Thursday, March 31, 2022

To Thrive and Revive, We Need to Pivot

It was my honor to contribute the vibrant and growing platform at Propel Women again. They are looking to empower female voices in the church, and nothing could excite me more! Perhaps your church has been struggling with numbers since COVID—the statistics aren't always encouraging. If you're discouraged by what you see in the pews or outside of them in our often divisive world, read this. Urge God to show you how he can use YOU to grow the church precisely when it is needed most.

Is the church dying? I am a denominationally-trained pastor, and worship statistics in the United States aren’t always encouraging. My heart breaks when I hear that more churches have closed their doors.

I recently sat down with a few female pastors for lunch. As much as we were excited to catch up, the topic quickly shifted to, “How can we creatively engage our congregation and spur its future growth?” It’s a vital question.

Brainstorming ways to reach new people about old wisdom is important for two reasons. First, God wants the church to continuously reflect the vibrancy of his Being. Second, while numbers might have dwindled in the pew, the need for God’s church certainly hasn’t.

As I look around, cultural pain is both old and new. Widespread social division is palpable. The need that the church can fill still abounds, but many are going to drier and drier wells to drink. In an online age when we’ve never been more connected, we’ve never felt more alone. Plus, we’ve forgotten how to talk to each other.

We’ve been hoodwinked.

FILLING THE “GOD-SHAPED HOLE” IN OUR HEARTS

Faith has always been capable of uniting people. Shared values and goals are more important than differences when people come together for something bigger than themselves. It’s our following of something greater than has the power to fill us in ways that don’t disappoint and heal the cracks in our collective soul.

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest” (John 10:10). Christ can fill a void that nothing else can or will. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.”

While the need for God is age-old, the humility that faith inspires is precisely the balm needed today. We’re poised for another revival. There’s freedom in dethroning the self and enthroning God. There’s healing in recognizing our need for God and one another amidst widespread isolation. There’s victory in grounding life in God’s unconditional love rather than our fickle culture.

BE BRAVE. BE BOLD.

I am reminded of Jesus’ observation that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few in Matthew 9:37. His truth holds true. The harvest is brimming.

Who are the laborers? We are. Fellow women, the church needs our voices too...

Read on at Propel Sophia Here

Want more? You can also read my last article for them. Thank you as always to my fantastic Propel editor and friend, Bronwyn Lea. Check out her newest book, Beyond Awkward Side Hugs.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Should You Choose a Career Based on Money or Passion?

diverse man and woman at work on touchpad screens

This is the second article in my recent career series, which features a shout out to my interview with author and former Broadway star Kate Battistelli and my life purpose study. It begins:

It's thrilling to follow our God-given passion and make a difference in the world precisely in the way that our Creator intended. Further, experts argue that a career based on passion versus money will be more fulfilling and ultimately even more successful because we're whole-heartedly invested. That said, our need for money is a fact of life. For those who are at a precipice and seeking God's direction for their career, here are some vital pointers to consider as you weigh both money and passion.

Shield Your Heart

The Bible is cautionary when it comes to money. True, we need money for our livelihood, and it's possible to enjoy it as a blessing from God's hand. But Scripture encourages us to keep two concerns in mind. First, it instructs us not to worry about money. We can work hard, save, and plan for the future, but we must not allow the stress of money to steal our joy. In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus encourages us to trust in God's provision (25-26) and focus on heavenly rather than earthly treasures (19-20).

In addition to not worrying about money, we cannot place money before God in our lives. Jesus teaches, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24). God wants to be the driver of our career choice, not money. Further, God wants us to conduct ourselves according to his standards within that God-ordained field. Compromise in position or standards—no matter how lucrative—is not his will for us.

Discover Three More Pointers and Read On Here

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday! Check out my Instagram (@noellekirchner) to see a pic of me back in action. It felt so good to be giving ashes and gathering again! Looking for prayer, scripture, and reflection prompts to begin Lent intentionally? Read my Ash Wednesday resource.

Also, check out my devotion featured on iBelieve and Crosswalk today about persistence—something we all need to run our race!

Looking for more? Read this devotion from yesterday on the refreshment that you can only find in Christ!

TODAY Video Clip