Spiritual Toughness

One of our seniors suffered chest pains and had to be rushed to the hospital recently. They told her to take it easy and not do so much, she wasn't getting any younger and neither was her heart.

That same Wednesday evening she quietly took her place among the saints for the regular mid-week service. No clamor, no fanfare, just a member showing up for church as she has done all her life.

The moment I saw her it struck me that if anyone had an excuse to miss church that day she certainly did. After all, if being rushed to the hospital for a possible heart attack isn't enough of an excuse, what is? Of course, I won't mention her name because I know she wouldn't want me to, but I do want to comment on her attitude.

When I think about what it takes to build a dynamic congregation I don't just see a new building or church programs, I see this Christian woman and her steely devotion to the Lord. Imagine how powerful we could be if all of us could shrug off similar concerns and simply show up for church on a regular basis? Imagine the growth of this congregation if each member had this kind of determination to keep the Lord and His church first?

Some people claim that the church needs to change if it is to grow in the future. I certainly think we need to adjust to each generation's needs without violating Scripture. But I also believe that what the future generation needs most of all is the kind of spiritual toughness demonstrated by this senior saint. Without this single minded devotion to the church, we will never fill the building we're planning to build in the future.