We Got This

As many of you will know, these are interesting days in FMCIC land.  And not just “normal” interesting – you know all the regular challenges of doing ministry in our Canadian context.  This is a special kind of interesting.  We are in the midst of a denominational LifePlan and a search for the next.  Interesting days indeed.

Here is what I have learned or perhaps been reminded of during these interesting days.  There are good, God honoring, wise people among us.  People who love God’s church and want to see His plan move forward.  People who believe in the vision and mission of our movement and who want to help out where they can.  People who care about those outside the church as much as they care about those inside the church and who want to serve both groups and help both grow in their relationship with God.

I have also been reminded that there are lots of good stories being written by God in and around FMCIC churches.  Stories of service and faithfulness and life change.  Stories of hope and healing and new life.  Big stories and little stories.  My friend Alison does a good job of telling some of those stories over at the FMCIC website – you should check them out if you haven’t already.  And one of the reasons that there continue to be good God glorifying stories is because of the good God honoring people in our midst.

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I have really grown to appreciate that about FMCIC land lately.  It would be so easy to worry about our future – who will…?  what will…?  how will…?  I too have asked forms of all of those questions.  But good God honoring wise people have been around to remind me that God is in control.  Good God honoring wise people have been around to listen.  Good God honoring wise people have been around to speak hope, truth and encouragement.  

And I appreciate and value that God honoring people have stepped up and taken key leadership roles during these days.   It helps me trust the processes we have undertaken.  Which is what I say to people all the time…trust the process.  It’s easier to say when it doesn’t involve you.  But when it does involve you, well that can be a different story.  But I do trust the process (even if it doesn’t go 100 percent the way I think it should go) because I trust God.  And I trust His people.

I say to churches all the time, “One of God’s greatest gifts to you is the people He has placed around you as part of your church family”.  And I believe that.  We have good people giving good leadership – at both the local and national levels of the church.  So good stories will continue to be written by God.  And He will help us through these interesting days with His people.  

Now, I still have a part to play.  I still need to be praying.  For wisdom and discernment.  For leaders.  For people serving.  For God’s will to unfold.  And I need to contribute what I can when I am called on to do so.  And I need to trust – God and His people, the process and the outcome.  But I can do that because God has given me the gift of His people.  Good God honoring people.  The church is in good hands.       

Marc McAlister

Director of Church Health, FMCIC    

Marc McAlister