This morning my house is quiet, lit only by the tree.

With children still sleeping after their last all-nighter before school starts tomorrow, I pour myself a cup of hot coffee and open my Bible to bring in the new year. Opening to Isaiah, I read, “Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19, CSB). I sit back, take a sip of my steaming black gold, and think to myself, “Yes! I believe He is doing something new.”

For one thing, He has been doing something new in me. A year ago I stepped into the world of publishing. After years of writing a charge to Jesus followers, it was time to put the directive in book form. Through my book, Leading Spiritual Hoarders, I believed God was ready to not just do a new thing in me, but also in His church. 

For over twenty years, my husband and I served the local church in full-time ministry. We were childrens pastors for the majority of that time, but in 2017 we became lead pastors. Taking on a new role, our eyes were opened to the condition of the American church. We hadn’t seen it until this point, but we watched as churches (knowingly or unaware) allowed spiritual formation to be taken off the body of believers, and instead be put on the building where they met. Many who claimed to follow Jesus were not actively doing the one thing He asked them to do: to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). 

Discipleship had become a program, instead of a way of life. The preferred method of sharing the Gospel was by inviting others to church so the pastor or small group leader could do it for them-they’re the professionals after all. However, this is not how God intended it. And I believe the charge I’ve been given is to remind pastors, and lay leaders, that we cannot expect people in our church to do what we are not doing ourselves. It starts with us!

Pastoring is quite similar to parenting. We may not be telling those in our congregations to brush their teeth or do their chores, but we do lead them by example. Even in writing this book, I felt the pursuit of challenging the definition of discipleship was allowing those in my church to see that we don’t just have an expectation for them to show others in the way of Jesus-we are living by the very same expectation ourselves as their leaders. 

Has God begun a new thing? You bet He has! He is awakening His people. Just like the lights on my tree shining brightly on an early New Year's morning, He is allowing His light to shine brightly through us to a world living in darkness. Do you see it?

Meet Sara:

Sara, and her husband Dan, lead Journey Church in Minot, North Dakota. Together, with their three children, they love serving both the local church and their community. You will often find Sara at home, snuggled under a blanket with a book in hand and a coffee cup nearby. When she’s not at home, or church, you will find her cheering for her kids at all their events. 

Connect with Sara:

Website: www.saradangerfield.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saraedangerfield
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraedangerfield
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@saraedangerfield
FREE Guide: Spiritual Hoarding to Kingdom Impact