"Let us not be weary in doing the good..."

i wrote the email below to a dear friend who is also a pastor who's been getting somewhat frustrated with what's happening in the church. i re-read it again today and, i have to say, i even surprised myself at what i wrote!! it's because of that that i decided to put it here on my blog so i would remember these for myself for those times when i will also feel frustrated or upset or disappointed with the folks i am working alongside in the ministry. we should expect to be frustrated, upset, disappointed, but the point is NOT to let it deter us from the goal that the Lord has given to us -- whatever ministry we're in! it's important to keep our eyes fixed firmly on the Lord and Him alone, especially when it comes to the ministry!!

hi, ptr! when i received your messages about how you were feeling, i was very disturbed. i wrote my response a few days ago, but wanted to let it sit for awhile before sending it to you. i hope you will understand where i'm coming from because i'm very concerned.

the verse that sprung to mind when i first read your messages was Galatians 6:9 & 10--"And let us not be weary in doing the good: for in its own time we shall reap, by not fainting. As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to the household of faith."

so, regarding what you wrote, here's what came to mind:
• we shouldn’t look at the people. instead, we should Look at the Lord.
• People will always disappoint.
• People will always be late to church.
• People will always have an excuse NOT to help with the work of the church.
• It’s always the same people who do ALL the work. Example: CE teachers who also help with VBS, year in and year out.
• We can’t force them to change. The desire has to come from within the person.
• SOLUTION: We need to educate our church folks.
• We need to encourage them when they DO help.
• We need to MAKE THEM CARE about their church and the ministry that’s been entrusted to them.
• There will always be people who are enthusiastic about the church’s ministry and the Lord’s work.
• There will always be people who are NOT.
• For those who are, THANK them for their dedication and commitment. Show them appreciation on a regular basis, not just once a year (at Christmas).
• But, we should NEVER allow the devil’s tools of discouragement, anger, and disillusionment get us off-track.
• The example of the Apostle Paul should be one we need to follow. He was single-minded in his ministry. Despite being imprisoned, tortured, laughed at, not believed, he never lost his focus. So, even if our church members lose their focus or don’t even have their focus on helping with the ministry, those of us who have this drive to do the Lord’s work must NEVER lose our focus! We need to keep working until either the Lord returns or He takes us home!
• When I start feeling sorry for myself because I feel like I’m doing ALL the work (a lie that the devil tries to convince me is the truth), I always have to remind myself that my job is NOT to earn the praise of men. It isn’t to bring glory to myself, but to return all the glory back to the Lord. I have to remind myself that I’m not here to please MEN, but to please God. My job here on earth is to BE FAITHFUL to the work that God has entrusted to me. When my focus is turned back on God where it rightly belongs, all those other issues and complaints about people who aren’t pulling their weight or helping with the ministry go away. And the joy that I need to have in order to do the Lord’s work properly will return.
• Despite the church backgrounds of the people attending our church, we should not hold that against them. Instead, we should EDUCATE them, TRAIN them, help them to WANT to be involved, to use their God-given gifts/talents to move the church forward.
• For me, as a pastor’s kid, I was in MANY churches starting from when I was still in the womb! The first church I remember becoming involved in was Caloocan Bible Church. Then, there was North Suburban Evangelical Free Church in Deerfield, IL (attender only). Then, back to Caloocan, followed by Lake Zurich Evangelical Free Church. There was EL Church-Pasadena, Pilipino Christian Church in Long Beach, Lake Avenue Congregational Church (attender only), EL Church-Forest Hills, back to EL Church-Pasadena, then now, Church of the Open Door (attender only).
• No matter what church I was at, the issues were the same: some people were very enthusiastic about being involved and others were not. Some were very lazy about their commitment to the Lord and His ministry; some were not. It’s really “the nature of the beast” because it all boils down to the sin nature that all human beings still carry with them. But, the desire to help the church NEEDS to come from their hearts; we can’t force it on them; we can’t make them do it! But, if they don’t have that desire, we should not allow it to deter or discourage us. We should just keep plugging along because we know it’s the right thing to do and it’s what will please God which should be our primary goal anyway.
• Remember also that we ALL come with BAGGAGE, whether it’s to a marriage, a friendship, and, most especially, to a CHURCH. NO ONE is exempt from baggage because that’s how life is. Therefore, we need to be more kind and understanding about the personal situation of our church members/ attenders.
• But, we must also remember that no matter how much we try to help someone care about being involved with the church’s ministry, that individual needs to come to that realization himself/herself. The issue is really between him/her and God. We do what we can but, in the end, it’s up to them to have that desire within themselves to be involved.
• We can also remind them of the Lord’s words in Matthew 9:37 & 38--"The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few; Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest may send workers into his harvest."
• But, if, after all the encouragement and pleadings, they STILL don’t, we must NOT hold it against them. We should just pray for them and leave it up to the Lord.
• There’s nothing that will drive someone away from the church and even from the Lord than our condemnation or disapproval because we feel that they are not contributing to the ministry.
• Remember, only the LORD can place that desire in their hearts. If they resist His call, it’s their loss and they will have to answer to the Lord for that resistance/decision.

looking forward to discussing this more with you...