What If

What If

I've said  before the "we've always done it that way" are 6 words that really hurt the church, but 2 more words that are harmful are the words "what if".  "What if..." are two words that we say out of fear, anxiety, or worry that cripple us and cripple our faith and cripple the power and influence of our churches.

"what if...no one shows up?"  "what if someone gets mad?", "what if we make changes and someone gets upset?", "what if we do things different and lose a family", "what if we cancel and someone didn't know?" "What if we step out on faith and fail?" "What if it doesn't work?  "What if we can't afford it?" "What if so and so stops giving?"  "What if so and so gets mad and leaves?" What if...what if....what if...what if...

Do you see how a case of the "what if's" can keep you from helping grow the church?  Keep your church living in the past?  Keep leaders from leading? Keep decisions from being made out of fear or worry?  Maybe I'm a glass half full kind of person, but I look at the other end of the "what if? What if we don't do what we need to do then the church could die, dwindle, close it doors, not reach new people for Christ, not make a difference, and not ever change or grow!

They say only 2 things in life are certain, death and taxes, but the truth is life is uncertain and we can't live our lives guided and led by fear, worry, anxiety, or doubt and we certainly can't lead, serve, or worship in churches that are guided by the same feelings and emotions.  Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and we have His power to guide us, we have nothing to fear.  If someone gets mad, let them.  If someone leaves, let them.  If something doesn't work, try another way.  If something fails, then try it a different way. If something is broke, fix it.  If something is ineffective, then change it. 

I believe in the "no risk, no reward" philosophy.  I've often found it  ridiculous that our entire Christian faith is based on just that "faith", and yet we as churches, church leaders, and Christians alike seem to practice little or no faith. They want to do things they way they've always done them and not step out in faith, they want to stay in the comfort zones of tradition and not have faith in new methods, or not do anything unless they know they can do it or pay for it themselves without God.    They don't want to "rock the boat", well I got news for you, boats are made and designed to rock and we can't let the "what if's" destroy the work of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, our faith in Christ, or the power of the Church!

So, if you're a Christian, a minister, an elder, deacon, or church member not only get rid of the "we've always done it that way mentality", you also need to remove "what if" from your attitude and vocabulary and don't let satan destroy the great things God wants to do in our churches be leading, serving, or worshipping in fear or doubt. 

God can do anything He wants to do, but God also can't use us, bless us, or change u sif we're not willing to have the faith to trust in Him and risk great things in His name!  Let's stop limiting ourselves and the church by our "what if's"!

James 1:5-7(NIV)
⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.