A Baptist in a Pentecostal Wilderness (opinion alert)

ow can a Baptist pastor lead his church to engage in vibrant ministry in a town full of Pentecostals? Even many of the heathens would picture a Pentecostal church as the one they would attend if they ever did.

On top of that, I'm currently pastoring a church that has been in decline for more than a decade, and is still licking their wounds over a series of hellish protests by former members and guests (particularly at a business meeting almost a decade ago). Some of these former members and guests are related to many in town or at least are more popular than we are, so the church has developed a bad reputation in town. Much of this reputation is undeserved, but some of it probably is.

We have mercy ministries like a food pantry and clothing closet, but they don't seem to reach this community as well as we would desire. Many in town want the church to die, and if things continue to go the way they have we eventually will.

When I have these thoughts of discouragement, I stand on verses such as Acts 2:47 - "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who are being saved." I know this is a descriptive statement, but I do believe God continues to save day by day. The work may be done in other churches, or other towns or cities, or other nations, but He's still working. I sure don't ever want to be in the way of that work!

If anyone ever reads this and knows me, and if you see something in me that is in the way of God growing His Church (or at least something I need to repent of), have the courage to confront me with it. Those confrontations build the Kingdom.