Keep Going!

Alan Stewart gave the morning devotional, based on 2 Timothy 3, at the In The Chute church planting conference at Collaroy Conference Centre, Collaroy, NSW.  He highlighted a number of key ideas which will encourage believers and church leaders to keep going!

He introduced this devotion by pointing out that while many people he knows have left the ministry, not one has left because of pressure from the non-Christian world.  They have left because of the pressures within the church.  Paul writes to Timothy and warns him that there will be people in the church who will make gospel ministry difficult.  He tells Timothy:  "Have nothing to do with them!" (v. 5)  We waste a lot of time trying to win people who have "the form of godliness but deny its power." (v. 5)  There is going to be conflict in gospel ministry.  But here is the clincher:  conflict in the church is more damaging to church leaders than conflict in the world.  How can church leaders be encouraged to keep going?  Now Paul reminds Timothy:  "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me ...." (v. 10)  You cannot do ministry in isolation from others.  Paul and Timothy worked closely together.  Timothy knew what Paul had all gone through.  They had done life together.  Paul had his snot kicked out of him but yet he kept going.  He is not willing to take a backward step.   In fact, "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (v. 12)   Timothy's motivation to keep going in the face of conflict is Paul's own example of ministry.

But then catch this.  Paul goes on to challenge Timothy to be Word focused.  However, Paul is not telling to give Timothy a good exegetical essay.   This happens so often in churches.  No one really listens.  It is like that in airplanes -- when the flight attendant gives the talk about "life and death" -- "in the event of an emergency, do this and that."  But most people do not listen -- because the message is not urgent.  Most people do not believe there really will be an emergency.  But what if there was an emergency -- the plane's engines have shut down, you are over the ocean -- if the flight attendant speaks up at that moment -- people will truly listen.  Paul stresses to Timothy that the message is like that; it is one of urgency.  "I give you this charge:  Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (4:2)   In the face of conflict, it would critical for Timothy to not back down from this important task of preaching the Word.   Preaching the unchanging Word of God will keep church leaders focused in the face of conflict, as Paul challenges Timothy: "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." (4:5)

A good reminder for all church leaders.