Church leadership

Train Yourself to Be Godly #11: Practicing Godly Generosity

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*Training yourself to be godly will include being generous like God.

According to one online source, there are 3,871 Self-storage facilities in Canada as of November 2025. (https://www.poidata.io/report/self-storage-facility/canada/)

People store anything and everything from exercise equipment to furniture to heirlooms and extra clothes. One of the growing storage needs has been RV storage lots because people spend thousands of dollars on something they only use a couple of weeks a year. The average Canadian has way more stuff than they need.

Here’s the question we want to ask of God’s word today: How do we train ourselves to be godly in light of our stuff? How do we handle our resources righteously?

Let’s talk about how to handle our resources righteously:

1.         Practice Tithing

Deuteronomy 14:22-23 says, “You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—… Doing this will teach you always to fear the LORD your God.”

Tithing was really important to God as he makes clear in Malachi 3:8-9.

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!

“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’

“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.

God clearly tells the Israelites you are suffering because you are cheating me. You are not giving your tithes and offerings. God expected it. We need to consider the Discipline of Tithing.

Some suggest Jesus never told us to tithe but look at Matthew 23:23: “… you Pharisees. Hypocrites! …you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Tithing was such a big part of the Jewish faith that Jesus only seems to mention it in passing, but assumes that tithing will be part of their life.

2.         Do not Covet!

Commandment number ten of the Ten Commandments says this: “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17).

Tithing is about giving back to God from what God has given us. To “not covet” is to be satisfied with what God has given to us. When we covet, we are not satisfied with what we have. We think we are lacking something, missing out.

Part of the issue here is that we don’t need as much stuff as we think we do. We would do well to figure out how to practice the Spiritual Discipline of Simplicity and make do with less.

Beyond Tithing and Not Coveting, we need to consider Generosity.

3.         Practice Generosity

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17). “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Not only is God generous with physical blessings, but God is also generous in giving us salvation! “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.: (Ephesians 2:8-9).

So, as we look at training ourselves to be godly, how can we be generous like God? We could be generous:

  • With our money. “God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7
  • By practicing hospitality. “Practice hospitality.” – Romans 12:13
  • By sharing material possessions. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” – 1 John 3:17
  • By sharing food. “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” – Proverbs 22:9

And as we are generous, look at what will happen: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor” (Proverbs 22:9).

Be generous like our generous God by practicing some of the following disciplines:

  • Discipline of Tithing – giving at least 10%
  • Discipline of Stewardship – careful deliberate managing of the resources God has given.
  • Discipline of Simplicity – not gathering and holding on to so much stuff
  • Discipline of Generosity – reflecting God’s generosity in how we are generous to others.

What discipline will you put into your own Spiritual Life Training Plan?

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Train Yourself to Be Godly #6: Fellowship and Community

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*Training yourself to be godly may include fellowship and community.

Because of our North American independent mindset, many of us have missed the point that much of scripture addresses the Christian life with an expectation of connection. This is expressed and experienced in fellowship and community.

A simple definition for fellowship I heard is this: it’s two fellows in a ship. While this gets to the idea of fellowship, it is much more than two or more people in close proximity.

Fellowship (koinonia in Greek) is about “partnership, participation, sharing, communicating, and communing together”.

David Mathis defines fellowship as “less like friends gathered to watch the Super Bowl, and more like players on the field in blood, sweat, and tears, huddled in the backfield only in preparation for the next down.”Fellowship is joining in together with others to encourage and comfort and lift up. To do the “one another’s” of the Bible to each other: love one another, encourage one another, and so on.

Community is another word for fellowship. John Mark Comer describes it like this: “From coming together on Sunday for worship or eating a meal around a table to practicing confession to entering into spiritual direction, therapy, or mentorship – community is how we travel the Way together” (Practicing the Way). Community is experienced when we get to know each other well enough to be there to encourage, strengthen, or lift each other up when needed.

You may not think of Fellowship, or Community, as a spiritual practice, but they are. They are part of helping us to grow in our relationship with Jesus. This is one of the reasons that Hebrews 10 tells us to “not neglect meeting together… but to encourage one another”. They are practices we can choose to join into with purpose.

Fellowship and community are more than just being part of a church or attending every Sunday. Often, fellowship and community are experienced with a close friend or two, or in an intentional small group that meets regularly to help each other grow in their faith.

Stephen Macchia  suggests that fellowship and community are defined and experienced by the following:

  • Faithful presence
  • Honesty and transparency
  • Mutual submission
  • Confession and forgiveness
  • Joy: Laughter and tears
  • Listening and empathy
  • Attitude of gratitude

All of this can be summed up in being open and honest with a few people you trust so you can walk with them and they with you through your life journey with Jesus.

I encourage you to find a few good friends or join a small group, where you can get to know each other and care for each other in real, meaningful, and practical ways. Do this intentionally and you will be practicing fellowship and community as spiritual practices.

Watch for more on fellowship next week.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Spiritual Training Series #2: The Spiritual Practice of Reading Scripture

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*Training yourself to be godly will include reading scripture.

Anne of Green Gables described the type of friend she longed to meet: “A bosom friend. A kindred spirit. I’ve dreamt of meeting her all my life.” We all desire a good friend, a bosom friend who understands us, wants to spend time with us, and shares our interests.

But did you know that you can become a friend of Jesus? Or that Jesus wants to call you his friend?

In John 15:14,15, Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

Jesus calls YOU a friend if you do what he commands.

This is not just for the disciples – Jesus is inviting you and me – as his present-day disciples, to become his friends!

Verse 15 declares there is a change of status for Jesus’ disciples – there are no longer slaves (or servants) but friends!

But there needs to be obedience on the part of the friends.

And for the friends to be obedient to those commands – they need to know what those commands are!

Yes, Jesus is Lord, but he invites us into friendship. Jesus invites us into friendship, not as ones who must do everything Jesus said – or God said – but as ones who know the heart of Jesus and want to do the things that honor and show respect to our Lord – and friend!

You are my friends if… If what? If you do what I command.

How do we know what Jesus (or the Father) has commanded? We need to read the Bible.

If you want to be a friend of Jesus you need to spend time in Scripture getting to know Jesus, reading it like a letter from a friend rather than a textbook.

This is about getting to know the heart of God, the heart of Jesus. It’s about getting to know him and love him and desire to please him so that it is not obedience out of obligation, but because of a desire to please the one you love!

If you want to train yourself to be godly, to become a friend of Jesus and be more like him, you will want to include a regimen of Scripture reading (memorization, meditation, study, etc.), which will help you to get to know Jesus better.

First, get your own Bible, and then make a plan for reading the Bible. There are various Bible Reading Plans available, including some that take you through the entire Bible in a year. Just search the internet and you can download or order from a variety of plans, but make sure you have a plan so you can train yourself to be godly!

Read the Bible regularly so you can learn what Jesus has commanded, can do what he has taught, and be his friend, and become more godly in the process.

We are to train ourselves to be godly. It begins with reading the Bible regularly.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Do Something That Scares You

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DO SOMETHING EACH MONTH IN WORSHIP THAT FRIGHTENS YOU
If you want to grow, you should be prepared to risk. As a rule of thumb, do something every month that scares you. If you grow in your faith and tenacity, do something every week that scares you. It might be asking a 7th grader to pray the benediction. It may be singing in the middle of the sermon. It may be asking a visitor about his relationship with Christ after a service is over. If you’re shaking in your boots sometime during your ministry, you might feel uncomfortable, but at least you know you have a pulse.

I came across the above paragraph some time ago and don’t remember where it came from or who wrote it, but I keep it on my sermon preparation checklist as a reminder to be willing to do something new and different from time to time.

It is easy for pastors to do exactly what they have always done in how they preach a sermon or plan and lead a service. Human beings easily fall into a rut, a routine that feels comfortable and familiar. But there is a reason that people love to go to Disneyland. I don’t think it’s the rides and entertainment alone; I think part of it is because it is different and unusual from our daily lives. As much as we might fight change, we still want some variety from time to time.

At the same time, bringing variety to a service takes risk. When we, and our church, are used to doing things a certain way, we know that a change could very well frustrate some people. Some may oppose it just because it is different. Some may even have a biblical reason why you shouldn’t have done what you did.

Yet taking the risk may be worth it. Variety awakens our senses. When we taste something new, our tongue notices whether it is an unpleasant taste we have no intention of repeating or a pleasant taste that we think we would like to try again. New experiences awaken different new feelings that the familiar old ways do not. In some churches, a person could sleep through the service and know exactly what happened, in what order, and maybe even the message that was preached, but introducing something new can wake us up.

Recently, at a church where I serve as a transition pastor, I invited people to come for prayer for healing after a baptism service. I have never done that before, but felt that God wanted me to do so. I appealed to Isaiah 53: 4 – 5 to explain the connection between baptism and healing.

4 Surely he took up our pain

    and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

    stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

    and by his wounds we are healed.

I pointed out how Matthew ties Jesus’ healing of the sick and demon possessed to this passage:

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities

    and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17)

A couple of people came for prayer. After the service, a few people told me that prayer for healing had not been practiced in the church, but they were grateful that I had offered it.

The risk for me was to add prayer for healing to a baptism service – something I had never done before. I didn’t know that it was also going beyond the usual practice of the church. But God honoured my willingness to risk as I felt him lead.

Let’s not be afraid to risk misunderstanding, or even simple awkwardness, by doing something in a new way. May God help us to know when to step out of the usual and risk something new.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

God Draws People to Himself in Creative Ways!

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A few years ago, I asked one of our members why she started attending our church. Her answer went something like this: “I read my horoscope, and it told me that I am a religious person, but not in the conventional way, so I thought I would go to church to find out.” Our creative God can use a horoscope to draw people to Himself!

I am preparing for a baptism service in a few weeks. A lady who is preparing to be baptized on that Sunday sent me a copy of her testimony of how she came to the place of surrendering her life to Jesus. It was a very well-written story explaining that she came from a family that had no interest in God, but God began to work in her life. She explained how she lingered a little longer than usual on a social media post about Christianity. The algorithm picked up on that and began highlighting other verses and Christian thoughts for her. She realized she was against the Bible without ever having read it. She started reading the Bible. She met other Christians and had meaningful conversations with them and started attending a church. God drew her to the point of surrendering herself to God through faith in Jesus. She described how she had just recently burned her tarot cards and is truly trusting Jesus. Our creative God can use social media algorithms to draw people to Himself.

I don’t know how God drew you to Him, but He is creative in how He works. We see this in scripture as well. God sent Philip to meet an Ethiopian official who was reading Isaiah in his chariot, and the official surrendered himself to Jesus. Peter preached to a crowd on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus. The Lord knocked Paul off his horse and blinded him to draw Paul to Himself. Zacheus was up in a tree when Jesus noticed him, and Zacheus’ life was changed as Jesus went to his house and opened his eyes to a new reality of faith in God.

Jesus said in John 6:44, “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me.” We are told that the Father draws people to Himself. But we are not told how that drawing may take place. God is creative and has all kinds of ways to break into hard hearts and draw people to Himself.

The examples I shared of people I have met make it clear that God doesn’t need you or me to begin bringing people to Him. In both cases, once they were interested and searching, God arranged for them to meet people who could help them along their new journey of developing a faith in Jesus and growing in relationship with God. We, as people, do not, and cannot, make anyone believe in Jesus. We can share stories about Jesus, and we can pray for and with them, but it is God who opens their hearts to faith in Him.

We have a role to play in people coming to faith in Jesus. We may encounter people at various stages of their journeys and have opportunities to be a part of their journey whenever we encounter them. Some may not have heard about Jesus, and we have the privilege of sharing the story of the Saviour of all people. Some may have heard about Jesus but never realized they needed to surrender their lives to His Lordship. Others may already have been drawn by the Father and are looking for someone to help them understand the decision they have made.

Whatever stage we encounter people, we can pray for them, we can share what we know about Jesus, and we can invite them to make a decision to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. We have an amazingly creative Father God who invites men and women and boys and girls to faith in Jesus in whatever way He chooses. Let’s be aware of people in our life who are searching and whom the Father has been drawing so we can help them understand and begin their eternal life of faith in Jesus.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Persevering Through Leadership Challenges

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Leadership is not for the faint of heart. Leaders can expect to face challenges from those they lead. Church leaders are not exempt from this reality.

I recently met with a church board who were facing these kinds of challenges. Some of the congregation were complaining that the board wasn’t leading well, others said they would never submit to the board’s leadership, and others said they didn’t even know who the leaders on their board were. Leaders can expect to face condemnation from every angle, facing criticism for being both too controlling and at the same time not leading strongly enough.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3:1: “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.” It is a good thing to desire to be a leader, but Paul immediately follows up that statement with a list of qualifications a godly leader should measure up to. Not just anyone can be a leader.

Once you are a leader, you are entrusted with the care of those you are called to lead. It doesn’t matter how you came to your position; you have to believe that you are there because God wanted you there. Whatever system your church uses to select leaders, the assumption is that the church trusts God to guide that process. That means you are not just there because some people in the church wanted you there; you are there because God wanted you there. This is important as you face challenges from those you are called to lead. If you believe God put you in that position, then you can persevere with His strength, no matter the challenges.

How can you face these challenges and continue to lead?

Believe you are called to your leadership position by God.

When you are called by God, you can trust Him to help you persevere through tough leadership challenges because He will empower and equip you to do so.

Pray and read scripture.

As a church leader, you need to be in tune with God and to hear from Him as you navigate the hard seasons. Take time to talk to God about your challenges. Ask God to help you understand those who criticize you. Listen for God’s direction, either directly to you in prayer or through scripture.

Read the Bible with the desire to find answers to your challenges. This could be through examples of good leadership in scripture. It may be that you are encouraged by Paul’s letters to churches and leaders. Read so you can be encouraged by the Word of God.

Learn and grow in leadership.

I have found that reading leadership books, attending seminars or conferences, and listening to podcasts has encouraged me and helped to equip me to tackle various challenges I have faced as a leader in the church. We can learn from the stories of others. We can gain knowledge, skills, and encouragement from others who have faced similar situations.

Leadership can be exciting when everyone is working well together, but it can be difficult when people you are called to lead do not trust you and question every step. I hope you can find encouragement in your calling, find direction in God’s Word, and hear from God in prayer. Continue to persevere as you face challenges.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Is Your Church Declining or Growing?

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You may have heard some of the discouraging statements about church closures recently. A study by the National Trust of Canada “predicted that one-third of Canada’s 27,000 faith buildings, most of which are Christian, would likely close permanently in the next 10 years.”[i] The narrative around church closures includes conversations about the decline of religious affiliation in Canada. A January 8, 2022 Global News Report stated: “Religiosity in Canada is at an all-time low, with recently released data from Statistics Canada showing only 68 per cent of Canadians 15 or older now report having a religious affiliation. It’s the lowest it’s been since they first started tracking this statistic in 1985.[ii] The Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research, in a 2024 article, stated an opposing view, saying “overall the Canadian Christian Church had only 2% fewer net congregations in 2019 (23,675) than they did in 2009 (24,138).”[iii] While pointing out that there are only a few fewer churches, the article acknowledged that religious affiliation is indeed down.

I understand that churches do sometimes close. The church I started in as a youth pastor no longer exists. At the same time, I am very encouraged as I think of the churches I have served as a transitional pastor over the last 5 years.

I have served seven churches, of which three were growing even during their transition, and all the rest were stable. Not one of the churches was in continual decline.

So what might this mean for us as pastors and church leaders?

There may be times when a church should close. Some of our rural communities are declining as people move away for school and jobs, which may mean a church closes for lack of people. Some churches may need to close because they have lost their mission and are no longer serving as a church, but a Christian club for a few dedicated members.

So what does this mean for church leaders?

We need to remind ourselves that we are serving God’s church. It is His church. While we can definitely do our part, we need to ask God to step in and bring revival where necessary and grow the church. We need to remind the church of our mission to make disciples who make other disciples. We need to give people hope and joy in their relationship with Jesus. We need to look for ways to bring spiritual renewal and transformation into our congregations, beginning with us.

We cannot lead people where we aren’t going first. Are you hungry for God? Are you digging into His Word, hungry for more of Him? Are you reading books on spiritual renewal? Are you praying and inviting others to pray with you? Are you loving your neighbours and those in the community around the church building?

Pastors, God wants us to use our gifting and calling to draw people ever closer to Jesus. I am convinced that when people fall in love with Jesus again, they will come alive. They will experience Him at work in their lives. As we ask for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, He will fill us and empower us for holy living and bold sharing of the gospel.

Quit preaching “self-help” sermons. Preach Jesus from the Gospels. Preach about the filling of the Holy Spirit. Introduce spiritual disciplines and invite your church to practice them. Show your members the full life that can be theirs.

God is still at work. He is still drawing new people to Himself. New believers are asking to be baptized. Some of your members are hungry and searching for more of Jesus. Encourage those who are already searching and ask God to open the hearts of others.

Are churches closing? Yes, some are, but yours does not need to be one of them. Be proactive. Do not assume the decline of your church is inevitable. God is still at work, renewing believers and reviving churches. May yours be one of those.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

[i] New report suggests opening churches to the masses as attendance dwindles

By The Canadian Press

Published: June 22, 2025 at 7:43AM EDT https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/new-report-suggests-opening-churches-to-the-masses-as-attendance-dwindles/

[ii] [1] ‘Gone by 2040’: Why some religions are declining in Canada faster than ever

By Ashleigh Stewart  Global News

Posted January 8, 2022 5:00 am

 Updated January 17, 2022 3:21 pm https://globalnews.ca/news/8471086/religion-decline-canada/

[iii] Hope For the Future: The 2021 Canadian Census

Rev. Dr. Lee Beachhttps://flourishingcongregations.org/hope-for-the-future-the-2021-canadian-census/

Discerning Truth

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New ideas challenge our understanding. What do we do with new ideas? As a young man, I wanted things to be black and white. I wanted to know right and wrong. I accepted the teachings I received in my church and at home, as well as those I learned at Bible College. I held strong views about beliefs and practices of other churches based on what I had grown up with.

As I ventured into the world, I discovered speakers, authors, and churches who presented ideas I was not comfortable with because they were different than what I thought was right. There were times when the teachings I came across made sense. There were times I had to adjust my thinking because I was wrong, or at least not fully informed, about a certain belief.

How should we respond to new ideas? Let’s look at a couple of ways we often respond to new teachings.

It is new, so it is wrong.

There are some people who are convinced, as I was in my early years, that anything new and different must be wrong.  And if it is wrong, it must be avoided. These people will not accept anything new as true because it is not what they are used to or comfortable with. They will ban those books from their libraries and caution others not to listen to those speakers. In their desire to hold to the truth, they assume that they already have the truth and don’t need to be confused with new ideas. While well-meaning, this is a naïve attitude that prevents many good followers of Jesus from growing.

It is new and I don’t know if it is right or wrong.

Some Christians, when exposed to new ideas, aren’t sure if these are right or wrong, and either don’t want or don’t know how to determine if it is right, so they just choose to ignore the new idea. Maybe it’s too much work to figure out if it is true. Maybe they aren’t sure how to assess it’s validity. Maybe they are comfortable and don’t want anyone to rock the boat. Life is good, I know where I stand, I know what my church teaches, and my friends believe. I don’t need to check out anything else.

Again, this attitude keeps followers of Jesus from growing in their relationship with Jesus as they never struggle with new understandings of God or scripture. Spiritual growth assumes a deeper or further understanding of and obedience to God. This may include accepting something new.

It is new, but is it true?

Other followers of Jesus are aware that they do not have all the answers. They may have already experienced times where a new teaching has given them further clarity about who Jesus is or how He works in their lives. They are willing to do the work to find out if this new teaching is truth or not, and willing to accept and apply the new teaching if it is true.

Their attitude is “I don’t know if it is true, but I will check it out.”

And so they study scripture to see if what they have been hearing is consistent with scripture. They read other authors or listen to other teachers they trust to get advice from other believers. They take time to talk to God about what they have discovered, asking God to give them clarity about what they are hearing. They might consider how this teaching has been accepted by other churches or by some of the older writers.

These followers of Jesus do not just jump on the bandwagon because friends are or because a certain speaker endorses this teaching, but they take time to consider it carefully before accepting it.

I have benefited greatly from discovering teachings that were not part of my childhood or that of my church. I have learned to appreciate teachings on the gifts of the Spirit and learning to listen and hear from God. I have appreciated being challenged on my beliefs about the kingdom of God. I have come a long way from my theological roots, continuing to carefully learn and grow in understanding God and how He works in us. In my pursuit of a deeper intimacy with Jesus, I have had to grow in my understanding and learned to accept new truths along the way.

Discerning truth is not a quick and easy process, but it may be of great benefit to you and your relationship with God as you get to know more. Be willing to do the work of assessing the validity of new teachings you come across without discarding them too quickly.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

What to Do When You Have Nothing to Do

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The life of a pastor is usually a very full one with many expectations placed on us. There is always another sermon to write or lesson to prepare or meeting to lead. There is another report that needs to be written and an appointment to keep. Even when no one else is placing requirements on us, we have priorities that we want to address. It is not often we experience a period of having nothing to do, but it can happen.

Summers are often slower times. Many programs break for a few months, and there are fewer demands from people as many are on vacation. There may also be fewer sermons to prepare as guest missionaries or ministry partners visit to share updates.

So what do you do during less busy times?

Take a vacation.

Summer might be the perfect time for you to take a vacation with your family or friends. Because there are fewer demands on you at this time, it is easier to get away. Fewer of your responsibilities need to be covered by someone else if you are gone.

Take an extra day off.

Most pastors work much more than a 40-hour work week, putting in many more hours than you are compensated for. When you have a slow day or week, why not take an extra day or afternoon off and surprise your family with a day trip?

Spend time with God.

All of us can benefit from more time with God. If you have time, book off an afternoon, or a day for a personal retreat. Read scripture, pray, go for a prayer walk, or practice a spiritual discipline or two. Ask God to speak into your life, showing you where you need to grow. Ask God to give direction for the next year.

Remind yourself of your priorities.

A slow day allows you to remind yourself of your priorities. It may be a time to evaluate how you have been spending your time. Maybe you need to realign your schedule or refocus on areas that have been slipping. Make sure you are doing the job God is asking of you.

Clean your office.

This may sound like a meaningless task, but there is something therapeutic in cleaning one’s space. Organize papers, throw out stuff that is cluttering your desk or shelves. This process helps you present a more organized feel to those who enter your office and also helps you to remove distractions.

Take your spouse on an impromptu date.

Has it been a while since you went on a date? Take advantage of the time you have and do something on the spur of the moment. Go out for a special meal or enjoy a picnic by a nearby lake or river. Take time to go for a slow walk, talking together about life and the family and your relationship with Jesus.

We are so driven as pastors that we sometimes find it hard to enjoy a slow day. Don’t let it go to waste or fill it with busy-ness. Do something meaningful and refreshing.

I hope you get to enjoy some slow days this summer!

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

I Can’t Do What God Can Do

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I can’t do what God can do. God can do what I can’t do.

As a pastor, as a leader, I have come to realize that there are not many things that I can actually do to make people come to know Jesus, grow in their faith, learn to serve, or continue to pursue Jesus.

I can’t make a seeker surrender their life to Jesus.

I want people to come to know Jesus and put their faith in Him for forgiveness and salvation, but I cannot make them surrender their lives to Jesus; however, God can. John 6:44 is clear, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” God can draw people to Himself. He can soften the sinner’s heart and create a longing in them for a relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

I can’t make anyone fall in love with God.

Many Christians possess extensive knowledge about God and Jesus and could pass a test on the Bible and their understanding of who God is and what Jesus did to provide salvation. Unfortunately, I am realizing many of these same people do not have a real, alive relationship with God.  I can’t make anyone fall in love with Jesus or with the Heavenly Father, but God can draw them and open their hearts and spiritual minds to get to know him personally and learn to love Him. God can reveal Himself to them in personal ways that deepen their love for Him.

I can’t disciple people on my own.

I can teach people and do my best to lead them by example. I can try to disciple them in the way that Matthew 28:19-20 calls us to. But it is only God who can work in their hearts, and it is the Spirit at work in them that helps Christians continue to grow in their faith.

I can’t make people serve.

I can try to guilt people into serving, I can push people, but ultimately, for them to serve with God’s love, God must show them the need to serve and use their gifts and passions and skills for Him.

I can’t make a Bible lesson change someone’s life.

I enjoy teaching, but I have recognized that the impact of a lesson on the hearts of the students really depends on what God chooses to do in their hearts in that moment. God is the one who can use the words of the teacher in ways that He chooses.

I can’t make a church grow.

I love to see new people added to the church. I love to hear stories of churches that are running out of room because so many people are attending. I can try to use various church growth techniques, but I have realized over the years that growth depends on what God does in the hearts of people.

I can invite people to do something, I can try to inspire them in a certain direction, but I cannot make people do anything they do not want to do. Yet as I trust God to work, He does. He works in me, and through me, and in others, as I faithfully do what God asks of me. I need to serve Him faithfully, and I need to recognize the results have little do with me and are all about how God is at work in people’s lives.

Yes, we need to work hard and do our best, recognizing that we need God to work. There are many things we can’t do, but if God is the one who does the work in people’s lives, we can pray urgently for God to work in our church and the people we serve.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe