For God’s Sake, Opinion

For God’s Sake

January 2, 2025 | Michael Bannon

The words “new year” will take on greater significance for the congregation I serve as pastor. Though now a “church start-up,” this congregation anticipates gaining full-church status with the Evangelical Free Church early in the first quarter of the new year. Also, in January of 2025, we will be gathering for worship on Sundays in the chapel at Gulf Pointe Latin School on East Bay Blvd. The school’s chapel and campus are beautiful, and we thank God for the privilege of gathering there. Further, we have just inducted our first group of members. We are eager for this new year of faithful ministry.

Michael Bannon Headshot

This church planting enterprise has been a great adventure. We have a very real sense of being on the frontlines of ministry and are at times unsure whether to advance or retreat. We have seen how church start-ups experience more deeply the ebb and flow of life that brings people in and takes them away, and we long for some semblance of stability. My confidence remains in Christ’s promise that He will build his church. But, I need to be reminded often of how Christ builds His church.

Building implies growth, and growth is typically perceived as getting larger; this is understandable. Living things start small and tend to get bigger. Small seedlings become large plants. Cute puppies and kittens become dogs and cats. Infants become adults. Church start-ups become, Lord willing, healthy local churches.

Scripture tells us that Christ is building His church through disciple-making. He has commanded His disciples, those who trust and follow Him, to persuade others to trust and follow Him, who persuade others to trust and follow Him, and so on. Their powerful tool of persuasion is God’s simple gospel, which is the power of God to salvation. He adds to his church those who are being saved. In this way, church start-ups grow to become healthy local churches.

Another facet of growth is maturity. Infants not only grow physically, they also grow in emotional maturity, in knowledge, in skill, and hopefully, in wisdom. Churches need to grow in maturity, in knowledge, in wisdom, and in Christlikeness. These can only come from the right preaching and teaching of God’s Word, that “spiritual food” by which Christians are to grow. Growth in spiritual maturity is essential for every Christian so that we do not remain spiritual infants. The Christian who matures in knowledge, wisdom, and Christlikeness will live in way that glorifies God and displays His gospel’s power to save and to change lives. In this way, church start-ups grow to become healthy local churches.

Every parent wants and expects their infant to grow in stature and in maturity. Every pastor should provide their local church for its growth in stature and in maturity. This is the way that local churches become healthy local churches.

So, one aspect of my ministry that will not change in 2025 is my trust in Christ’s promise to build His church. To God alone be the glory.

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