This week Pastor Lutzer and I had the joy of attending the Gospel Coalition conference in Indianapolis together. We gathered with pastors and leaders from all over the country to be refreshed in our intimacy with God and renewed in our energy for the sake of His mission. It’s a great conference and it was a real joy to attend with Pastor Lutzer.
It struck me how hard this past year has been on churches and ministries around the world. The weight of COVID-19, personal stress, family tensions, and political tensions have been heavy. And many pastors are fatigued.
It also struck me how resilient people have been. In spite of everything pulling us down, God’s leaders are stepping up and leaning in to this new reality. I was impressed at how hard people are working to serve their families and churches well.
But most of all, I was struck with how faithful God has been in a season that had been so trying for so many. In nearly every conversation we had, people shared stories of God’s faithfulness through these hard times. People are meeting Jesus for the
first time. Churches are being planted. And the mission of God is expanding all over the world. God is sustaining and strengthening his people and his churches in meaningful ways. I walked away deeply encouraged at how God is moving in our cities, our nation, and our world.
So be encouraged! God is on the move. Even in a hard season, God is always faithful!
Pastor Philip
