Little Issues-Big Frustrations

Tonight we had Movie night with our teens. Great movie, planned out, pizza, lemonade, good time-all we need are teens. Out of 6 teens only 3 show up! You know why? because parents aren't reinforcing us as we encourage kids to be in church and teach them that God tells us to be in church! It is so frustrating to see kids come serveral weeks in a row only to have the slightest things pull them away-like the carnival.. I am grateful for one teen in particular-a bus kid! I love bus kids!! He has come every Sunday since Jan. except once when he was sick and he got mad at his mom for not letting him come then!! It is teens like that, that make it all worth it.
My only other complaint right now is how petty people can be. We have a family that just left our church (taking one of our teens with them) because the old pastor didn't teach them the fundamentals of the faith. So because we have an older, more knowledgable Pastor, they are having a hard time understanding what he is preaching, saying that it is going over their heads. So they give up because they weren't taught the importance of having a personal relationship with God and being in an independent, fundamental, bible believing church! We might also be losing two other families for some of the same reasons and because of not being grounded in the Word. They are now getting their toes stepped on and don't like it! Well guess what? God loves you just the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you there! And Satan doesn't care what you are doing as long as it's not the Will of God!
AND YET.... even with all of that people are stepping up in our church like I have never seen here!! We have a true visitation program going with lots of people coming to go spread the gospel and invite others to church. We are putting more focus on missions like we should be (including raising their support)! and we have had first-time visitors every Sunday for four weeks in a row now!! :) God is working and I love it!!! If that means that our church has to lose people in order to grow and reach the community in a mor effective way then so be it. God knows what he is doing and I know I need to trust Him more no matter how frustrating things get. God is Good All of the Time!