“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
I recently went to a 2-day seminar for pastors, and though not all the training would apply to our smaller church, there was quite a bit that I found helpful, particularly in casting vision toward members of our church. We know that every Christian is a work in progress, and we all have room to grow. I believe there needs to be 3 main considerations for every believer in regards to his or her life in Christ: #1, Am I growing in my relationship with God, day by day? (Colossians 1:10) #2, Am I growing in my love and service towards God’s Church, His Body, increasingly utilizing the gifts God had given me, to build them up. (1 Corinthians 3:8-10, Ephesians 4:29) #3, Am I bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ in some way, to the world that doesn’t know Him? (Matthew 28:19-20)
One way to look at this (as in the pastor training) is to see people in our church under 4 categories: #1, Those still exploring “The Faith”, until they die to their sins, and be saved. #2, A New Believer who is hungry for Christ, but still lacking wisdom and experience. #3, A Growing, Engaged Believer, serving in the church, but still with a “consumer-mindset” such as a focus on “what am I getting out of this?” #4, A Christ-Centered Christian, who has the Heavenly Father’s heart and is a servant towards others, dying to one’s own preferences, seeking the best for the group, even those still in stage #1.
What one needs to get to #2 is salvation from God. What one needs to get to #3 is time, effort, and experience, growing with other believers. What one needs to get to #4…is almost like a 2nd Cross! Many hit the wall at this point. It is learning to daily “take up your cross and follow me” (Luke 9:23), which is being willing to say at all times, as Jesus did in obedience to His Father, “Not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). It is that kind of Christian that pastors love to see, because we know that these are the kind of leaders who will work to see the Church grow, even if it goes in a direction that is not particularly self-serving. It is they who rejoice most when they train up others who will possibly take their place, and maybe even take it in a new direction! They are “picking up the mantle” as Elisha did after Elijah (2 Kings 2:13-14).
We see all this in light of the reality of Christianity in the United States, 2026. Some churches are growing, but most are struggling, and the percentage of the population who adhere to Christian values is falling. The average church sees 1 salvation a year (usually a child)! 1500 pastors quit their churches every month in the US, and 4700 churches close each year! It is hard to lead faithfully, when believers take on a consumeristic mindset, rather than a Christ-centered mindset. And yet, Christianity is still growing around the world, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. With all this, what kind of role will we play in this season of harvest? Will we be part of the problem, or part of the solution? Are we part of the majority in those statistics, or will we exceed what the world assumes of us, because of Christ Jesus Himself? That depends on our willingness to be used of God, wherever He would take us!