Dear friends in Christ,
Lately, I've been hearing growing concern among many in our churches--especially among those who are approaching or are already retired: Will there be enough?
With the cost of living rising, investments stalling, and the future feeling foggier than ever, even those who have worked hard their entire lives are asking: Will I be, okay? Will my family be, okay? At the same time, we also find ourselves as a congregation asking similar questions in the face of uncertainty: Will we make our annual budget? Will the church have to close its doors? What's next for us?
For us as Christian people these aren't just financial questions, they're spiritual ones. They're questions about what comes after something precious feels like it's ending.
In the final pages of Scripture, after all the chaos and collapse, after every earthly system has run its course, we hear these words from the One seated on the throne: "See, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:5)
It's important to remember that God isn't saying " I am making all new things." Instead, God says, "I am making all things new" This is a promise, not of replacement, but of renewal. Not of abandonment, but of transformation. Not of discarding the old--but of raising it to life again.
And that--dear church--is the shape of resurrection.
Jesus didn't avoid death. He walked through it. Death wasn't the end of his story. It was the doorway to something new. Resurrection didn't erase his wounds--it honored them. And when he returned, he didn't start a brand-new religion--he fulfilled the promises that had already been made.
In the same way, the future of our church will not be found in pretending we are something we're not. It will be found in trusting that even in the current season of decline, even amidst all the questions about giving, attendance, and age, God is not finished.
Death has to come before resurrection. That's not a failure of faith--that's the heartbeat of it.
So let us hear the promise of God to the church that even in the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me. God has not, and will not leave us. It may not always be clear to us but our God is a God of renewal, always making room for something new to grow, and we are a people of abundance--not because our sanctuaries are full every Sunday, but because we believe in a God who raises the dead. So as we move forward let us remember that God never allows death to have the final word; that we are a resurrection people. We are being renewed.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Jerod Freeberg
