the Church’s ideals.

So, if a Church has a suggested policy (if such policies are mandated we have a whole other problem) that children go to children’s church during “adult” worship” and you decide that it is best that your children stay, and you do it peacefully without causing a scene, the leaders of the church should understand. And if they get into a habit of making ugly faces at you every Sunday and sending you dissertations about how your child is only holy if he/she goes to that children’s church down the hall, then it may be time for you to have a more serious conversation as a family about how a) to continue dealing gracefully with such an uncomfortable situation, or b) how to properly inform the leaders that what they are doing is not kosher and needs to stop, or c) begin to discuss how to graciously and honorably leave that body.

So, it should be clear that this is not an attempt at revolution or causing havoc in a local congregation. What I am trying to do is to bring to your attention a different way to view children whether in the local Baptist or Presbyterian or “insert cool name” Church.

First Argument Against Children in Church

One of the more common arguments made against keeping children in Church–from beginning to end—is: “I can’t keep my children quiet during worship, therefore I don’t see the need to keep them with me.” The argument posits that the demands of disciplining and watching over little ones during the worship service ultimately does not bear any benefits.

This is a legitimate concern. You are in Church to worship on the Lord’s Day and the last thing you want is to add additional tasks to your time. After all, weren’t you just in the process of changing a diaper, disciplining, correcting, breaking up a fight right before Church? Why bring that whole business into the house of the Lord?

The first response is that there is no place you can go where some level of authority structure is not set into place. If you walk into the local Wal-Mart with your little one (s), you are still expected to navigate difficult scenarios. In other words, you cannot escape your authority. Whether a dad or mom, your authority needs to be exercised–always preferably lovingly–at all times and in all places. The nurture and admonition of the Lord does not take a Sabbath on the Sabbath (Lord’s Day), rather it should be accentuated.

There are two things that matter to the Christian: a) the worship of the Triune God, b) and how that worship fleshes itself out during the week.The worship of God most powerfully manifested on the Lord’s Day proves to be the most sober opportunity you will have to train your little ones (we will discuss some practical steps down the line). Of course, you could let Sister Sally watch your little ones during Church, and I am certain she will be saying some nice things and even instructing your child well, but Sister Sally does not speak as an ordained minister, Sister Sally cannot speak on behalf of the Church, Sister Sally cannot do for your children what you can do, because while Sister Sally may have a general love for your child, only you (dad and mom) know the needs, understand the hearts, and see the week after week struggles of your child to properly train your child.

Remember, worship is not the academy, it’s not a classroom, it’s a living experience of the Triune God in a sacred space taking place by the power of the Spirit in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). Read that sentence three more times.

Yes, your child will struggle to stay quiet and he/she will be distracting; and yes, it will demand a little more of you each Sunday. And, you may miss that really great hymn/song while you are changing a diaper or Johnny throws a fit over something. But I can guarantee you that the more you do it the more you will begin to see little victories and with each little victory you will discover that the joys of corporate worship are always more filling when you are together with your little ones during the worship of heaven. Like any glorious thing, the benefits come when you persevere in this holy task.

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On August 17, 2020 By In Church, Family and Children

The Case for Keeping Children in Worship, Part 1

Read Introduction

The Bible and Children

I wanted to begin this series by offering a quick biblical rationale for the importance of children. It doesn’t seem necessary, since their cuteness speaks for itself, but it seems that establishing this foundation will set the stage for more difficult conversations later.

The Bible speaks of children over 1,100 times and in most cases as something to be desired (Ps. 128), other times in the context of sadness for not being able to bear (Gen.11:30), and other times as promises (Gen. 17), and then in the New Testament as those who are objects of wrath from tyrants (Mat. 2:13) and then later as recipients of Jesus’ love (Mat. 19). Sometimes they are a grief (Gen. 4), but in most cases they are signs of blessings (Ps. 102:28).

When I was a pastoral intern, I remember someone approaching me after a service and confessing that she simply couldn’t tolerate little children in worship because of their noises. “They were a distraction,” she said angrily. I often think this is the way many evangelicals view children: as distractions. They are distractions at home, so we find ways to entertain them rather than engage them. They are a distraction at church, so we find ways to keep them busy outside the gathered assembly. As we will note, there are other concerns in mind, but the evangelical church has unwittingly affirmed the premise that children are a distraction and something needs to be done about it during the worship service.

In the Gospels, the disciples rebuked our Lord because they believed that the children were a distraction to Jesus’ “real” ministry (Mat. 19:13). But Jesus rebuked the disciples and said his ministry is to draw little children to him and to build a kingdom through the faith of those little disciples.

The Fruitfulness of Parenting

Being a parent is one of the hardest tasks ever given to men. It is also one of the areas where the Spirit speaks most decisively in giving detailed instruction (Deut. 6). Idealistic parents quickly fall into reality that first week when they take their new-born home. I remember that scene when I pulled up the van, and my wife was carefully wheeled to the van where I picked up my little girl, and meticulously plugged her into the baby car seat. I never drove so slow and so tense in my life. I literally had this thought as I drove off: “I have a human being in the car that is fully dependent on me. I don’t know if I am ready!” But that child was entrusted to these parents, and since that is the case, we now have a distinct duty to train her in the education of God (Eph. 6:4).

Like anything we are called to steward and love, it will demand our soul. Children are a blessing from the Lord, which means that we need to view them as such. They are not vipers in diapers (to quote a famous author), they are worshipers in diapers, then they are worshipers who can potty on their own, sit on their own, sing on their own, raise their hands on their own, eat on their own, confess on their own, and then one day, produce a new cycle of worshipers in diapers.

When we send our children to another gathering away from Jesus’ central gathering in worship, we are creating a separate class within Jesus’ earthly kingdom. Even though our intentions may be pure, we may be thinking as the disciples did and thereby missing the opportunity for Jesus to place his hands upon them and bless them with His love (Mat. 19:15). The journey is not meant to be easy, but like any faith-journey, it will be rewarding. I propose that keeping children in the worship service from beginning to the benediction is the most biblically satisfying and fruitful task you can embrace as a parent on the Lord’s Day.

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On August 15, 2020 By In Family and Children

The Case for Keeping Children in Worship, Intro

I want to appeal to evangelicals who do not accept the premise that children belong in worship with adults. Now, I grant that I am in the minority position here. The majority of evangelicals may find the idea of children in worship from beginning to end a rather strange concept and so I want to tread cautiously. Some are legitimately intrigued by the idea but find the practicalities of it unsustainable. And, we should also affirm the obvious legitimacy of the need for places where nursing, comforting, disciplining can take place.

To elaborate further, over the years I have heard parents offer at least four arguments against keeping children in worship with them on Sunday. First, some will argue, “I can’t keep my children quiet during worship, therefore I don’t see the need to keep them with me.” The argument posits that the demands of disciplining and watching over little ones during the worship service ultimately does not bear any benefits.

Second, some will state, “I am not going to get anything out of the service if I am constantly distracted by them.” This is a variation of the first argument, but it adds that since the sermon is the central element of worship, keeping children in worship takes our attention away from the preached Word.

Third, a few will express a more didactic concern that keeping kids in worship with parents is a waste of time since they will get nothing out of it. “They are, after all, children, and lack the capacity to grasp the language of a worship service.” Therefore, there is a need for a more child-appropriate classroom setting. This is likely the more common argument and one based on concern for the learning process of children.

Finally, at a more pragmatic level, I am aware of evangelical parents who view Sunday morning as a day to relax from parental duties and catch up with church friends, so putting kids in children’s worship provides the needed rest for weary parents. This is not based on selfishness, but a real need to fellowship with other saints which is a biblical imperative.

I am certain there are additional reasons, but these are a few that I hope to tackle in upcoming posts in the hope of beginning a conversation on why I and so many others have faithfully kept our children in worship Sunday after Sunday until they leave the home.

I don’t want to minimize these concerns, but I do wish to say that the experience of many of us has been overwhelmingly positive. In my denomination, this premise is accepted universally, but for those outside such traditions I want to at least make the case that the fruit of seeing our little ones grow up worshiping next to us and singing our songs and confessing sins have brought a greater value to worship, provided unity in liturgical language, consistency in habits of piety, and abundant joy to family conversations around a meal.

My initial premise is that when conversing with parents that are skeptical about the above proposition, we need an extra dose of grace and we must refuse to treat the process as if it were some “walk in the park “(which incidentally is also quite hard with little kids), but to affirm the inherent difficulties of raising little ones in the nurture and admonition of the Lord in the worship of the Lord. I also hope to make these short notes accessible so you can pass them to friends as conversation starters, and hopefully conclude with some practical steps for applying these principles peacefully in congregations where this is not practiced.

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On August 12, 2020 By In Culture

Putting our Kids at Risk in a Pornified Age

After yesterday’s post, a dear friend jokingly said that if I keep talking about the dangers of porn, people might begin to think it’s a problem in the Church. So, it has prompted me to add an additional note as a follow-up, which is that our pornified age comes through obvious means. And if there is one consistent regret I have heard from parents over the years, it’s the regret that they gave unfettered or barely monitored access to the internet to their children. Part of the problem in our day is that most parents have little to no clue how the cyber-world functions and as a result are completely clueless about the infinite amounts of worlds one link can open.

When a parent places an iPod in the hands of his seven-year-old unsupervised, he is subtly giving permission for that child to navigate through an ad on his new game app. These ads contain links that can easily take a child to a browser than can easily grant him the ability to type something in a search engine that easily leads him to pornographic images. Does my illustration assume too much? Does it jump too fast from one thing to the next? For the record, the process enumerated above takes between 8-13 seconds. And, as Net Nanny states, 1 in 10 children under the age of 10 will have seen porn. My scenario is more common than one might think. But where is that child learning such techniques? Apart from the normal environments, you should know that children are more intuitive than you think. There was a time when a child felt trapped in a maze and would scream for help, but now for many, the maze is their home and they remain happily trapped in it.

The language those of us born before 1980 grew up with was a fairly simple way of looking at the world. If we wanted to look something up, we had to get a lexicon or an encyclopedia. Today, the language of our children–and you can’t escape it–is already shaped to accept these dangers. Therefore, uninvolved parents, or parents who remain relatively naive about our world, will be suddenly shocked when their little children know a whole lot more about the sexual ritual at 10 than they did at 17.

Among the many responsibilities of parents is the responsibility to deliver their children from evil. This means that they are to direct their children away from “intentionally tempting temptation;” like poking a dormant ferocious animal for the mere high it provides. “Deliver us from evil…”Lead us not into temptation.” Yes, the Lord’s Prayer presents us a parental paradigm in many ways.

Children mature at different levels and exposing them too early can be devastating. Parents need to exercise wisdom. No good parent would throw their children into a dangerous situation, but they may unknowingly. The world of cell phones–and social media by extension–provide such an opportunity. The question is not whether we should wait until a certain age or whether we should trust them with such a tool, but rather, “What are we doing in the process to equip them to handle such a responsibility?” In my estimation–with the exception of a flip phone for emergencies, perhaps–no child or teenager needs an all-access cell phone until they start driving.

We can no longer shelter ourselves from these conversations. We need to start raising these questions and entering into these conversations early. Free access to the virtual world represents the opening of communication doors. Are our children equipped to handle this new world? How have they behaved and reacted to the local communication they experience? Have their experiences been positive? Or, have they been quickly sucked into a false model of community where communication serves our selfish ambitions and desires? Communication is stewardship; if they are allowed to enter into a foreign world young, we shouldn’t be overly surprised that they have already been courting the false gods of pornography.

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On August 11, 2020 By In Culture

The Porn Problem in an Age of Gamers

There is a tremendous amount of research on the impact of pornography on the mind. “Wired for Intimacy” by Struthers is shocking in the right kind of way. In some ways, young men (primary consumers of porn) need to shock their way out of these destructive habits. But more importantly, they need to find a vision for redeeming the body.

One of the negative theological features of evangelical men is that they lack an understanding of the role of the body. In some ways, they function like Gnostics assuming that their viewing is disconnected from their bodies. In other words, the body serves as a means to fulfill quick episodes of pleasure, but it remains disassociated from the spiritual reality of the body. The Christian tricks himself into believing that his piety is left intact, since after all, only the body was involved. But we are more self-aware today, or at least, pulpits should have made a mockery of this self-deception. The things of the Spirit are never divorced from the things of the body, since the body belongs to the Spirit (I Cor. 6:19).

But in the sea of information out there about porn, I only wish to add one element to the conversation that stems from that wretched curse of Gnosticism. Parents and accountability partners and those who wish to see a culture of integrity among our men need to see that our young men are self-imposed prisoners when it comes to their daily intake of entertainment. They are seduced into thinking that they can keep their bodies uncontaminated while bathing themselves in hours and hours of endless gaming. The ubiquitous YouTube millionaires are all out there recording themselves LIVE playing the game, mastering the game, and adding to their income through sponsors and eager proselytes who would watch them to learn the new secret knowledge.

Now, I am not on a crusade against gaming nor am I making a case against enjoying these things as rewards for hard work. But that is where the problem lies, isn’t it? Research makes it clear that the majority of gamers indulge, rather than moderately enjoy this entertainment ritual. And further, there is even more data to suggest that the majority of these same young men are rarely if ever outside enjoying the sunshine or the manual labor that has created our society. “Yes, but Pastor, this is a techy generation.” Well, that does not change the necessity of hard work; of running, walking, mowing, or just being outside. If such excessive gamers would also show me their profound tendencies to energetic Bible reading and a solid liturgical life, then perhaps I would be tempted to moderate my position, but my time in the pastorate and a student of human actions prove the opposite with profound consistency.

When I was growing up, my parents would tell us to go play and come back when dinner was ready. I don’t remember offering them much grief in this respect. I learned about rocks, trees, and mangoes from playing outside in the northeastern Brazilian heat. There was time for some games, and we treasured that first Nintendo as if we had leaped into the future for an hour. Today, of course, all of these things are mundane; almost a right of passage to fit into our cultural milieu. “Go play” is now synonymous with “Stay in your room, which you have all day, and play that thing until your heart is content.”

It’s my contention that if our children and young adults were to go to bed tired, and at times exhausted, their minds would go through some form of re-wiring that wouldn’t end in a steady diet of pornography. If our young men understood that to labor is to train our bodies for warfare, then that common temptation between 9pm-2am (the most common times for porn consumption) would be diminished significantly.

Of course, there is no sure-proof exercise, but there are sure-proof strategies to reduce the temptations of men. It is common sense that if you live by the screen you will die by the screen. It is also common sense that if you are tired from a day of hard work, your reward is to sleep, not to indulge the flesh.

The Spirit changes hearts and minds; the Spirit leads to repentance; the Spirit re-wires the mind and if we wish to see how much more attuned we would be to work of the Spirit, we would do well to forsake the deeds of the flesh and work hard for our labors are not in vain.

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On August 7, 2020 By In Church, Culture

Does God Hurt? Trump and His Theology

Note: What follows is a lengthy conversation on impassibility/classical theism and a host of other related subjects which I touch only in a small scale. These posts come from my facebook page where I engage hundreds of people daily on a host of topics. If you are looking for patristic debates on patripassionism, you are not going to find it here, but you will find some introductory words on what I view as important to frame our political thinking. Additionally, I added some additional comments made by some fine theologians and thinkers that corroborate my original proposal.

I am not one to defend the president’s theological quandaries. In fact, if our 45th president has any theological background, it stems from the mainline PCUSA church which, with minor exceptions, has been smelling like putrid fish for at least 50 years.

So, when the president talks about “Two Corinthians,” which incidentally is a thing in a certain European island , or when he can’t quote a New Testament verse when asked, or a host of things that make Trumpianism so abrasive and simultaneously comical, I am not looking to gain theological insights. I have 16 years of formal theological training and keep a fairly good company of friends to consult in times of inquisition. But let’s get one thing clear, leftism (contrary to classic liberalism) is a scourge. J. Gresham Machen was making this case long ago and I think that we can all agree that the Democratic platform no longer loves Kennedy and Carter. Your grandmomma’s Democratic party is now owned by the ANTIFA kid sitting next to you in your local community college criticizing grammar for being an expression of white privilege. Well, ain’t that sweet!

Leftism without hesitation wishes to cancel Christ from culture; there is still within the system a modicum of sanity that realizes that the biblical Christ will ruin their agenda. Make no mistake: political battles are deeply theological battles and leftism as an ideology has chosen the way of death for unborn humans, secularism for its curriculum, and they are constantly berating the value of people like me in their kingdom. Oh, please don’t get me wrong, leftists are deeply shaped by religious ideals, but not the “Jesus is Lord” kind, the one that dethrones Jesus and puts Caesar on the throne.

All of this leads me to Trump’s controversial and viral statement that a Biden presidency would hurt the Bible and hurt God. The liberal media had a stroke followed by several minor convulsive episodes. “But Biden is a Catholic!” Yes, I am sure he is, but any Catholic priest worth his Vatican wouldn’t allow Biden to take communion and some clearly have not. The implication is that how dare Trump claim a Biden presidency would hurt the Bible and God since Biden was raised in that religion thing and claims to have his faith as “the bedrock foundation of his life.”

Without delving too much on the virtues and vices of another Trump term, we should note that if Trump’s assumptions about a general reality where Christendom does play a free role is correct, and if Biden’s four years is a variation of Nancy Pelosi meets AOC, then, our 45th is not too far from the truth. Yes, a Biden presidency would hurt the Bible; no, not physically or spiritually or in whatever dimension Biden lives, but in the clear sense that truths of the Bible would be clearly mocked on national television from midnight to midnight under a Biden presidency and the Church would be constantly sued for all sorts of ethical positions. On that point, I have no doubt. Of course, Trump would do well to pick up that accurate book and meditate on it day and night, but at least, the man breathes some level of common grace oxygen that keeps him on our side of the fight for most issues.

(more…)

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On August 4, 2020 By In Discipleship

On the Fruit of Long Conversations

One of the blessings I’ve had over the years is to speak freely about a host of issues that few pastors wish to discuss on social media, unless, of course, they take upon themselves anonymous identities. I am part of a denomination that rarely if ever makes the map when it comes to national discourse. Our pastors are not well known; with few exceptions, they don’t make headlines, and when we do, it’s to engage in intramural discussions that 0.001% of evangelicals care to ponder.

I actually find this lack of exposure fairly comforting. It means that I, as a pastor of a small congregation, have the luxury of opining about a host of topics I find to be biblically important, culturally necessary, and pastorally expedient without distractions. This allows me to minister to a small group of people (maybe less than 1,000 views a day) that are interested in growth and find argument built in lengthy paragraphs compelling.

In some ways, my goal of writing has always been to slowly, but surely, convince my readers that building frameworks for life are important and thinking through current issues or rituals through a Christian perspective is crucial for the well-being of any society. I am still a believer in long-form conversation and dialogue about the good, true and beautiful, and I view it as an investment in the kingdom of God.

I had a lengthy interview/conversation with a really fine thinker yesterday that reminded me of the necessity of building men and women who love Jesus and are curious enough to create environments where healthy engagement takes place in the home and in the community; where discourse is not settled by throwing out slogans, but where the heart of the slogan is discussed and perhaps torn down. While we see some movement in the right direction, we need much more. I am reminded of one of Jordan Peterson’s rules which I translate as “Don’t raise children with whom you won’t converse.” In other words, don’t raise children that will bore you when they get older. You diminish that possibility if everything is on the table for discussion at the dinner table.

The biggest frustration of this entire season is that prior to it there was already a deficit in these conversations, and through it, many discovered that they don’t need it any more, thus isolating themselves with greater vigor and enthusiasm. The natural isolating process diminished even more the capacity for discussing complex topics. Movements are throwing out their acronyms and demanding loyalty simply because they espouse some pro-victim cause. The idea behind it is that the conversation is over; embrace or die.

In Jane Austen’s “Persuasion,” there is a lovely little section where she writes,

“My idea of good company…is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”

Whether dialogues on parenting, sleeping techniques for infants, the ethic of ants, the making of good wine, or Russian dancing techniques of the 18th century, all these things stem from a God who enters steadily into conversation with his people. So, whether 50 or 500 likes, or a 1,000 lurkers, or 1 fruitful exchange happens as a result of anything you or I write or say, we are already beneficiaries of the entire process. Keep the feast! Keep the company! Keep the conversation alive!

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On August 4, 2020 By In Podcast

Episode 83, Interview with Musician Jamie Soles

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:05 — 30.6MB)

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We have been exploring with ZOOM for the last few Kuyperian podcasts, so you can watch our interview with Jamie on YouTube, but also on our regular audio podcasts on iTunes and other sources.

What a joy to chat with one of my favorite musicians in the Christian community, Jamie Soles. Jamie is about to release his 21st album filled. His music is not only melodically beautiful, but replete with musical joy and grace. You can buy or download his music at https://solmusic.ca/SHOW LESS

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On August 3, 2020 By In Culture

All Multi-Perspectival Matters

We all struggle to find ways to encapsulate our belief systems. Sometimes ideas can be put under one umbrella. But then there are times when we simplify so much that we become embodied slogans ourselves. For instance, I generally tend towards the conservative side of things; the kind that would keep some Republicans awake at night in fear. But when someone–from my side of the aisle–tries to solve political issues by throwing the same phrases at my opponent’s face and expect to do a victory-lap just by stating the phrase repeatedly, I may–and have on occasion–jump to the other side and play the angelic advocate, even if for a few awkward minutes to convey that throwing one phrase around doesn’t end the issue, it proves that more calculated conversations need to happen.

On issues pertaining to race, we all have variations of what we believe our priorities to be. For some, it’s “black lives matter,” entailing that there are certain times in history that particular individuals deserve more attention and concern from the general public. For others, “all lives matter,” proclaiming a general understanding that concern cannot be limited to any particular cause or color. Still, for others more politically attuned to specificity, they say, “All black lives matter,” implying that a particular group ought to pay close attention to particular genocidal tendencies within a group.

In sum, there are particular calls to heed one group’s concern, and then there are general calls to show concern for all, and then there are concerns about particular needs within a particularized community. I suspect such ways of encapsulating concerns are found in every culture, and this season does not terminate the necessity for articulating these things and finding other brief ways of expressing our cherished beliefs. Such phrases need to exist, but not as end in themselves, but as opening statements followed by clarifying statements like what you’d see in a debate format.

The entire process–regardless of the ideologies attached to them–speaks of how perspectival we are as human beings. We err if we make things only general in scope, and when we make things too particular in scope, and when we make things only about particular within particular in scope. The way out of it is more complex in that we are required to take every thought captive (II Cor. 10:5). The Bible can be universal and it can take very specific concerns to heart. There are normative ways of thinking (all lives matter), existential ways of thinking (black lives matter) and situational ways of thinking (all black lives matter). Context and experience can shape all these things in very personal ways conditioned by norms that people embrace.

The question is not, “pick one?!” The question is how can we accurately embody an ethic that does justice to all three perspectives without being condescending to one way of thinking or without acting as if our only choice is to be generalists or particularists. We should do the hard work of embracing all three perspectives without attempting to marginalize one over the other and without attempting to offer quick solutions in exclusion of the others.

I grant that for some I am adding more complexity to the ideological fire, but in my mind, I am calling for accepting a multi-perspectival approach to these and other concerns that allow us to speak holistically about all angles and, in my estimation, largely improves the quality of discourse.

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On July 28, 2020 By In Church

In Praise of the Small-Church Pastor

Half of the American churches have less than 75 people. In fact, some of the pastors I most respect are in very small churches doing the work of the Lord with little recognition. I am fully aware there are leaders in small churches who take advantage of the church’s volatility and offer little positive impulse to see the church grow numerically, and who spend little time preparing for sermons and teaching, and thus place the church in an unending coma until the money runs dry and they are forced to close the doors altogether. But my experience is that that scenario is far from the norm.

The more common scenario is the pastor of a small church who goes above and beyond; who visits parishioners, eats with his people, seeks the well-being of the flock, prepares attentively to the text of Scriptures and loves his parish. In some cases, he is bi-vocational attending to his financial needs in whatever profession God called him to exercise and then using his remaining energy to serve small flocks who hunger for truth and the application of the Bible in their lives.

These men are honorable! They fight the good fight sometimes in rural places knowing that their congregations will likely not grow much due to its locale, but they still press on faithfully in the call of the Gospel to equip the saints (Eph. 4:12). They are not moved by sexy advertisements or flashy models of leadership; they simply plod along with the stamina given them by God, rather than the applause of men.

To these pastors during this pandemic, I want to encourage you to serve with joyful hearts and to not allow the discouragement of even smaller numbers on Sundays to keep you from your cause. I want you to remember that if you are faithful to your call in these times of uncertainty, God will reward you. Do not grow weary in well-doing, but grow firmly in doing good to the people of God.

The world, even the Christian world, will pay little attention to what you have to say or do during this time, but our Lord sees you. So, stay in the fight, continue to exhort and to lift up your voices for in the desert of the Lord even the flowers blossom and the manna falls from heaven.

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