But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us to triumphal procession . . . ~ II Corinthians 2:14a (ESV)
READING: II Corinthians 2:12-17
When I was still in seminary, God began to call me to church planting. To try to prepare, I did a research project in which I surveyed all the church planters in our denomination. I asked them various questions about the methods they used. The last question was open-ended. What advice would they give me as a future church planter?
One veteran church planter’s only advice was to claim the promise of II Corinthians 2:14 – 17. I wasn’t familiar with the passage, but I began to study it. It has been a major source of encouragement to me for the past thirty years.
Paul, traveling from Ephesus, came to the port city of Troas, a place he sensed was ripe for the gospel. But his plans had included meeting his colleague and protégé, Titus, who was returning from a trip to Corinth. When Titus failed to appear, Paul was filled with concern, both for his young disciple and for the Corinthian church, which had been dealing with many problems.
Church planting is like that. Your best plans may be interrupted. People may disappoint or worry you. And the church(es) you start may struggle. Like any parent, church planters bear the weight of concern for their coworkers and for their congregations.
As heavy as this was upon Paul, it was then that he burst forth in confidence: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us to triumphal procession!”
He knew, and we must know, that despite sin, setbacks and stalls, Christ, the Lord of Church Planting, still leads us in victory!
Jesus, Teach me to trust that Your guidance is infallible even when my vision is cloudy. Amen.
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more
