Toolbox For Faith

One of my great learnings over my years in ministry is that God always gives us the power to do what he calls us to do! That is one of the great lessons of Pentecost which we celebrate this coming Sunday.

I was reminded of that lesson last week as I was going over some old family photographs and found a picture of the construction of Reformation Lutheran Church in Greeneville, Tennessee in 1934, the middle of the great depression. That building is an amazing response of faith, hope and courage in the midst of financial disaster. They knew that God was giving them the power to do what he had called them to do.

The same day I found the picture, I talked to a member of the governing body of a nearby congregation who was sharing with me that they were cutting back because of the financially difficult times. Ironically, they have a “rainy day fund” built up over the past few good years but want to save it for when “they really needed it.” Their actions teach me that they have not looked at what God is calling them to do in mission and ministry. He never said that they had prayed, reflected and prayed again and after great discernment concluded that God was calling them to cut back.

In today’s financial climate, it is more important than ever to ask what God is calling a congregation to do in mission and ministry instead of simply cutting back. We might not be able to do everything we want but we have the power to do everything that God calls us to do. Once we hear the voice of God, we respond with the knowledge that God will give us the power to do what he calls us to do. That power even includes finances. Today’s environment calls for faith, hope and courage like displayed in the actions of the people in 1934 who built their church when everything financially told them not to act. God gives us the power to do what he calls us to do!