Jump directly to the Content

A CLEARER CALL FOR COMMITMENT

To win support for ministry requires the right attitude

A friend read me a letter his pastor had written to his church. The pastor chastised the congregation for their lack of commitment, poor attendance at services, and a general lack of support for programs.

While my friend read, my mind drifted to the lists I used to keep and the letters I used to write.

The lists would mark the attendance of the elders and deacons at church services. During the service I would make mental note of who was there and then afterward make my way to my office to record the data. I was gathering evidence to build a case, evidence to prove their lack of commitment to the church, evidence to justify my anger.

In an all-encompassing letter, I once criticized the entire board because of their lack of support for a church missions conference. I pointed out that less than 40 percent of the board even attended the meetings-less than the percentage of our regular people who attended!

"How can we possibly expect others to get excited about missions," I wrote angrily, "when ...

From Issue:Winter 1993: Conflict
March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR ENCOURAGEMENT?
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR ENCOURAGEMENT?
From the Magazine
Empty Streets to the Empty Grave
Empty Streets to the Empty Grave
While reporting in Israel, photographer Michael Winters captures an unusually vacant experience at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close