Pride and arrogance are probably the sins with which I most struggle. I’ve tried to rationalize it by saying that I don’t think that I’m better than other people, but I expect a lot of myself. Frankly, that’s baloney. Any time I think of myself highly, that is sin. Every time I am prideful and seek my own glory, that is sin. It’s clear as day in verses like

Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall

Proverbs 29:23 - One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Mark 7:22 - And he (Jesus) said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

Those verses need to affect me, they need to convict me of my pride and arrogance. I can’t read these like they are good advice or only for other people. I need to know in my heart that these are written for me, that God is speaking to me through His word, telling me to die to self and live in Him.

These sins of pride and arrogance come to surface especially when I think of planting a church in Ann Arbor. When I hear of other churches planting, I sinfully think that they are doing what I should be doing, that they are stealing my idea. Then I am reminded that “I am the worst sinner I know” (paraphrase of 1 Timothy 1:15) as I attempt to put myself above God’s providential plan. I should rejoice that other men feel called by God to plant churches in Ann Arbor. Praise God that there will be new congregations proclaiming the gospel – the good news that Jesus, the Father Son, came in human form to freely offer salvation through repentance to a rebellious people who would otherwise be rightly condemned to hell. I need to pray for the success (faithfulness) of these other church plants and see their work as FOR God’s purposes, and not against mine.

PS – The impetus for this post was the Insight Podcast interview with Young Pastors. I was greatly encouraged by two pastors who, while being only miles apart, did not see each other as competition. The quote was something like “There are 950,000 unchurched people in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area. If their church has 900,000 in attendance, that still leaves us with 50,000 people to reach with the gospel.” What a great attitude and a stark contrast to mine, where I see other church’s work as inhibiting or preventing what I think is my work. That is me limiting God, thinking that He won’t reconcile all of Ann Arbor to Him. My prayer is that God will bring all in Ann Arbor to Him, that Ann Arbor would be known as a city devoted to God and His purposes.

Today we again visited Grace Bible Church in Ann Arbor. This was the final church in Phase 2 of our church search, and it went very well. It sure seems like God is leading us to Grace. The service was worshipful and reverent, and the ABF (Sunday School) was theological deep and thoughtful. The class we went to is studying the Atonement, which fit in well with my reading of late, including In My Place Condemned He Stood and Death By Love. Julie enjoyed it too, which was important. She also met two other couples that went to Cedarville, including one girl that she recognized from school. Crazy.

In the shower this morning, I was again reminded of God’s providence and sovereignty. Were it not for a staff member at New Life (Graig Austin), we wouldn’t have re-visited Grace.  od works in His own ways and Graig, and the rest of Admin Core’s, encouragement in our church is great reminder that we are all working together for the kingdom. For me to worry or stress about other churches planting in Ann Arbor is sinful, arrogant, and prideful. There are over 100,000 people in Ann Arbor and even if other churches in town had attendence of 95,000 people, that would still leave 50,000 people who need to hear the gospel. That’s the important part, humbling myself before my Glorious God that He may God be glorified in all that I do, say, and think.