We Go Because He Is Worthy!

September 7, 2022

We go because he is worthy!

Elder Letter by Mike Laughrun

As I write, Jennifer and I are in New York City with over four hundred church planters pastors from the northeast part of the US. We are attending a Send Network event designed to encourage and equip these pastors to press on and faithfully GO make disciples. We were not here very long before we realized the ministry of making disciples over the last two and a half years — particularly in New York City — has been extremely difficult and challenging. New York City, you may remember, was the epicenter of the Covid outbreak in our country. Along with the pandemic, these pastors have endured racial unrest, political divisions, increasing hostility to the Gospel, along with a large-scale migration   out   of the city. One pastor in particular shared that over half of his church had moved out of the city in the last two years. The call to GO and make disciples is tough.

With all these conversations and church leaders on my mind, this morning I opened my Bible to Psalm 86…   (8) There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. (9) All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. (10) For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. – Psalm 86:8-10   These verses seemed to jump off the page. An absolute reality hit me in a fresh way:

God alone is worthy to be worshiped by all people in all places at all times.

Why do we give our hearts and lives to the mission assigned by Jesus of making disciples? Not because it feels good all the time. Not because we see abounding fruit all the time. Not even because the world celebrates our efforts. Psalm 86 makes it clear, we go… because He is worthy!   That’s true for this group of pastors in America’s largest city. They continue in this mission because Jesus is worthy. But it’s not only true in the Big Apple. It’s true for you and me. Why are we asking one another constantly who we are discipling? Why are we as a church intentionally calling one another to observe others so that each person may take their next step toward Christlikeness? Why are we constantly considering what we can add, expand, and restore in the lives of others? Why are we developing tools like the discipleship blueprint   and   blueprint guides? Why are we starting new GO Groups all the time? 

Ultimately, it is because there is no greater pursuit, no greater object of our worship, no greater focus of our lives than for His great glory to be on display as lives are transformed into the image of Jesus.   We Go… because He is worthy!

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