PASTOR’S PONDERINGS OCTOBER 2026

Pastor’s Ponderings …

Why do you think it is that there is such a lack of leadership today? And maybe, more specifically, a reluctance to lead as God lays out leadership.  It’s a real reluctance to follow Christ’s example of leadership.  We have an extreme desire to be popular and accepted.  We can’t offend anyone with what we do, say, believe in or stand for.  What if Jesus would have taken that approach to leadership?!  Christians are told they can’t stand up for Jesus; they can’t use His name when they pray.  They’re not allowed to stand against anything, regardless of what God’s Word says about it.  We’re told that as Christians, we must discard our convictions and embrace whatever we’re told to embrace.  But at the same time, we’re told that a Christian is qualified simply as someone who lives in America.  Wait, What?!!  How is it that the same people that say Christians are hateful and intolerant, can also say that a Christian is anyone who is an American?  Oh well, what do you expect from worldly wisdom.  Meanwhile, Christians have become conditioned to be afraid to stand on Biblical principles and speak the name of Jesus in public for fear of who it may offend.  And to be sure; not everyone who names America as their home, names the name of Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  And what is it that we are so afraid of when we read Scriptures such as this; “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”  1 Corinthians 1:8-9

I really think a lot of the problem is that we have somehow convinced ourselves that we have to bring something to the table when it comes to leadership.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  If we would stop and think about it, we’d realize that we can’t bring anything, we have nothing to offer.  In order to lead as God lays out leadership, we must first lay it all down, die to self, and let God lead us.  I think so many times the reason we’re so afraid to stand for Christ, and/or stand on what the Bible says, is really because we are trying to lead in our own strength, or maybe more aptly put…we’re trying to lead ourselves.  You realize don’t you, that you and I were never, ever meant to lead anything without first following Jesus with our whole heart.  Leadership is great, and God calls us to lead, but never until we have first surrendered our heart and life to Jesus Christ and follow Him fully.  Standing up for Christ, and standing on His Word, (and therefore leading), is only possible as God first equips us to do so.  We must surrender to Christ.

We’ve been focused on what it means to follow Christ’s example of leadership.  Leadership really comes down to ‘the cost of discipleship’. There is a very real cost to being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  And sadly, very few are willing to pay that cost for discipleship, and our country is showing the result of it.  A lot of people want to lead, but not so many want to truly follow Christ.  A lot of people want to call themselves a Christian, but all too few are truly willing to lay it all down for the cost of discipleship.  Paul tells Titus, “You however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.”  “In everything, set them an example by doing what is good.”  Why? Why teach? Why lead? Why count the cost, and be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  Why lay it all down for Him?  Because as Paul tells Titus, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”  Would you be willing to lay it all down for Christ, for His cause, to live according to His purpose in order that the world around us would see in us that Jesus is worth it all.  Jesus is worth living for!  So thankful for the wonderful grace of Jesus.

Jesus paid it all for every one of us.

Pastor Steve