A Conference for Pastors to Encourage a Church
This week a small contingent from Westview joined in what has been a long-standing annual experience for me: attending the Bethlehem pastors’ conference. It is always helpful in drilling down on a theme to continue to grow as a pastor. It’s also refreshing to catch up with other pastors who are serving across the Cities, the country, and the world. Here are a few takeaways for you, Church.
We’re Not Alone
This particular conference has taken on different forms and locations over its thirty-seven-year history. Yet one observation of a consistent theme proved helpful. The consistent thing is that lots of pastors are present. I don’t know what the attendance numbers were for this year but perhaps close to a thousand people. Not all in attendance are pastors but most are. And Pastor Zach observed how wonderful it is to see so many churches represented by so many in attendance who share a “passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.”
In the regular grind of life, it is easy to slip into thinking you’re alone. You’re alone in your house with the kids. You’re alone as the only Christians in your neighborhood. You’re alone as one of the only Christians in your workplace. You’re alone with your church as the only outpost of faithful gospel ministry in your city. But seeing such a gathering—a relatively small gathering in consideration to the global population—seeing such a gathering of likeminded pastors representing churches from all over was a strong statement that we are not alone. The Lord is building his Church (Matthew 16:18). We have brothers and sisters joined with other local churches striving toward the same prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). That is something to rejoice in.
In the regular grind of life, it is easy to slip into thinking you’re alone. You’re alone in your house with the kids. You’re alone as the only Christians in your neighborhood. You’re alone as one of the only Christians in your workplace. You’re alone with your church as the only outpost of faithful gospel ministry in your city. But seeing such a gathering—a relatively small gathering in consideration to the global population—seeing such a gathering of likeminded pastors representing churches from all over was a strong statement that we are not alone. The Lord is building his Church (Matthew 16:18). We have brothers and sisters joined with other local churches striving toward the same prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). That is something to rejoice in.
Be Grateful for the Good
However, as I talked with friends engaged in pastoring where the Lord has appointed them, it seemed like more than prior years that church situations were really hard. Different contexts, different settings, different sin—but all really hard. But when it came time in conversation to share about Westview, I would almost feel guilty. My perception is that things are going well, there is a preciousness in the love expressed among the Body, and people are helped and being strengthened in the Word.
Guilt is not the right response though. Rather, be grateful for the good. You can be encouraged by the Lord’s kindness to us. That isn’t casting aspersions on other churches because of the bitter providence they may presently be experiencing. We can and should be grateful for the Lord making his face shine upon us and being gracious to us.
Guilt is not the right response though. Rather, be grateful for the good. You can be encouraged by the Lord’s kindness to us. That isn’t casting aspersions on other churches because of the bitter providence they may presently be experiencing. We can and should be grateful for the Lord making his face shine upon us and being gracious to us.
What Do You Want?
And while good, easier times are received with gratitude, it is easy for them to lead to complacency. Just read Israel’s history to see how that works out. And that’s where a final takeaway is helpful. Another pastor-friend shared how one particular application he made in a talk at the conference came from a conversation with his young daughter. He had asked her one night at bedtime how he could pray for her. She didn’t know what to say. So, he prompted her, “If Jesus walked through your bedroom door right now and asked you, ‘What do you want me to do for you?,’ what would you say?” She replied, “Give me a hug!”
That’s a precious response and his question is a helpful one to reframe prayer. Rather than gratitude leading to complacency, let it spur on greater intercession. What do you want Jesus to do for you? If he were to be sitting beside you as you read this and eager to do whatever you ask, what would you say? It’s remarkable that that is the very thing we do in prayer. Jesus always lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). And “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words,” Romans 8:27. What a gift to have Christ and his Spirit always ready to act and intercede.
That’s a precious response and his question is a helpful one to reframe prayer. Rather than gratitude leading to complacency, let it spur on greater intercession. What do you want Jesus to do for you? If he were to be sitting beside you as you read this and eager to do whatever you ask, what would you say? It’s remarkable that that is the very thing we do in prayer. Jesus always lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). And “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words,” Romans 8:27. What a gift to have Christ and his Spirit always ready to act and intercede.