We Have Another Unique Challenge

I sat with a group of St. Louis pastors yesterday morning and part of our discussion centered around the overall climate of fear and apprehension that we are seeing in people as they come into our churches for the first time. While most of the fear is of the unknown as it relates to the national and world economy, it also includes people with difficult health situations and other kinds of serious issues. The great thing about this conversation was that it turned rather quickly into a positive, solution sharing time that gave each one of us the encouragement that God has each one of us in a strategic place for timely ministry to people who are desperate for hope. I still remember the Sunday after 9/11. Our church was filled with people that I had never seen before. Fear had gripped our nation and no one could say with any certainty that the threat was over. Sadly, by the 3rd or 4th week after 9/11, we got back to "normal", and our attendance went back to where it had been.

This time it is different. People are being affected individually, and it is not a mass problem, yet. As people express their fears about layoffs, losing their jobs, not being able to pay their mortgage or bills and other issues, the fear is there and there is a reaching out for some hope to hold on to. As Christians, we have a great window of opportunity to share the love of Christ and His faithfulness to us. While His promises do not include providing for all our financial needs, His word does promise that He will not leave us nor forsake us. We may have to draw on every resource of the family of God to deal with what is coming in the future, but God will help us. His creativity and vastness will help us. Times will probably get very tough, but we will be better for it, because of Him.