It has been a blessing to see God work through His people during these challenging times. The church in Wisconsin has faced many of the same problems seen across our country and around the world as we’ve lived, survived, and in some ways even thrived through economic, health related, and politically turbulent times.
God has blessed our churches in Wisconsin through the faithful giving of His people, but we have experienced the personal and corporate challenges of being separated during a pandemic. Now, as we are coming back together we face a new challenge, a challenge that God is prepared to help us navigate. That challenge is not simply to return to worshiping together in community, rather it is the larger call to come together for the purpose of sharing the gospel with the entire world, specifically our part of the world here in Wisconsin.
Even as we are slow to return to “normal,” God has not put the plan of salvation on hold. As His people have been hesitant to reach out to the world He has been bringing people to us. I could tell you stories… About a man who was waiting at the doors of the church at the conclusion of the lock down and said “I’ve been here every Sabbath for three weeks waiting for someone to come and open the door,” …or the family that showed up on Sabbath morning and said “We’ve been watching Pastor John Bradshaw on TV during the many weeks we were self-quarantining and we’re ready to get baptized,” …or the pastor who told me “My members are not yet feeling safe to take Jesus to the community, so Jesus is bringing the community to us.”
People are feeling their need of a living Savior. We have been blessed with the privilege and opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. Our 28 pastors aren’t sufficient to get the work done. Our over 20 volunteer Lay Pastors aren’t enough to get the work done. Our 90 churches, companies, and church plants aren’t enough to get the work done. But with your help, it will be enough. God is calling us to refocus on Him. God is calling us to turn away from politics, crisis, strife, and unrest and focus on Him. Our mission isn’t to simply survive, rather it’s to thrive in Jesus.
We are calling our pastors and our churches in Wisconsin to be involved in intentional evangelism in their districts this year. Let’s reach out to people who are searching while the opportunity is in front of us. It has been said that “we should never let a crisis go to waste.” The turbulent times we live in have forced people to search for “that something” that is missing in their life. What a blessed opportunity for us to be there to show them that missing “something” is Jesus.
What can you do, what can your church do, to point people toward Jesus this year?
Adam Case, Ministerial Director