Couldn’t You Wait?
Posted in General |Since Day 1 of Palm Valley Church, we’ve had a vision for the maturity ministry, including discipleship through Home Teams, classes, men’s and women’s ministries, other growth opportunities.
One thing that drives me crazy is when people have left our church because we don’t have those things YET. They will leave angry because we don’t have everything we’re going to have right at the moment (even though they’re sure we can’t be a church without them), and they say mean and hurtful things about our church on the way out the door (as if that’s honoring to Christ?).
As we’re rolling out dozens of new discipleship classes, women’s ministry opportunities, men’s opportunities, and other events this fall, I’ve run into a ton of people who now wish they hadn’t left Palm Valley Church, because we now have the ministries we always said we would one day have. They say, “if only I had know you were so close”.
My question to them: Couldn’t you wait? Are we so impatient, self-focused Christians that if a church doesn’t do exactly what we want when we want it done that we can’t wait and let the church develop?
We’re not even 6 years old as a church. Healthy churches don’t develop overnight, they develop health by focusing on the core of what they’re called to do, and doing it well. They only add ministries when they can be done with excellence, and further the overall vision of the church.
It’s a sympton of what’s ailing the church in America today. Christians want fast-food faith, where they can order up what they want and get it quickly. We think that more knowledge will make us more mature. That’s not true. Application of knowledge makes me more like Christ.
I’m thankful for people who have stayed the course at PVC, and enabled us to grow as God grows us. We’re a healthy church, with a great future ahead of us, because God is developing us one step at a time! Our focus is on Him, not on what people want. I’ve found that God rarely takes me where I want to go, but always takes me where He wants me to go. I also know that I can trust His promises, and that He will always do it at just the right time, His time!
I’m reminded of Habakuk 2:3 (LB)
“These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!”
So be patient, God’s not done with you, me, or Palm Valley Church yet. Let’s together trust His timing and His work, because of His love. I love being on this journey with the people of Palm Valley Church, it’s a privilege to be with you in this!
