Scott Cheatham’s Weblog

Last night I spoke at length with a friend of mine who was planting a church in the same area I am in. “John” and I became good friends over the years. He started his church a year before Becky and I moved here. He had his share of struggles and his church experienced many of the same ups and downs that mine has.

John’s church closed a month ago.

Last night we talked about the hurt that led to the closure. A person in John’s church undermined his leadership by stirring up trouble with other families in the church. It appears this person felt his ministry was on par with that of the entire church and the plan was to eventually force John and his wife out and take over the church. What a horrible wreck Satan can make of things. This was not the only time this had happened. Shortly before the fall season last year, John and I met to enjoy some coffee and pray and he had informed me that several families had left the church over some other issues. This seems to happen a lot as more and more people refuse to yield to the admonition of scripture and obey. Instead, they find things to nitpick and then leave. In John’s case, he and his wife prayed long and hard and decided it was too much to start over. They gifted their location to another church and it’s pastor and have moved on. In a related note, the person who started all the trouble to begin with felt “betrayed” that the church would do such a thing and left. Apparently, the scripture about pride going before the fall never made it in his devotional notes.

Church planting is difficult. In the past year alone, several church plants in my area have either closed or are going through leadership changes due to the stress and pressure to establish a new work. The rough economy has made this tougher as people withhold their tithes and some refuse to drive to church because of high gas prices. We can preach the words of the bible but none of us have the power to force anyone to do anything. That’s where God says he’ll do the work. I take great comfort in that.

John needs prayer. His wife too. She is taking it harder than him. You don’t invest nearly a decade of your life in something only to watch it die. John really tried. His heart was right. His mission true. Satan is at work in our world to destroy the work of the kingdom. We must never forget that. Yes God is more powerful but he calls us to prepare ourselves for the battle and we had best be getting ready and always growing in our walk with Christ.

I know you don’t know John but if you would, remember him and his family in your prayers this week.