Although I just turned 59, I don’t feel like I’m on the last turn or the last lap of my ministry. Just the opposite. I am re-energized by a vision for God’s preferred future for my life, my ministry, ReFRESH®, and Sherwood.
It would be easy to coast. After all, we’ve made four highly successful movies through Sherwood Pictures. They’ve been seen by millions around the world. We could easily live off the applause of others for having the vision to start this ministry. We could pat ourselves on the back until we get to the retirement home and then have others come in and tell us what a great ministry we’ve had.
It would be easy to coast. I’ve been here 22 years as pastor. I’m “settled, secure, and satisfied,” but at the same time, I still have a mountain to climb. I think about Caleb. He was 85 years old when he asked for a mountain. If an 85-year-old can still have passion and vision, a 59-year-old has no excuse. The church or the pastor who decides “we’ve built enough, borrowed enough, done enough” loses momentum that can rarely be recaptured.
It would be easy to coast. I’ve written more books than I ever expected to write. Two of them have made the bestsellers list. But I have other books in me—at least I hope I do. I want to get better as a writer, preacher, and communicator.
It would be easy to let our ReFRESH® conferences coast. We’ve seen God bless these conferences in the past, so it would be easy to go into autopilot and just do a conference. I can’t. I want to see God use this conference in a significant way to impact pastors around the country.
To be frank, I see many people my age, both in the pew and the pulpit, who start coasting once their kids are raised. They relax, take their foot off the gas, and hope to coast into the winner’s circle. It won’t happen that way. It can’t happen that way.
I find myself with a greater vision than I’ve ever had in my ministry. I am asking God for more than ever before. I am believing God for more than ever before. I am asking God to allow Sherwood to do something so significant that it will be remembered for generations to come. I have a big God who has done big things in the past. I’m simply following the flow of biblical history and asking Him to do “exceedingly, abundantly beyond what we could ever hope or imagine.”
As I reflect on the beginning of a new year, I see unprecedented opportunities. I see God-sized potential. I see no need to stand on the shore and sing “In the Sweet By and By.” This is, like every moment, when you ask God for a vision that will honor and glorify Him, a moment that could impact eternity.
I’m not making a resolution on New Year’s. I’ve already decided before Christmas that I am available to God.
Thanks for not coasting…Thanks for following hard after God and allowing others to watch and learn to follow too. Blessings to you, may you get a glimpse of the top of the mountain.
Couldn’t agree more. God is really impressing upon me how easy it is to get sidetracked, satisfied, and apathetic about Him and His Kingdom. I am in the middle of writing my blog about the same thing. May God continue to bless you and Terri and your ministry at Sherwood as you seek His Kingdom first.
Another inspiring and timely message. Really look forward to the blogs because they are so truthful yet encouraging. These are the words I need to hear as the roughest year closes on the church where I serve. We had so many members that I expected to raise us and mentor us. But instead, they chose to abstain from church service and throw darts and criticism at the Senior Pastor from the pew. Early in 2011, our church had the opportunity to begin a CEF Good News Bible Club in the nearest public elementary school to our church. However, in a business meeting, at least a couple of our elderly members cast dissenting votes and not one of our retired members volunteered to assist the pastor in the effort. Praise the Lord for a turn of events at the end of the year that ended up splitting our church. Only God could have orchestrated these events and despite a significant loss in weekly offering, 2012 appears to be a unifying and breakthrough year. PTL for the encouragement we have received from our brothers and sisters at Sherwood Baptist, especially the prayer cards that filled our bulletin board for much of 2011. Every one of them was so special to us. Looking forward to a chance to re-energize during my 5th ReFresh Conference this year.
Read your blog from Nairobi,Kenya. The modern day churches are going through identity crises, until they figure out where the rain started beating them they will continue hemorrhaging congregants.
@ Ron Barker above…….I am a young man and i stopped going to church after nearly 20 years. The message i was getting in church had become empty rhetoric. I think the straw that broke the Camels’ back was when the lead Pastor came and told us he was thinking of acquiring a private jet!!!!!!! All this in an struggling African country! We have a saying, ” Whatever is eating you,is within you(loose translation).
Sherwood Baptist looks like an awesome church Pastor Catt…fight the good fight,finish the race, keep the faith. God bless you.
PS: I find myself having more questions than answers!
Langat in Kenya-Africa
Brother Michael, I’m sure you have heard it a million times, however I just want to say thank you for what your church has done for Christians across the world through your movies. God has used Sherwood like no other. Our little church in Jasper Florida will show ‘Courageous’ off and on for the next year. It’s impact on our men has been phenomenal. Thanks for everything…
Pastor Catt, thank you so much for your encouragement in the Word of God. I too am believing God for MORE. It is time out for the status quo, God is doing a new thing. I am so grateful that there are still preachers that preach the uncompromising Word of God and that you don’t seek the consensus of people but you seek to do the will of God. You remind me so much of my Pastor. Because neither of you back down or back up when it comes to the Word of God and you do it with boldness. The Harvest is ripe but the laborers are few. Keep your hands to the plow!! GOD IS ABLE!!!! To God Be The Glory!!
In His Hands… Donna
Whatever God leads you to do I pray it is mighty! Your movies have touched my kids ages: 6,4,2. Yes they are young but they Love Fireproof and Havi (aka Snake King) from Courageous! I guess they should be keeping up with Spongebob or some other ungodly program according to the world’s standard. I want them to love Jesus with all their hearts. I have wanted to visit your church and pray the Lord will I can. Just like God told Elijah…there are still 7,000 that haven’t bowed a knee to Baal! You all Inspire me as a young child of God.
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
The carnal mind gets self righteous, self centered, and comfortable. The spirit of God will keep us in his will which we are so easily beset from at times. Praise God for His Word that keeps us and leads and guides us in his will!
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.