What Matters Most?

We live in a time in which studies show that almost every aspect of Christianity in America is in decline. Church attendance, church size, and giving have decreased significantly in the past years. These alone are enough to devastate our current ministries, but there is an even greater threat and one that will destroy us unless we reverse the trend. This threat is the shrinking number of people surrendering to full-time ministry and missions.

What can we do about it? What are we going to do about it? Just keep operating the same way? Just keep doing what got us here?

If we were in a football game, we would be losing. But instead today’s church gets together and says, “I know we are losing, but look at how great our uniforms look. Look at how awesome our stadium is. Let’s cheer louder and louder even though we are losing.”

What we need to do is stop, fix what is broken, make some changes and get back in the game. We need to change the lineup, we need some new players, we need some new plays, but most of all we need a new attitude and a desire to win the game.

I believe God wants to bless His church and I believe God wants to show Himself strong on behalf of those who seek Him. I don’t think there is any question that we all want God to bless our ministry and others.

What are the key things we can do that would place our ministries in a position to be blessed?

We must love what Jesus loves.

We must do what Jesus did.

We must serve who Jesus serves.

We must value what Jesus values.

How do we know what God loved, how do we know what God did? We simply look at what Jesus loved, look at what Jesus did, see who Jesus served, and discern what Jesus valued. We must realize that: