Recently, in a conversation with a seasoned and thoughtful student pastor, I heard him lament, “I hate competition between churches.”  I totally get his chagrin.  The feedback can be maddening to the insecure in ministry.  Folks are always telling you about what is going on and what is the latest over at “First Church”.  If you participate in such spitting contests, they can degenerate into a junior high rendition of that iconic cheer, “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

Saint Augustine noted in his The City of God that the dominate spirit of this earthly city is that of a yearning to dominate over others, a spirit of competition.  I think Augustine is onto something when reflecting upon how people view churches and think about church.  And yet, are we not a part of that City of God?

The proud minister is always ciphering for how the ministry is being perceived and received.  Some of the yearning is a part of the holy motive to steward these few years well and get out of them all that we can.  Honest pilgrims with their heart in the right place desire that God is at work into what we are investing our lives. 

Jesus seems clearly to be driven to please the Father.  On Good Friday night it would have been hard to argue that His life had been influential.  Even early on that first Easter morning would not tell the eternal repercussions of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Since identity and reputation seem to have taken center stage in our day, it is so refreshing to consider Jesus.  “He made Himself of no reputation…”. Philippians 2:7.  I do not use the King James version, but I love the clarity of that turn of phrase, especially in an age driven by influence, platforms, followers, and likes.  The irreducible minimum for Jesus was simply, “I have come down to do the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38. 

Churches go through seasons, some arid and dry and some full of bounty and harvest.  Jesus is building His church.  In their own way, the gospel churches I have known had a unique strength that made them distinct, refreshingly different.  God loves the church!  Jesus is building His church…and from what I can discern, no two of them are alike.  I have pastored four of them and I was the responsible leader…and they all had warts.  They had shortcomings and weaknesses we were trying to work out.  No place is perfect.  But God is at work in each church that seeks to lift up Jesus Christ. 

I love Agur’s prayer in Proverbs 30:8, “Feed me with the food that is my portion.”  That is a great prayer.  Give faithfulness your dead level best and then leave it to the sovereign hand of God to render to us the good works and their results, which He had foreordained (Ephesians 2:10)…our portion. 

There is a moment in the gospels where the disciples become concerned about the goings on in another ministry.  They were gawking and, as is the frequent habit, critiquing what was happening.  In Mark 9:38-41 they ask Jesus to take down that “other” ministry.  Jesus would have none of it.  He chided them and pointed out that they were on the same team and needed to aspire together. 

The results will never be uniform in every church.  There will always be disparate results in the hidden mysteries of God’s ordaining providence.  But our focus need not be on others and what they are doing, but on us and our faithfulness.

How do we get out of the church comparison vortex?  Three easy cues help us.  First, we cultivate faithfulness in matters little and big that are before us.  Second, we pray Agur’s prayer.  Third, we drive by gospel churches and join them in aspiring for God’s blessing in ministry by praying for them. 

Gospel people are for Jesus Christ and the gospel, and each other, and our churches.  Let’s be found in humble, loving support of each other.  The ministry was never ours.  It has always been His and His alone.  He is the Lord of the Church, our Head.  And He is good at it.  Let’s leave it all with Him and have joy in what He has given us to do!  Keep going!