I Choose Now!
“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”
I am old enough to remember a time when most people went to church. Churches were full, and people respected the faith. According to The Sacred Wilderness of Pastoral Ministry by David Rohrer, going to church “was an accepted norm, and these congregations grew almost effortlessly in response to this favorable market demand.” When the Presbyterian Church USA held its General Assembly, national news covered the proceedings. My, how times have changed.
Yet, I am not mourning our present Christian age. Even in the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s of my ministry, people would sometimes join our congregation because it was socially beneficial. Employees would join their boss's or business owner's church to improve their professional future. While the ministry was challenging, we could rely on strong attendance and financial numbers to keep church programming going. Yet, I am more impressed with God’s activity at work in the church I am serving now, in 2026, than at any previous time in my ministry. Why?
At this time, when Christianity, especially mainline faith, is no longer socially beneficial, our congregation is stronger. If you attend Westminster now, it is not because of how it benefits you socially. Instead, everyone participates because they are following God’s call in their lives. Now, we have one children’s choir, instead of four or six children’s choirs in the 1950s. Yet, our commitment to mission is making a meaningful impact in our community. People have to want to honor God and embrace our congregational vision to participate in the life of our church.
Do I occasionally wax nostalgic, wishing I could have pastored in the 1950s, when attendance numbers were astronomical? Okay, yes. Yet, in my more faithful moments, I must admit that I appreciate 2026 and our church’s commitment to inclusivity, intellectual questioning, and affirmation of religious diversity that would not have been conceivable seventy years ago. With these opportunities comes responsibility. If progressive churches are to make a lasting difference, we must prioritize faith in God. We must accept the Holy Spirit’s challenges and speak truth to power, and address issues of justice. Then, God will continue to bless and guide Westminster in the decades to come. Praise God!
