In an age when churches chase novelty to attract crowds, God calls leaders back to the simple, powerful ministry of reminding His people of what He has already said.
Here are some thoughts I’ve encountered from various church leaders, and some that I have had.
- “I hope the worship team has corrected the mistakes they made last week. We really need to have a meaningful worship experience for new people, and the worship team needs to be on its game to help people. We also need to see some spiritual gifts in the service so people will see that God moves among us. That will stir their interest and encourage them to return.”
- “I’m really seeking the Lord for next week’s message. I want it to be interesting, powerful, and anointed so that some of the newer people and others who may visit will keep coming back. I noticed the new church down the road is starting a slick series about ‘How to Know and Receive God’s Blessings…Guaranteed!’ It’s featured on their new billboard, so I am sure people driving by will notice. I noticed that their last week’s online message received a couple of hundred more views than the previous week. I need to preach quality sermons like that so people will get something out of it, tell others about it, and come back.”
Sound familiar? These kinds of statements can echo both in the minds and through leadership meetings, worship rehearsals, and sermon prep gatherings across the modern church world. But beneath their surface lies a dangerous assumption, that the goal of “leading” is to interest, attract, and retain attendees of a Sunday morning service.
Chasing applause versus cultivating obedience
Paul warned Timothy about this very drift.
- 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (the idea of bearing with or continuing in); but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.
We are living in those times. When the church orients its gatherings around what will “keep people coming,” rather than what will keep them faithful, we have already surrendered to the very deception Paul warned about. The moment we measure success by attendance or applause instead of transformation and obedience, we trade the eternal power of the Gospel for the temporary satisfaction of consumer religion.
The idea of proclaiming and teaching God’s word is not about providing something interesting. A leader’s calling is not to hold people’s attention, but to help people hold fast and walk in God’s truth.
An Important call in proclaiming God’s Truth…. Reminding
- 2 Peter 1:10-13… for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble…(12) Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. (13) I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder.
The Scriptures say a lot more about reminding people about God’s truth than presenting new/interesting things. The things that cause the most problems for us are not the word of God we don’t know yet, but the word we have forgotten in the midst of living everyday life. Consider a few of the exhortations about this.
- 1 Corinthains 4:17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
- Romans 15:15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God.
- 2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
- 2 Timothy 2:14 Remind them of these things…
- Jude 1:3 GW…I had intended to write to you about the salvation we share. But something has come up. It demands that I write to you and encourage you to continue your fight for the Christian faith that was entrusted to God’s holy people once for all time.
Words and phrases like “remind, remember, or call to mind” occur 268 times in the Bible. Why does it say so much about it? It is because in the midst of battles and simply facing everyday distractions in life, we can forget God’s word and His vision for us through it. Think about some of the examples of God’s people forgetting essential truths in the story of the Exodus from Egypt and heading towards God’s land.
- Three days after leaving Egypt, despite the ten plagues being inflicted on their enemies, receiving the riches of their captors, and their newfound freedom, the people panicked when Pharaoh’s army pursued them. Instead of trusting God, remembering what He had miraculously done, they complained to Moses and wished they had stayed slaves in Egypt (Exodus 14:10–12).
- God miraculously made a way for His people to walk through the sea, then drowned the enemy who was pursuing. Miriam wrote and sang an incredible victory song (great worship service). Then, only three days later, they were complaining about not having the best water to drink, as if God was going to let them down. (Exodus 15:21-25).
- Within three weeks, after all these miracles, they again forgot and complained, wanting to go back to bondage because even after crossing the Red Sea and watching God destroy their enemies, they lost sight of God’s vision and were ready to abandon it entirely (Exodus 16:1–2).
- Throughout their wilderness journey, God’s people repeatedly forgot the great things God did and accused Moses of bringing them out only to die, preferring the graves of Egypt to the promises of God (Exodus 16:1-3, 17:1-3, Numbers 14:1-4).
Leaders need to remember that the Matthew 28 Great Commission of making disciples includes “teaching them to put into practice everything I have commanded them” (28:18-20). This is a continual calling.
Leaders need to consistently engage in the patient job of reminding God’s people of His word, calling, and purpose. We are not trying to impress or entertain people, but keep God’s truth and His vision before us, so we will all walk in it.
Here are some great quotes that highlight this important leadership responsibility of reminding.
- Max DuPree, “Leadership is like the third grade, it means repeating the significant things.”
- C.S. Lewis said, “People need to be reminded more than instructed.”
- Martin Luther, “Most necessary is that we know this article well (God’s word), teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.”