You Can't Win Them All...

"This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." 

~ 1 Timothy 1:18-20 (ESV)

He had been a successful church planter for ten years in his home country. We welcomed him to our church and community with open arms. Soon afterwards a promising opportunity developed for him to take the lead in a new church plant. He confessed that he was being pressed by the Lord to accept the challenge. But, the "American Dream" wrapped it's ever-enticing arms around his heart and he shipwrecked. As his pastor and friend, I was greatly disappointed. But, you can't win them all.

Paul knew the taste of ministry drop-outs all too well... ("Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem..." ~ Acts 13:13)  Over the years, some dropped out, some fell into dibilitating sin (1 Corinthians 5), and others, as Hymenaeus and Alexander, totally shipwrecked their faith. No matter what the cause, when we invest our lives in others and they fall by the wayside, it's disappointing. But, we can't win them all. 

The concept of "we can't win them all" may seem trite, but when those to whom we minister walk away... it stinks. We know all the Biblical and theological answers to the sad fallout that so often comes, but we need to press on and prepare for the next "Timothy" that comes our way. In the years that followed the experience I mentioned earlier, I had the incredible privilege to mentor my two sons. These two young men of God are now passionately serving the Lord in pastoral ministries with undying devotion. Keep looking for the winners!

~ PJVS