“Pastor, I used to go to your church but after my grandfather died, I quit.”
“Pastor, I was really involved in church—I worked with the children. I always helped with Bible School, but after my divorce, I stopped. I still can’t understand why God allowed that to happen.”
“Pastor, I attended church every week, but after I that tough time when I lost my job, I gave up on God.”
“Pastor, I’m never coming back to church and I’m sure not gonna send my money. I’ve been a member for 40 years, but when I came home from the hospital, I only received casseroles for three nights. Other ladies in my class got food all week.”
These were just a few of the conversations I became aware I was having regularly.
Those conversations along with many, many more, coupled with the staggering statistics of professed believers leaving the faith, and the stinging conviction of Matthew 24:10—which warns that many will turn away—drove me to launch Stand Firm.
The conversations I listed aren’t likely anything new to you. You may have even experienced such hurt and walked away yourself. (I’m glad you’re back!) Though the quotes describe people leaving the church and the faith, they aren’t the fulfillment of Matthew 24:10 for I believe that speaks to a specific prophetic time. Yet it shows as American believers we aren’t fairing well with challenges now which should concern us about the more difficult challenges in the future. Challenges like the persecution our brothers and sisters are facing in Afghanistan this moment.
Our current track record should cause us to pause and realize our faithfulness is being challenged.
And as we remember our faithfulness matters, then it’s even more important to realize our faithfulness to God is being challenged.
Yet it shows as American believers we aren’t fairing well with challenges now which should concern us about the more difficult challenges in the future. Share on X
This article first appeared in Jake’s syndicated column Stand Firm & Live Epic as published in The Baptist Trumpet and other publications. After three months the articles are adapted and published here. To read the articles at release subscribe here.
Executive Director of Stand Firm and lead pastor of Epic Church NWA in Springdale, AR and multiple award-winning author, Jake has a B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Studies from Central Baptist College, and an Advanced Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Former regular contributor to the Baptist Press and WND News with popular conservative voices such as Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Ben Carson, Chuck Norris, Greg Laurie, Ben Schapiro, Joel Richardson, and others. He now is a weekly contributor for Israel, Islam, and the End Times and Armageddon News. He has authored books such as the, award-winning Spiritual Prepper from WND Books. Award-winning devotional books, Invincibleand For Uncertain Times, he authored the ground-breaking children’s book, Jesus and His White Horse from CrossLink Publishing. He is also a regular guest on national and international radio and streaming web shows, along with hosting his weekly live streaming program Talking Stand Firm and weekly podcast Stand Firm Parents.
