The God of Small Beginnings

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I often compare our ministry to others and come away feeling a bit deflated. It seems as if other churches are growing with record speed, have wonderful programs, a plethora of volunteers and are doing great things for their communities.

 It's hard not to compare when our average attendance is in the 40s, it seems impossible to get people to volunteer their time or show up on a Sunday morning, let alone on a week night. Our building is one of the smallest buildings in our district and to be honest, is quite ugly on the outside. It needs a new roof, gets flooded with water when it rains too much or the snow melts too fast. Yet, we have a difficult time in getting volunteers to help with the upkeep. It can be frustrating and I can get bogged down in what is going wrong and forget about what is going right.

 Our building may be ugly on the outside but it is full of beautiful people and there are many good things that are happening inside our church. They may seem small compared to other larger churches, but they are still good.

 ❤ Every week I look around and see teens/young adults. The first year we were here I took 2 teens to our district's camp. This year I'm taking 9, along with 2 other chaperones. I was all by myself the first year.

 ❤ We have a full worship team and two of the people on it were not involved at all a year ago.

 ❤ I have a weekly program consisting of 8 children and 2 other helpers, both ladies that help me were not involved a year ago.

❤ One of the women in our church told me that she does whatever "homework" Dan assigns and is meeting with a mentor to help her grow spiritually.

 ❤ Last night I had two extra teenagers around my dinner table. I fed them and then they went off with Dan and the boys to a bi-monthly "Man Cave" group.  A gentleman from our church opens up his home, does a short devotional with them and then they play video games all night.  It's been a great way for the teen boys and young adult men to connect with each other. They usually have around 6 guys that come.

❤ We had 4 new members this past year.

 ❤ Our worship time at church as become very meaningful.  

 ❤ We provide food on a weekly basis to our local elementary school so they can send it home on the weekend with those children who would normally have nothing.

 And I could go on and on. The reality is that there are so many good things that are happening in our church. God wants us to be faithful to the ministry He has called us to and it may be small, but it's making a difference.  I am thankful for the reminders God gives me periodically. This morning, these verses in Zechariah came to mind.

 Zechariah 4:8-10 (NLT) ~

 Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.  Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand."

 It may be a small beginning, but it's still a start and forward movement.  I'm thankful for God's reminders to me this morning!

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