Don’t Fear. BELIEVE.

Yuri Gagarin, the Soviet cosmonaut who in 1961 became the first human to orbit the Earth. According to international media, Gagarin made a comment while in orbit: “I don’t see any God up here.” We are part of a world that, for the most part, feels like this—where’s God—I don’t see Him? During the Great Plague of 2020, many asked where is God in all of this? 2020 was a year that shook the faith of so many. The church was forced to close its doors for a season, and many whose hearts did not have God’s word growing and producing faith were shaken, and as churches opened back up they remained at home. It reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 13:4, “And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up….” We live amidst one of the most trying times of our known civilization navigating ministry through a global pandemic. We have witnessed a crisis of faith. It is a time when many seriously question whether what they believe or how they see and if what they’re committed to is the truth. During this time of testing, I am reminded of a coach of a time in Texas who said to his team, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I want to commend our pastors and leaders for doing just that. Faced with a dilemma that they had not been trained to navigate through, they stepped up when times were tough. Tough times are not over. The Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you….” We are in the last days, and God is counting on those He has called to lead congregations to do so with faith. Our people and our communities need spiritual leaders who fear only God and can stand the test of fire. When the spiritual leaders of His day were facing a test of faith, Jesus said, “Be not afraid, only believe…” (Mark 5:36). My 2021 slogan: Don’t FEAR—BELIEVE! Let us continue to live by faith, believing that God has EVERYTHING in control. Let’s also pray for one another. Together, we will march into 2021 as an unstoppable force. Remember, “he who endures to the end shall be saved.”