In your mythological mind’s eye, behold Sisyphus. See him straining to roll a large boulder up a steep hill, only to have the boulder, just before reaching the top, tumble back down the hill. Immediately, he tries again with the same result.
As the story goes, Sisyphus is destined to relive this sad scenario for all eternity. How maddening to be on the brink of success and fall short again and again and again.
Preaching can feel like that. Every week, you push the rock up the hill, praying and preparing and preaching your guts out, only to feel as if you never reach the top. Maybe you hear “good job” and “that was helpful” and “thank you for all you do.” But you can’t help but notice some things:
Unbelievers visit the church regularly yet seem unaffected by the gospel. Many church members remain marginally involved. Some wrestle with the same sins they’ve had for years. Marriages fail. Kids who grew up in the church walk away from the faith. Members leave over how you let them down. Prayer meetings are sparsely attended. Evangelistic zeal is minimal. The missional impact of the church seems negligible. The world continues
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
