We are facing tough times in the world around us. Mainline churches are under attack for uplifting the mercy of Christ. The democracy as we know it is being changed from the inside out by unelected officials. The mission field is rapidly expanding as government workers are being summarily laid off or let go. The separation of church and state seems to have vanished as ICE and TSA officials enter churches at will to detain undocumented workers. The work of politics has positioned itself squarely in the realm of ethics.

As Christian leaders, we are called to notice, reflect on, and respond to matters of ethics. In fact, originally the separation of church and state was developed just so that churches would not feel constrained to speak to issues of the day.

I am writing to encourage you to hold on to your high calling. Not only that, as many values we have held dear seem to tumble down around us, I want you to believe in your ability to rise again. And to bring others along with you.

Resurrection is one of the key tenets of the Christian path. Not only did Jesus rise from the dead, he raised others as well. And he believes that we can rise too. Whether you take resurrection to be a literal or metaphorical reality, rising from the dead speaks to the buoyancy of both the human spirit and the divine spirit within us.

When it comes to participating in our own resurrection, we have much to learn from Jesus. Faced with the worst of dead-end circumstances—an unjust death by crucifixion— Jesus feels dread and moves forward anyway. Jesus believes in the reality of resurrection and puts that belief ahead of his fears. It’s not that he discounts the pain that awaits him. He doesn’t. Instead, he chooses to trust God in the worst moments of his life.

3 Ways to Believe Like Jesus

As you trust in your ability to rise, and to bring others along with you, here are 3 lessons we can learn from Jesus about how to believe in resurrection.

1. Stay aware. Jesus stayed aware of what was happening around him and the implications of the decisions being made about his life. He didn’t bury his head in the sand, simply hoping for resurrection.

From Jesus we learn that as painful as times may be, it’s important to stay aware. So many people I know are opting out of watching the news, or staying informed because it is too depressing. Or too anguishing. While it’s important to keep one’s heart lifted, it is equally important to keep one’s feet firmly planted in the reality of changes taking place around us. Only in this way can you effectively speak, lead and minister to the people around you, and anticipate needs to be met. You can’t ignore the present if you are planning on resurrection.

2. Trust the Guidance of God and the Prompting of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed during the worst time of his life. Rather than being frozen in fear, he actively sought out the wisdom of God.

From Jesus we learn to believe in the potent power of prayer. During these days of a rapidly changing landscape in our country, and around the world, pause to tune in to the guidance of God, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and the needs of your own soul. Divine guidance is what we most need right now.

3. Activate the ministries of the church. Before Jesus faced crucifixion, he conscientiously trained the Twelve to carry on his ministries: healing the sick, proclaiming the Kingdom, and casting out demons. First trained as disciples, they were ready to be sent out as apostles to carry on Jesus’ mission.

From Jesus we learn to believe in the future. We must train people to be ready for ministry. Now is the time to activate the ministries of the church—both comfort and challenge ministries. Comfort ministries offer comfort to those in need. The need for basic human dignities such as food and housing as well as hope and support is growing.  Challenge ministries challenge the root causes of hunger, homelessness, etc. Challenge ministries in these days may look like calling on your government representatives to push back against immoral or unjust or illegal executive orders. Or alerting undocumented workers how to avoid illegal detainment and deportation.

Sometimes, it seems that life hands us dead ends. Bleakness is all that lies before us. While things are bound to be better in heaven, what about life now? How are we to go on in situations like these?

A Bonus Lesson  Find joy and gratitude. Remember that in God’s world, there are no dead ends. New life always comes. Be ready for it by finding joy and gratitude in each day. Let your light shine.

Yes, resurrection can seem elusive when times are tough, and fear has a sort of irresistible allure. It sometimes seems a safer bet to catastrophize, to believe in a fearful outcome, than to place our faith in a positive future.

Put your Belief in Action

Beliefs shape your thoughts; thoughts fuel your actions; actions demonstrate your faith, and your faith reinforces your beliefs. So, as you begin to believe like Jesus, you will find that you are now able to think new thoughts, take new actions, and develop new faith. Mountains and mulberry trees start to move. The people around you begin to respond in new ways. And the world becomes a brighter place.

• Believe: Believe in the reality of resurrection by placing more faith in God’s positive future than in your fear. If you have faith in the possibilities of the future, you don’t need evidence that good things will happen. Your choice to believe like Jesus is all the proof you need.

• Answer the Call: Answer the call of possibility, of belief in resurrection. That doesn’t mean you won’t have doubts from time to time, or that you won’t have fears. As Rooster Cogburn in the 1969 movie True Grit, John Wayne famously said, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” That’s as good a mantra for an apostle as any. Courage is being scared to death and having the faith of Jesus anyway. Don’t pretend you have no fear, but turn that fear around. Don’t let it shut you down. Instead, use it as fuel.

• Practice: A friend of mine used to say, “It ain’t over till it’s over, and if it ain’t good, then it ain’t over.” Develop the practice of looking for the good in each situation. Amplify it. Write about it. Talk about it. Lift it up. Rename your problems as opportunities and act as such. I don’t want to make light of it, but Jesus can see beyond the horror of crucifixion to the good that lay beyond it. He isn’t naïve, nor does he ask us to discount our own pain. Rather, Jesus invites us to see the good that comes out of even the worst of circumstances, like the deep family connections that have resulted from my mother’s ALS.

Believe In Your Ability to Rise Again

If you are looking for new ways to embrace the power of resurrection and the faith of Jesus in your ministry and those around you, I invite you to join me for RISE: 40 Days to Spiritual Transformation.

I created this course for leaders like you to embark on a transformative journey based on my powerful new book, Believe Like Jesus: Rising from Faith in Jesus to the Faith of Jesus. This immersive online experience will guide you in awakening the divine potential within, empowering you to live with the same unwavering faith and miraculous power that Jesus embodied.

Throughout six dynamic sessions, you will explore core principles such as spiritual authority, the power of prayer, divine purpose, resilience, and co-creating miracles with God. You’ll gain practical tools to apply these transformative teachings to your spiritual growth and daily life in these challenging times.

The first session is Tuesday, March 4, 2025 and we will meet weekly until Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 6:30 – 7:45pm Central Time. Single and Group registration options are available. This could be the turning point you’ve been seeking, so register today!

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