Financial advisors will tell you that in a volatile market, where the uncertainty of trends and frequent market fluctuations become the norm, is not the time to make significant investing changes. Instead, “stay the course” is the advice you will hear. Financial planning is not a sprint; it's a marathon; investing looks at the long-term goals, not just the short-term gains.

While I am not a financial planner, I am the son of a Scot married to the daughter of a Dutchman, and I like math! Stay the course sounds like good advice both in financial planning and in life. This past year has shown us the inability we have to predict future events. Be it the pandemic trajectory, financial markets, or even ministry trends. So, what do we do as we enter this new year 2022? Stay the course sounds like good advice to me.

As the Apostle Paul neared the end of his life, he wrote one last letter. It was directed to a young pastor facing many of the same things our own culture faces today. There was opposition to the Gospel from an overbearing government, challenges to the Gospel from within the Church and from civil authorities. There were developing heresies that challenged Gospel truth. Paul’s letter to Timothy contained advice, warnings, and challenges summed up in this: Stay the course! “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” ... “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2 and 4:5).

Stay the course is to have our focus on the end game, our ultimate goal, not our current circumstances. To “stay the course” is to not be shifted or re-oriented in another direction because of cultural shifts, fear, uncertainty, or being influenced by those that embrace lesser things.

To “Preach the Word” has implications for us today that will help us stay the course in this time of uncertainty, a time that is challenging our faith in an environment of ever-increasing hostility toward the Gospel. Let me list four implications for us as we enter this new year.

Preach the Word - let us hold fast to the authority of the Word of God even when shifting cultural values and new laws in our land seek to diminish the authority and truthfulness of God’s Word.
Preach the Word - let us be ready to give an answer to those without hope, those who are fearful, and those who are searching for answers. Let us respond in love to those who challenge God’s Word.
Preach the Word – let us remember our calling as living witnesses of the transformational power of the Gospel and our calling to make disciples of the nations.
Preach the Word - each of us has a part to play; let us fulfil the ministry the Lord has given us.

2022 will be a year of new challenges. Let us see these as opportunities to glorify the Lord by courageously preaching the Word in a way that reflects the desire of Jesus Himself; "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

While we cannot predict the trends of this new year, we can be certain of the outcome. Let us stay the course and walk with Jesus this year!

Stay the Course!

Rev. Bill Allan
AGC President

2022: Stay the Course!