November 1, 2026 Devo

Today our congregation is celebrating its Centennial Anniversary. For a congregation to be around for a hundred years is quite an accomplishment. But even more rare is the fact that our church is as vibrant and impactful as it has ever been! There are a lot of congregations that still “exist,” but they haven’t been effective in many years. They’re like a person on hospice who’s just trying to stay comfortable until they die.
As I challenge our church to embrace “The Next Hundred Years,” I’d like to share a word of challenge and encouragement to congregations everywhere about what it takes to stay a force for the Kingdom of God decade after decade. Obviously, in this devotion, I can only give you a taste. If you’d like to hear my message on this, go to shartelchurch.org to listen to the sermon.
Since every church will tend to become self-focused and self-consumed, we must constantly keep pulling ourselves back to make our Mission our highest priority. And what is our mission? It’s been the same since Jesus left this planet. We are to make disciples who make disciples. We are to do whatever it takes to connect with the people in our community who are far from God, bring them to Jesus, and teach them how to do the same. There are LOTS of wonderful other things the church does, but the moment we move away from that mission, we have begun the death march. Making disciples who make disciples is simply why the church exists.
We have to be willing to change. Paul said, “I have become all things to all men so that by all means I might reach some.” The idea of becoming an impactful church excites most church members. That is, until you start messing with their programs, their systems, or their music. When we make things sacred that aren’t sacred, we’re worshipping the wrong gods.
We have to keep ourselves dependent upon God. You don’t have to be a big, fancy church to make an impact for the Kingdom of God. But you do have to be a church where the presence and power of the Holy Spirit are moving among you. Only God can change lives, save souls, heal marriages, and give hope. Without Him, we are a ship with no wind in our sails. Churches that are broken, humble, selfless, and driven by prayer become tools that God can use. Go back and read Acts 2 again and you’ll see it at work.
Still breathing after a hundred years is no big deal. Still thriving after a hundred years is something worth celebrating and cultivating. May the Lord help each of our congregations to be churches where lives are being changed, and the power of God is experienced from generation to generation. And that future begins with YOU! That’s God’s Word for you today.