Why not trust?

I was talking to a friend yesterday about an upcoming decision our church will make concerning the usage of our present facilities.  If you know anything about Ebenezer, you know that we have space problems… WE NEED MORE!!  When you add in the idea that we need to seek God’s answer to this, it is not as simple as some might think .. and He is leading us to use what we have to the fullest!!

People have prayed for this for YEARS.  And prayed that we will do EXACTLY what God wants in His timing.  This has been a hard wait for the Ebenezerites.  When I read back on the stories of Moses and the Children of Israel on the exodus from Egypt, I can relate.  There have been some that feel they have clear-cut answers to do THIS … and just as many that feel they have clear-cut answers to do THAT.  As a leader, the only way I maintain sanity is to focus on God and seek answers from Him.  And I have found that people don’t always like His answers.

One of the biggest mistakes churches and church people can make is to watch at what God is doing in other churches, possibly even in other cities, and assume that the same formulas and programs would work for their church.  This is dangerous, because of several factors:

• No two churches are alike.  There have never been two completely identical churches EVER.  Rick Warren speaks much of this in his books, and especially in The Purpose Driven Church.  We are in danger when we think we can copy what another church is doing and expect it to work identically in our church.
• The context of every church is different.  Even when you look at the churches in Florence, SC, each of us is a little different.  We reach different people groups.  We are each unique in our way.
• God has called each of us to a different mission.  Ultimately, we are all called to be Great Commission churches, but God uses each of us in different ways to reach this city.

With those thoughts in mind, don’t you believe God has a better plan for us than we could possibly hatch??  Don’t you think He wants what is best for us in every decision made??  I do.  That is why as we approach yet another important decision, I am looking to Him for all of the answers.

Why should we trust Him??  WHY SHOULDN’T WE?

I am praying that all of the Ebenezerites are asking Him for answers, too.  And, for all of you who go to other churches, I am praying that you seek God’s answers for your church.

Join me?