The Anonymity of Someone Great

 May 6, 2024

Monday

I saw some pictures from the past of the church I pastor. The sanctuary was full. That isn't what it looks like today. Sure, we have two services but combined it would not have been as full as in those past pictures. And yes, there are more churches in the area but the population is also much larger. I don't need to read articles that say that church attendance is not what it used to be.

Yet, I also see churches filled to the brim on TV. These churches have thousands in attendance. What are they doing that I am not doing? Or what am I doing that they are not doing? This question has many preachers running from one church growth seminar to another. They are all looking for the magic that will fill their churches.

So, after being in the full time ministry for over forty years I have concluded a few things. Some of the things these preacher are doing I don't want to do. I must have Jesus as the Christ as the foundation of the church. It cannot be me or some promise that Jesus never made. He never said that everyone would get rich, be healed or become the most successful in his or her field. He never said that giving Him money would make Him love people more or cause Him to give them their wants. Most of Jesus' messages about money warned His followers of its dangers.

There are some things that these charismatic pastors do that I can't do. I may want to do them but I can't. They are able to convince the congregation of the truth through their intellects, through their magnificent deliveries and through their sheer presence. I am not as smart, have tried as hard as I know how to put myself in the hands of Jesus but don't have their deliveries and have nothing in my looks that would draw people to me.

Could it be that some churches are created to reach people but never become mega-churches? It may be their location or they reach people who don't follow the crowds. They baptize one person at a time rather than by the hundreds. They know their members so they rejoice over their victories and grieve over their failings. The people of these churches cannot say they are changed by the pastor. They were changed by the Lord. These people are not swept up in the hype. They put roots of faith down deep. The church misses them when they are gone.

That doesn't mean that I fail to pray for revival. I pray that God will fill our church and all the churches around us. I pray that we will all be purified so that we will reach people without tricks, hype, marketing techniques and charisma. I pray for revival before Jesus returns. I am not sure that His return is far off. I am convinced that I will not bring about revival. I am convinced that only the Holy Spirit will bring that to the churches. I believe it will start in the smaller churches because God does not share His glory with a preacher. I know that no one would point toward me if revival breaks out.

Sometimes God does great things with people whose names never hit the spotlight. I pray that I am one of those people. The Magi were men like this. They gave great gifts to the Savior without anyone ever knowing their names. Yet, nearly every Christmas we talk about them. 

Maybe you have thought that you must do something great for the Lord when all He wanted you to do was join Him in what He is already doing. Maybe your name will never be up in lights. Maybe you could be as great as those who did great things but never demanded anyone know their names.

Matthew 2:11 (NASB 2020) ¹¹ And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.