FAITH.
August 16th, 2010Several years after we started the Rock Church, one of our pastors was moving out of State to start his own church.
I spent a lot of time mentoring him in the ministry. He traveled with me on many trips and during his last Sunday in San Diego I asked him what he thought would the most important lesson he would need to learn?
He thought about it and even though I can’t remember exactly what his answer was, I am sure it wasn’t the one I had in mind.
I told him that the most important lesson he would need to learn was how to exercise and consistently live by faith.
Over the last 10 years since we started the Rock Church, I have had countless discussions with pastors about church growth and leadership issues. During those conversations I have heard pastors talk about how their financial limitations are restricting their ministry potential or how their lack of having a building is stunting their growth or their inexperienced staff is not able to fulfill what God has placed on their heart.
Even though there is truth to those concerns, what
I don’t hear sometimes is a faith-based plan to aggressively and creatively address those concerns or a faith-based optimism that God has something great planned for them.
Sometimes these realities can be given too much credit for the condition of the church. They can become a great source of discouragement in the life of the pastor and leadership. In others words, these conditions or limitations are talked about as though they helplessly holding the ministry hostage.
Hostage? Not! Helplessly? Never!
There is another way to look at them.
Faith. (Romans 1:17)
The first five years of our church we moved 33 times. We only had a facility 44-46 Sundays each year. Not even one day per week. Each summer we had to have church offsite three consecutive weeks because of a yearly commitment between an outside organization and our landlord.
When we were one year old, we started looking for a building even though we couldn’t have afforded one.
We approached 5-7 Banks to begin the process of getting qualified and every single one of them turned us down, except one.
When we decided to pursue the building we eventually bought, some of the local leading real estate experts said that I was crazy and that I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. They were right, but luckily God had my back.
We have been and always will be building a larger and stronger staff. This process has been exciting, scary, stressful and way over my head at times, but absolutely, what the Lord ordered.
Our challenges are always before us and life is in no way easy. Once we overcome one challenge, another pops us but we do know where our leverage is. Faith.
Whatever obstacle you are facing, let me encourage you, with much prayer and supplication, begin taking steps to at least find out how to overcome them.
The calling we have to serve the Lord is not necessarily for the rich, the faint hearted, the connected, the well resourced, the educated or the popular but those who have faith.
Let me encourage you, God is going to require you to walk by faith everyday through every situation.
In order for things to ever be easy, Satan would have to go to sleep on the job and we all know that is never going to happen.
When Joshua led Israel across the Jordan, they had to step in before God parted it. (Joshua 3)
Servant of the living God, step in the water even if you do not know how to swim and you will be amazed at what God does.
9 Responses to “FAITH.”
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Pastor Miles,
Your blog posting today has brought me to tears, for it is God speaking to me through your words!! Why is it so difficult to truly surrender and know that God really does have a perfect plan? Satan is always there trying to plant the seeds of doubt that there is a resolution to our hardships and that God can provide one that we can’t even imagine is possible. Learning to live by faith has been truly the hardest lesson to learn and I obviously still have a long ways to go.
For my family currently our hardship is a financial one, much like many people now adays. With a new baby and my husband trying to find a job after finishing his masters, we were seeking help (from family no less) so that I could work part time through the end of the year when my daughter is going to be about 6 months since it seems so detrimental to her growth and well being for me to be gone 10+ hours a day beginning at three months. This morning we got a disheartining email from our relatives that did not provide us with the solution we were looking for. A wave of stress and sorrow swept over me and even anger.
Then I read your blog. I know God loves us and he has a plan for our family, we just need to wait on his timing. Please pray for my husband and I to have renewed faith and strength that God is in control and He will provide us with peace during this transitional time for our family. I see that God is trying to mold us to have faith 100% of the time and take that leap permanently. Your words today have given me courage and much peace, for that I thank you!!
This is very Inspirational.Your right.For myself; I am letting the Lord lead & guide me. For he know’s whats best. At this point in my life. This is his time. I gave up my Will for, His Will. It’s not always about what he can do for us. But how can we serve & be of help to him.. “God & his people should be the head & not the tail.. Leading & not following.. “Keep up the good work…”
Excellent, needed to hear that.
As a new Christian, Faith is what I am most focused upon. It seems that whenever I take a step toward God, he takes 10 steps toward me. Surrender was and is the hardest thing for someone who has lived over 40 years without the Lord. Whenever I surrender more of myself to Him, more clarity and peace are added to my life. And what you said about stepping in the water before God parts it is exactly what I needed to hear. I do have a primary obstacle, right now, health, and I struggle with faith there. Some days I believe God will heal me if my faith grows strong enough, and some days I feel that I am still sick because He wants me to have this cross to bear for a higher purpose that I can’t see. I like the first option better! Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll continue to grow my faith!
I can really relate to everything you say. As a pastor of a young church we have encountered every problem and situation and change you have spoken of on a smaller level. The faith in God of Pastor Miles and the staff of the Rock Church has been a great example to us. In Hebrews 11:6 I am reminded that without faith it is impossible to please God. Cleveland Ohio is much different than beautiful SD, but a great mission field. Your incredible story encourages us to endure moves and trust God until He provides but we are thankful for what He has provided and lives impacted. Thank you for reminding me that “the Rock” became “The Rock” by absolute faith in Christ every step of the way!
Amen Pastor Miles! I especially love this “The calling we have to serve the Lord is not necessarily for the rich, the faint hearted, the connected, the well resourced, the educated or the popular but those who have faith.” Praise God that I’m neither of these, but I have the measure of faith that He’s given me and will continue to give me by His grace. This was an encouraging blog, thank you Lord for Pastor Miles.
Dear Miles- reading your message on faith is both comforting and challenging for me, especially at this time in my life. I wake up everyday and pray, been trying to read the bible a little bit more (I like the Psalms and they are easy to read one in the morning before I go to work), I pray a short prayer before bed, and I try to tell myself throughout the day- everyday to SURRENDER. I tell myself that God has a plan and that I must trust in my faith that everything shall unfolf as God plans. But it has been very difficult. I know life isnt easy, and I laughed when you said that for it to be easy, Satan would have to be alseep. I believe that. But it has been so hard…so very very hard.
I consider myself to be a good person, good friend, good employee, and good mother. I love my job (thank you God for blessing me with my career), and I get to help people everyday. I see the “lost souls of the world” and tell my colleagues that they deserve a moment to feel human and important, no matter if they are suffering from mental illness, drug addiction, or what ever other life’s obstacles that were thrown there way. I am a single mother of two adorable children who have my heart and soul. They enjoy coming to Pebbles and sharing their faith in God. I have struggled to keep them safe and secure and endured much turmoil and pain. Their father has taken me to court every year for the last 7 years, and has stated “I will do what ever I can to make your life miserable”. And I pray for him. I pray that God removes his rage and pray that God watch over my children when they are in his care. The challenges never sieze to amaze me. I have spent over $40,000 in the last 7 years in attorney fees, filed bankruptcy, and continue to be embroiled in bitter litigation. I have attemptedto have an amicable co-parenting relationship and settled to agree (agree to things I didnt want to agree to) in order to end the conflict. Well, IT NEVER ENDS! I have compromised to my deteriment thinking that as long as the kids are happy, then my life and happiness doesnt matter. And one early morning on our way to school, and we were praying in the car that day since we were running late, my son says “God, I want mommy to be happy- because she made us and she needs to be happy too”. I guess my mantra to my kids for so long was “I just want you guys to be happy”. WOW!
So, fast forward to today, a year after my son (Timmy age 7 now) and daughter Angelina (age 10), had our prayers together that morning on our way to school- their father has filed for SOLE PHYSICAL CUSTODY! I moved back to the beach where my childrens friends and support system are, was able to salvage my relationship with my boyfriend (whom previously I broke up with when my childrens father threatened to take my kids away from me if I didnt), and have been trying to grow my faith and relationship with GOD. But my faith is tested on a daily basis. Im financially and emotionally ruined. Im trying to so hard to not fall apart and to have FAITH. Surrender to God, I say. But its hard. I need to fight for my kids and Family Court is all about the one who has the most money and better attorney wins! Its not whats best for the kids…I need God, now more than ever. I pray everyday for GOD to answer this prayer…not for me, but for my kids. Please prayer for us
I hope this reaches Pastor Miles. I was in church tonight discussing our Life Groups, which are about to start the Do Something book/video series. I lead one of the Life Groups and was listening intently to my pastor when I heard him say the name Miles McPherson and my eyebrows went up. Is this the Mile McPherson that Played for the Malverne Mules in high school and went to the University of New Haven from 1978-1982? Well, Pastor Miles, you and I were friends at UNH…I used to be Valerie Johnson from New Jersey…Ada’s roommate. I don’t know whether you remember me or not, but I do remember you and was delighted to hear that you are now Pastor Miles. My pastor said tremendous things about your ministry and that is why he selected your Do Something curriculum for our next small group fellowship series. My e-dress is attached and I know you are incredibly busy, but I would love to hear from you if possible. You can find my face on FaceBook and it may jog your memory. I am listed as Valerie SixFiggs Johnson Beavers; it’s a name that follows the prophetic word over my life for wealth. I am looking forward to teaching your Do Something curriculum. God bless!
Words to move mountains by.