Preaching Through a Spiritual Crisis

Over the last two years I have learned a lot as a pastor. Some of the lessons have been simple reminders. Some have been amazing "Ah-ha" moments. And some have been significant revelations, both spiritual and person. But some of the biggest lessons have been when the two collide to create a moment of 'Spiritual Crisis.'

This morning, as I was preaching, I found myself right in the middle of a significant spiritual crisis. I spent last week studying Exodus 35 and 36. God brought the two chapter to me as a way of answer the following question, "How do I encourage the church to take the lessons we've been learning about what it means to be the church and put it into action?"

The question came as the church does two things, prepare for growth and plans for our Easter services. For the last 6 weeks, we have been moving through a series that is helping us to better understand the call of being the church, specifically the church that God wants. From our purpose to our target, from simplifying the what the church does to defining the personal discipleship and ministry, we've talked about what we believe God has called us to be.

Then last Sunday, we met to talk about Easter and what we might do as an outreach. The ideas were awesome. But it didn't take long for us to ask the question, "How?" How do we accomplish the tasks set before us? How do prepare for visitors and provide all that will be needed while we are still small? I mean, it would require all of our team committing to doing multiple things. It would stretch us to our limits. And what if it doesn't all go well? What will the visitor thing? What if they don't come back?

Following Sunday's meeting, I found myself in a place with excitement and fear were were boxing it out in my heart. I sensed that God was calling us to doing something amazing, but the how eluded me.

This week, as I prayed through the question of 'what's next,' God turned my attention to  Exodus 35 and 36. But this morning as I was preaching, I found myself preaching to myself. What I realized in the midst of all the doubt and fear, excitement and hope, I was failing at being the leader that God and the church has called to be. While I can easily get excited by the ideas, I wilt when question and doubt surface. And in that, I allow my own insecurities to take over. So there in our worship service, I found myself preaching through a spiritual crisis.

I gave the church 3 words to remember; WILLING, HEART, and ENOUGH. 

1. God calls the WILLING.

2. The willing give with their HEART.

3. With God, there is always MORE than ENOUGH.

These 3 words reminded me that I still have some work, especially remembering that with God, the is always MORE THAN ENOUGH. 

- jay

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