In elementary school every student wanted to be the one chosen by the teacher at the end of the school day for a particular task. The task – gathering the chalkboard erasers, taking them outside and beating them together to clean the chalk residue off from the day’s classroom activities. It was a dusty, mouth drying, eye-watering, nostril-filling job and most every student wanted, longed, craved to be the one selected. To a six, seven, eight-year-old child, it was the highest honor possible. And, when my day came, I remember it well. It was a moment of outstanding pride. I stood my three foot frame up from my desk, shoulders back, head held high and walked to the front of the room as if I were 6 feet tall.

In recent weeks the term “shelter in place” has become synonymous with the Coronavirus. But I want to suggest a different premise for the term. Could it be that we the people of the church have relied for the last couple of decades, on church buildings as our shelter in place from the outside world? Have we created havens for our spiritual comfort? We join together for weekly meetings with one another, to hear God’s word, fellowship with like-minded and like-looking peers, safe from the outside world. Then we go out into the world feeling good about our reverent gatherings.

Certainly our society is changing. Morals as you and I knew them are no longer in vogue. It seems hate has been escalating for more than a decade, ever accelerating in 2020. Let’s face it, the world today can seem to be a frightening, daunting locale.

As Christ followers we must remember this world is not our home. We are but visitors, out of town guests. Strangers, yet called by God to always be relevant to the culture around us. God has not been caught off guard. He has known 2020 would be this way. And He has always known you would be living right where you are in the middle of all that is 2020. Now, let me tell you why that should be encouraging to each one of us.

As we know it, according to the biblical timeline, the world is a little more than 5,000 years old. God knew you before He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14). God knew before the foundation of the world what 2020 would look like. And He knew you would be living here, representing Him this year. Read those last 2 sentences again. Of all the past 5,000 years and any to come, God chose you to represent Him in 2020 right here, in the U.S.A. God chose YOU!

That is an amazing thought. It is an honor that far exceeds beating two chalkboard erasers together. And we should treat it as such an honor. What will be your prayer today and every day this week as you look to treat 2020 as your special blessing and honor in serving God?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday

Is the church (in general) relevant today? Does the church of 2020 have anything to say? It seems many people in our society would say, no, the church does not and is not relevant.

Racial pressures, diversity, political wars, media bias, so much seems to divide our nation today. Did this start in January 2020? No. Did it begin with the election of our current President? No. With the previous President? No. Perhaps since the invent of modern technology of the 20^th and 21^st century, this has been a rising tide.

To read of the stories of the Manhattan Project and the secrecy, commitment, and devotion in the early years of Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Atomic City) are both intriguing and fascinating. These two were connected and resulted in the bombing of Hiroshima, ending World War II. This is where many place the beginning of our current technological age.

It is where the thought came into being that a new technological driven society would eradicate poverty, isolation, violence, acts of inhumanity, and diversity issues. I do not know if we ever saw much decline in those areas. 2020 is certainly filled with evidence to the contrary. Technology has brought us to a multi-cultural society, bringing the world together both physically and through instant communication.

Is perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing the church today that the church in North America is built largely around a mono-cultural ministry while living in a multi-cultural society? Erwin McManus says the church has “fashioned itself around a monocultural ministry – not only in style and texture, but also in its message.”[i]

In the church we tend to accept only those technologies that allow us to remain in our comfort zone. Those who complain about the introduction of new technologies in the church are sitting in the service with their cell phones in pocket or purse. They drove to church in a high-tech air conditioned car and will return home, cook a bag of popcorn in a microwave and kick back in their soft (maybe electric) recliner and click the remote to their big screen HD TV.

2020 has brought new realizations of the good technology can bring through the church, as in the internet worship services. More than just technology, any step the New Testament church can take, no matter how big or small, to bring the people of various cultures in our community together for Christ, the closer that church will look like the church in Acts.

We no longer live in a mono-cultural society. Our mono-styled methodology and delivery is no longer the drawing card we’ve relied on for 70+ years.

Perhaps more than any time in history, in the 21^st century, to gain an audience to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must first gain the trust and respect of those with whom we wish to share. How will you change your prayer time today to seek God’s wisdom on being a 1^st century Christian in the 21^st century?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

[i] An Unstoppable Force, Group 2001, pg 53

God has blessed us with an opportunity that He has never before given any generation in history. God chose you and He chose me to live at this specific time in history so He could bless us with this particular blessing. The blessing – He has granted us the opportunity to reach over seven (7) billion people! No other generation has ever had that great blessing. Think about it, if the church of 1920 (100 years ago) had reached absolutely every person on earth with the gospel, it would’ve been less than 1,000,000,000 – only 1/7^th of the possibilities in front of you and me.

The strategies, practices, and programs of the North American church in the last seven decades has failed to keep up with the population growth much less kingdom growth potential. Perhaps you will agree with me that it is time to prayerfully rethink and regroup. I do not believe God has brought us to the turmoil and trials of our North American society today without a plan for His church to be effective in her mission.

Like many of you I am troubled, perplexed, and at times depressed at society’s situations unfolding before us. At the same time, I am convinced that we live in a time of great opportunity, perhaps greater than any generation in history. Why would God allow us to live in such a period of great turmoil and great opportunity if He did not have the yearning to pour out one of the greatest spiritual movements of all time?

This is our time to go to God in prayer with a greater, stronger plea than ever before in our lives. Our plea is for strength, power, and boldness that we have never before experienced. I believe God desires to hear the battle cry of His saints and this can only come from the emboldening of the Holy Spirit within each of us. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the power of evil and darkness.

We must prepare for a spiritual battle, even if like the Israelites on the wall with Nehemiah, the battle never comes to our door. We begin prayerfully; a deeper heart-wrenching crying out to God than we’ve ever mustered. Then we must seek from God the spiritual wisdom, insight and strategies to carry out His plan for His church for the next fifty years.

I believe His plan will look differently than the church of the past fifty years. We are currently speaking with a few visionaries of how God may be leading His church in preparation for the future considering a series of webinars assisting church leaders in moving into God’s future. We’ll look at questions as: Are we headed for persecution of the church? What will a faithful disciple look like in the future? What are the New Essentials of church life?

Our goal is to assist the church, the bride of Christ, in moving to a greater effectiveness by allowing the Holy Spirit to consume us like never before. Watch this weekly post, social media, and your affinity networks for more information, as together we explore God’s call for Christ’s bride for this time in which we live. Join us as we open our hearts to our unique blessing and perhaps God’s greatest spiritual movement of all time. Begin praying today!

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

I often refer to change as a dirty six letter word in the church. We don’t like change in the church. After all it is the one place we can find continuity – things stay the same. It is evident, the world is rapidly changing around us. We do not have to like or embrace all the change going on around us. Yet, this is the era God chose for you and me to live. Therefore, this is the era that you and I have been chosen (by God) to make a difference.

Seventy-four years ago a world inhabitant boom began. Prior to that year the total population of the earth was estimated at about one billion people. It was celebrated as the largest number of people ever on earth at one time. Today those estimates total more than seven (7) billion people. That means in each of the last seven decades we have added (for each decade) as many people as it took the first 5-6 thousand years to amass.

How is the church doing at keeping up with this massive population expanse? Some have written in answer to that question; “only incrementally.” Honestly, that may be an overstatement. Denominations large and small are showing declines (sometimes steep) in church attendance over the last few decades. All while the population has been exploding.

In writings and speaking I have noted over the past twelve years that the church of the future may look vastly different than the church of the past century. I still not only believe this to be true, I now believe through today’s societal events, that timeline is being hastened. What will the church look like? How will it be different? I am not certain. But here are some thoughts on needed “changes” .

Many current models of ministry strategies are out of date and out of touch with society. Over the centuries, the New Testament church has made changes to adapt to the people of the existing culture. Not the message, it will always remain the same. We are doing church today similar to the way it was introduced to the pioneer country of USA over 200 years ago.

Even in these years there have been many changes. We no longer have itinerant preachers. We now have comfortable seating, electricity, A/C, screens, videos, and more than one church per city. Bus ministries have come and gone. These are all changes that God has brought us to and through. Today, we are once again at a time to follow God’s lead as we look to integrating the church into the world, while keeping the goal the same; take the gospel of Jesus Christ – the news of a loving and just God to the people around us.

Letting go of some of our comforts must be part of the 21^st century church. God has always sustained His church with His promise that He will always be with us until the end of time. The question is, are we willing to trust Him, to follow into areas (strategies) unknown or uncomfortable to us, yet intended by God?

It is a new day believer, and God’s call is still upon us. He thought enough of you to place you in this time of history to answer His calling to reach the world for Christ. What will it take for you to be totally surrendered to God’s New Call of integration of the gospel? This is our New Reality.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

I’ve been in New Testament evangelical churches all my life. Well, except for that 5-6 year period in my late teens and early twenties. Those don’t go in this book. In church we are taught certain disciplines – spiritual disciplines. The greatest of these is prayer. We are taught to pray certain prayers found in the Bible and other prayers at mealtime and bedtime. As we grow and mature, spiritually, we are taught how to pray.

Prayer is simply a two-way conversation with God. However, most of our prayers are more monologue than dialogue. We do all the talking and expect God to do all the listening. Then we expect Him to act on our prayer petitions as we desire and in our timing – right now. Newsflash: God doesn’t work that way. With spiritual maturing, we learn that Prayer is not about getting God to go along with our desires, but to align our hearts with God’s plan and timing.

There are many great prayers in the Bible. Prayers that we can and should pray intersecting our lives today. One such prayer is found in the Old Testament book of Chronicles. It is known as the prayer of Jabez. One thing I have learned is that if something is recorded in the Bible, it is not there for a history lesson or for filler. It is in God’s Holy Scripture because there is a lesson that I need to learn for my life.

I often pray Jabez’s prayer found in 1 Chronicles 4:10. And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

It is short, but a true blessing to be able to pray it and watch God move in my life. Yet, it’s not reserved for me alone. It is in the Holy Scriptures because God wants to bless the life of everyone who will earnestly pray as Jabez prayed – with a sincere heart and a willingness to follow no matter how different it looks from what you desire. Notice, Jabez did not ask specifics. Whatever God chose to give him was indeed a blessing.

The key to being blessed by God through praying this prayer is praying in earnest and with a sincere heart not expecting specifics from God. Most of our prayers are not in earnest. The majority of our prayer lives consist of rote and ritualistic prayers. We have learned well to pray from our head (praying what we’ve heard others pray, what sounds good). God’s desire is that we pray from our heart. It is not that he wants us to quote someone else’s prayer. He desires us to pour out our heart with a yearning to accept his will for us.

While prayer has been a part of my life for years, as I’ve grown older, I have truly studied scripture, books about prayer, discipleship courses on prayer, people praying. And in recent years I have studied prayer with a partner – the perfect prayer partner. God! I am truly blessed!

As I have prayed the prayer of Jabez (with a few changes) over the past ten – twelve years, it is usually asking God to let me serve Him more. I stay busy as a church health strategist, assisting churches and denominational entities, and public speaking engagements. Well, as busy as I want.

Yet, I often find myself praying the Jabez prayer, because I crave being blessed by God. Once you experience the blessing on the other side of obedience to God, you want more. Therein lies the key to blessings. It is obedience to God’s call on your life and what He desires for you on any particular day.

Here’s a sample of how I pray Jabez’s prayer: Lord, you have blessed me indeed. My blessing is in being able to serve You. Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory in whatever way you desire. And Lord keep Your hand upon me, that You would keep me from evil, that I may not bring shame on You, Your church or my family! In Jesus precious name. Amen!”

Life lesson: Prayer is essential in my life. The more I can align my prayer life to God’s desires for me, the more blessings will be poured out allowing me to serve him more.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

It was a calm, cool November evening as my wife, Pam, and I walked out the door of our home, for the 30 minute drive to church for dinner and a meeting. We walked out, locked the front door and headed to the car. On the sidewalk a few steps from the front door, I stopped, turned back toward the house. I hesitated for a couple of seconds contemplating, should I go back in and leave the front room light on as we usually do when we will be returning after dark. Time was limited, and I was the main speaker for the evening. So, I chose not to unlock the door, go in and turn a light on. We walked to the car and drove off towards the city.

We returned that evening in the dark, in a good mood following a nice evening with church family. I unlocked the front door, turned on the light, and proceeded down the hallway toward the bedrooms. I stopped first at my office, flipped the light switch to an unfamiliar sight. Papers everywhere. Closet doors open, bags and boxes strewn open across the floor. I called to my wife, “Stay where you are.” “What?” she said as she started down the hallway.

“Go back, stay there. We’ve been robbed.” I called out. I turned on the light to our bedroom. Every drawer but one in the dresser and all drawers in the wardrobe were laying emptied upside down on the floor, all contents in scattered small piles. The mattress and box springs were flipped up on edge. The heavy mirror to the dresser had been pulled a foot away from the wall.

I made my way back to the other end of the house. The one thing that stood out immediately was the wires from the TV laying bare where our VCR used to sit. In all that night, we lost all my wife’s jewelry and jewelry box, my valet box that had been given me as a gift from employees which contained my grandfather’s pocket watch, my deceased father’s pen set, my high school ring and other sentimental keepsakes. In addition, about $3,500 worth of camera equipment had been stolen and one gym duffel bag and a pillowcase, apparently to carry their loot in.

In comparison, the $5,000 claim, and the damage to one window and the back door, was small to the mental and emotional loss that night. It would be a week before my wife would sleep in our bedroom again. We slept on the hide-a-bed sofa with the light on in our living room. We also had an alarm system installed and extra security lights. Still the theft of peace of mind and safety in our own home prevailed. The feeling of personal violation and loss of security would linger long after receiving a compensation check from our insurance company.

There are many lessons learned from God through this experience, one of the most important was trust. While our lives were invaded and our peace of mind violated, our trust in God and His people was invigorated.

I do not know how late it was that evening when I called our neighbors who lived about 100 yards away past a wooded lot. Russell and Linda were great neighbors in our rural community. A godly man and woman who did not hesitate. They sat with us, prayed with us and stayed long after the police left. Then, Linda sat with Pam while Russell and I worked to board up the broken window and repair the door enough to close and lock. Then, they stayed a while longer and checked on us again the next morning. Not only our neighbors, our church family supported us in many ways as well.

God’s people unite and serve one another in each other’s time of need. This is biblical community as demonstrated in the book of Acts and throughout the Bible. All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

Russell Lamb has since gone on to his heavenly reward, and I will never forget not only that November night in 1994, but all the times Russell & Linda proved to be God’s servants – perhaps His angels unaware. While we live several hundred miles and states apart today, I believe to this day, 25 years later, if I called on Linda, she would respond as best she could. And I trust she knows Pam and I would be there for her as well.

Lesson learned: Even in trials and personal violation God and His servants can be trusted to sit and walk with you. God has individuals in your life whom you can trust to be there for you through the trials.

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2 (KJV) Not only strangers, neighbors too!

A little lengthier than normal, this is an excerpt from an upcoming book about lessons from God. May God comfort and bless you through it.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Like a highway, life is full of twists and turns. Some you may see before you arrive at them, others may catch you by surprise. Those that catch you by surprise often leave you with a gasp of angst and if you successfully maneuver the unexpected turn, with a breath of relief. We are coming through one of those unexpected turns in life right now, in 2020. Will you look back and say, “Whew, made it through that one.”? Or will you be able to look back and recognize the victories and successes you made personally through the time of pandemic and lockdown?

Driving an unfamiliar highway, these unforeseen twists can throw you into a skid or cause a crash. To avoid a skid and a crash, changes in your driving must take place. Back off the accelerator, press the brake, turn the steering wheel the exact needed angle. Before successes and victories can be had, changes must be made. Life’s highway requires the same. What changes did you undertake to be successful through this twist in the highway of life?

What have you learned through the changes you have made? Will you keep the changes in place? Will you return to the old ways of doing things in your life? Certainly, you are not going to change everything. But what have you learned through this pandemic that will move you to be a better person for the rest of your life?

Part of good driving requires an occasional glance in the rearview mirror. The rearview mirror never gives any indication of where you are going. Only what you have left behind. Yet, these glances in the rearview mirror are critical to safe driving. There is a reason your windshield is 72 times larger than your rearview mirror. Our focus is to be forward.

In the church, I believe pastors and members alike must glance in the rearview mirror on occasion. Not to live in the past, but to glance at what we’ve just come through. Coming out of this covid-19 twist in the road of life is one of these times.

With this glance in the rearview mirror, what has your church learned that will enable you to be The Great Commission church that God has Called you to be? What changes will you keep in place. How will you improve your serve for God? How will you be more Christ and the church written in the book of Acts, than you were 3 months ago?

Will traditions be dropped or changed to enable to be like the early Christian church, or will you reflect the church of the past 50 years – the church of the westernization of Christianity? I pray you and your church take seriously the challenge to become more like the church found in the book of Acts. It begins with prayer. There are plenty of passages to pray. Here’s one to begin with, Philippians 2:5-11.

God Almighty, Father, help me make my own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who existing in the form of God did not consider equality with God as something to be used for his own advantage. God forgive me, for I have used my position in Your family for my own advantage. As Christ emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, may I, by Your Holy Spirit, be emptied of myself and become a slave to Your truths, not only words, but in all action. Lead me to humble myself as Christ did by becoming obedient even to the point of death…

Until we, as a church, come to this point of humility and brokenness, can we truly become the body of Christ as God ordained. Life is a highway filled with twists and turns. It’s time to let Jesus take the wheel.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Bob is a devoted husband, father, hard worker, and member of a church I served. He attended church services every week, sitting with his wife and was a great handyman who worked in construction. Bob and his wife are wonderful people, friends. They enjoyed having people in their home. I loved the times Pam and I were invited into their home for a meal & conversation. The one thing I just didn’t get about Bob was he did not regularly attend Sunday School (small group Bible study). Was there something missing in Bob’s Christianity? I mean, certainly according to the standards of mainline denominations you couldn’t be a real committed Christian unless you were actively involved in Sunday School, right?

Now, I am a Sunday School guy. I truly believe in it and that everyone should be involved and engaged in the Christian life through an Open Small Group Bible study. And this is how God used Bob and taught me a valuable lesson that churches need to understand and learn coming out of this Covid-19 pandemic.

Bob began a larger remodel project at our church. He was there everyday after working his construction job. He would arrive about 3:00 or 3:30 each day and stay until, well, long after I was gone for the day. But I made it a point to go to the area of the church he was working and spend some time with him. Bob and I were friends, but I wanted him to know I appreciated him for using his gifts and to help if I could. And I thought I might get to talk with him about Sunday School.

In my almost daily visits with Bob at the church worksite, God began to reveal to me a lesson He wanted me to learn through Bob. I learned that Bob stopped at the same restaurant every morning (Monday through Friday) and he always carried his Bible in and studied while eating breakfast. This drew attention and gave him opportunities to pray for the wait staff and others and spiritual conversations. I learned of other things Bob was doing outside the church demonstrating his Christianity. He was always serving others with his skills and abilities.

The first lesson God taught me through Bob was, he was probably getting more Bible study than 90% of the people attending Bible study classes. The second lesson, Bob was actually putting his Christianity into practice – every day. Bob was doing for others, using his gifts and talents serving those who had needs. This is what we want taught in Sunday School, yet, it is rarely practiced in such a manner by attendees. Few members of any church I’ve served gave as Bob gives.

The main lesson God taught me through Bob was, it’s not always about attending what I want people to attend. It is about truly serving God, what we teach in every Bible study class and every sermon. God’s question to me, “Which is more important, people in class or people out demonstrating the love of Christ through obedience and service?” The answer is simple and straightforward. The Christian life is about serving. God was teaching Bob through his daily Bible study at breakfast and at night in his home.

I am still a small group Bible study man, and I am so grateful God put Bob in my life to teach me valuable lessons. As we look to reopen our churches, let us also rethink what it means and how to lead in new directions of Christianity – everyone using his/her gifts to serve outside the church building.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

After reading last week’s post one pastor included in an email to me, “I am afraid many churches even ours once we are back worshiping in person will struggle not because of Theological or Doctrinal differences but will struggle and fight against Traditions.” Last week I wrote about churches in phase four of decline. Actually, churches in any phase of decline or growth will face this challenge of battling traditions.

The absolute best way to overcome traditionalism is to start new ones, healthy biblical ones. This pandemic and shutdown of church services has given us a great opportunity to be the church to the community around us. I pray your church has already engaged in helping your community. If not, don’t wait any longer. Start today. Plan and execute this week some form(s) of ministry to the community.

In doing so, don’t copy models, capture principles. In other words, don’t try to do something because you heard another church did it. Find out a true need in one sector of your community, and determine how you, as a church, are specifically gifted and resourced to meet that need. Then, rally the troops and begin serving your community. You can do it. God has resourced your church specifically to meet a need (or two) in your community. This is starting new traditions.

You have already adapted your regular meetings – worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings. When it is time to go back to the church house, there is no need to stop those, at least most of them. Continue on. God can use those means even after this is all behind us. People are being saved, the Great Commission is being served and God’s Word is being delivered to many who have not darkened the door of a church in their entire life. This is new traditions in many churches.

This pandemic has brought great and new opportunities for serving and being the church, the Great Commission church, God instituted following Christ’s resurrection. The church is lacking and not following God in obedience if we come through this and attempt to return to “normal” which is, in this case, another word for tradition.

Without an awakening of the church through this pandemic, I fear what’s next is persecution of the church amplified and expediated beyond our comprehension. God is extending His mercy on His church. Will you heed the call to become and lead your church to be The Great Commission church God intended? Not in tradition or in modern culture Christianity, but in true biblical community as read in the book of Acts? How were they adding to their number daily? It wasn’t because they were sheltered in place.

As my pastor friend, Roger White, quoted above, stated, “I pray our church will realize this is a grand opportunity to show the Lord to our community.” May this be my prayer, your prayer, and that of every North American believer.

What will you begin today to lead your church away from the old, perhaps damaging traditions into new ways of ministry reaching your community and beyond? Let me hear.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Did you know you can still purchase a bomb shelter and have it installed in your backyard? Bomb or fallout shelters rose to popularity in the US in the late 1950’s and 60’s. These shelters were constructed to supposedly protect in times of foreign bombing invasion. Actually, President John F. Kennedy encouraged Americans to consider building bomb shelters following the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile crisis. Shelter sales nearly quadrupled from 60,000 to over 200,000. While we never had the need to use fallout shelters, many were later deemed unreliable and insufficient.

Before succumbing to death and closing its doors a church will find themselves in phase four of decline. In Reaching the Summit I call phase four Grasping for Survival. When a church reaches phase four, more is done to keep the church doors open for the members than community action with the gospel.

In this phase, church leaders and members realize a staggering change is necessary. Therefore, they begin grasping for the next best thing, a silver bullet or a quick fix. Reality is, there are no silver bullet, quick fixes for declining churches. It takes work, commitment and a change of heart in the people of the church. The most important change is of the heart, the way we pray.

Is it possible many churches reach phase four because they are unwilling to work differently, pray differently, and change? Yes. I have heard people speak those very words. Some are tired, worn out from doing ineffective ministry for years and now unable to see or think in other terms.

Erwin McManus says of the church, “Once surviving has become our supreme goal, we have lost our way.” The goal of the church cannot be to survive. Some churches have a mantra of not to survive but to thrive. Yet, would you agree with me that God’s calling on the church is not to survive or to thrive, but to serve all mankind?

Jesus said Himself, “The Son of man has not come to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45) Likewise, we are called to serve. This is our purpose for living.

Today, we are living in a world of uncertainties. Not allowed to worship in group settings, not allowed to “do” ministry as we have for decades. This is not the end for God’s churches. I am hearing and reading great testimonies of God’s work, people surrendering their hearts and lives to Christ during this lockdown. We have right now, today, a great opportunity to be and share the gospel.

Yet I fear many churches are and will become spiritual bomb shelters. Crawling into the shelter of perceived safety, when called to always be the hands and feet of Christ. We have this privilege because God’s servants who have gone before us did not crawl into shelters. They were the hands and feet of Christ in tough times. Some have died that you and I would have the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond.

As the body of Christ we are to serve humanity. The only way to do this is to personally engage. Today, we are being challenged to think differently of how to engage the culture. How is your church engaging the community with the gospel in these troubling times? How are you personally?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.