“Summertime, and the living is easy…” These are the opening lyrics to “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald (1968). We all love summertime. Sure, the heat and humidity are excessive, but when we reflect on the great moments of our lives, we tend to visualize summers with vacations to the beach, fishing on the lake, ice cream, etc. We all wish the easy living, comforts of summer would last forever. But at some point, for the sake of growth, we have to leave the “comfortable” and step into new seasons, new opportunities for growth.
Eastmont is just now stepping out of “summer” (literally) and into a new season with tremendous opportunities for growth and development, but seizing on those opportunities will require every one of us to embrace that dreaded word: C-H-A-N-G-E (Just typing it makes my stomach uneasy). To embrace something new requires releasing our grip on something known. Our past experiences shape who we are, and we all naturally want to re-create those positive experiences for others who come behind us. It worked for us! It’s comfortable! But is it always the best or most effective?
I’ve served in student ministry for eighteen years. I love what I do. Recently, however, I’ve been spiritually convicted by how comfortable I am in my methods of ministry. Are the methods I employ today shaped by my students’ needs? Or am I simply doing what is easiest and most comfortable? Likewise, as a church, are we willing to leave our comfort zones to allow new avenues of ministry to develop and thrive? If we desire to see God’s Kingdom advance through Eastmont, then we must be willing to sacrifice what is comfortable and tackle the challenges that arise for the sake of the Gospel and for the lost inMontgomery.
Will you join me in praying for God to grant us the wisdom to recognize where our comfort might be a hindrance to the gospel? Will you pray for His Holy Spirit to empower us to walk headlong into the challenges that await us as we develop new avenues of ministry for the Kingdom? God has proven Himself faithful to Eastmont for generations, and I believe He will continue to be faithful for generations to come.