I have been working with church planters for the past 6 years or so.  During that time I learned that a church planter usually goes through a roster change at some point after the launch of their ministry.   The core group that you launch with inevitably will go through some changes in the months that follow.

We have been going through a time of roster change over the past 4-6 weeks.   Some are not finding what they were looking for in our ministry; others were meant to join us for a short season.   In either case, these times are God’s proving ground of resolve and commitment.   God uses these transition points to prove out your willingness to stick.

I find our Lord amazing.  He began speaking to us about this time a few weeks ago.  Over a matter of days a handful of people made statements like:  “God is asking you to stay the course even if you only have one person” and “God has put you here for His purposes, don’t determine your call by the results currently in front of you.”

As we began the year, the Lord was speaking clearly about foundations and we are now seeing the deeper meaning of that word.  The Lord is using this time of transition to focus our attention on the firm foundations of His word, His presence and His ways.

I liken this time in our ministry to a line change in a hockey game.   During line changes, the action stops momentarily, so that the needed personnel can take the ice.