When Tragedy strikes on Saturday (Some thoughts on current events influencing content, worship, and planned prayer)

I can remember a conversation (or series of conversations) in one of my previous ministry contexts, where as missionaries we discussed what current events we would allow to change, alter, interrupt, and require responses from us in our content, worship, and planned prayer. You may have heard some Christian leaders asking for prayer on Saturday's when a tragedy, or major event occurs on that Saturday. This oftentimes changes sermons, prayers, and other Sunday plans. At the time of our group conversation as missionaries, a number of perspectives were offered and advantages and disadvantages considered.

Relevance: One line of thinking suggested that recent events of the week ought to inform and shape our content, worship, and planned prayer. We don't live in vacuums, and we don't all experience life in the same ways. Therefore, changes and flexibility to acknowledge, and address on current events could be a wise course of action. After all, didn't Jesus meet people in their circumstances, and wasn't his ministry surrounded by constant current events which caused trepidation?

Remain Focused: Another line of thinking suggested that recent events should simply be glossed over or disregarded entirely. Otherwise, what is the point of a plan, a schedule, and preparation? For at every place and in every time there are wars, tragedies, plagues, famines, droughts, births, weddings, and celebrations. After all, didn't Jesus stay focused in his ministry rather than allow for other events and people to define his ministry? If we change our plan for any one thing, what would that say about all the other things we don't change plans for?

Middle-Ground: Still another line of thinking suggested a somewhat in-between approach. Rather than fully bending and reshaping our content, worship, and planned prayer, and rather than completely ignoring or glossing over current events, we ought to integrate something about the current events into the already assembled and planned content, worship, and planned prayer. It wouldn't be a great burden to simply add a paragraph in that written piece, or to add an element to a worship service, or to say a few lines acknowledging the event in prayer, would it?

These points all sound well and good in a vacuum, but days come when events occur that rip into the very fabric of our eyes and break the dam of our tears. These discussions are always more enjoyable in theory than in practice. That's not to say I don't enjoy these conversations or their memory. Quite the opposite, I look back with joy and rejoice in the moment when I'm surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses of Christ who are willing to take time to discuss what is good, wise, and proper for the betterment of work of ministry.

So which is it? What is best? When tragedy occurs, when uncertainty shakes the foundations of our expectations, what do we do as ministry servants? At the risk of sounding like a preacher, here are three things that have helped me when tragedy strikes on Saturday (or the equivalent 11th hour before an event).

1) Remember that God has already been at work in your preparation.

Whether it is a piece of content (In our case back in the day, videos, and written articles) a worship service (in our case back in the day chapel services) or planned prayer (during special ceremonies, and social gatherings) God has been at work in your labors preparing you. God isn't JUST at work when we click "publish", when we arrive on location, or when the event begins. God has been at work in us, through us, and for us in our careful, dutiful, faithful, and diligent pursuit of pleasing him in the days and times leading up to publishing, worshipping, or participating.

2) Remember that God's people have always relied on the Truth of God's Word.

God's truth is "true truth" (A phrase Francis Schaeffer loved to use). As servants and ministers working for the pleasure of God, as we plan, prepare, and then present God's truth we are bringing pleasure to God and equipping God's people to live no matter what circumstances have happened or will happen. By calling people to faith in God's Word and God's Work through Jesus, we are extending an immutable, eternal, and omni-relevant reality. When tragedy strikes (and it will), if we have done the work to point people to the One who is the Source of Hope, the circumstances of the tragedy will not matter. The balm for souls is the same when famine strikes, when pestilence takes place, when expectations are dashed, and when the number of our days expires. If we have planned faithfully according to God's Word, if we have prepared throughout our work by careful consideration relying on God's gifting, and if we have presented God's truth in our content, worship, and prayers, then no matter the tragedy on Saturday, God's people will be equipped for His good work moving forward.

3) Remember that there are times to be flexible, and times to be rigid.

Each of the above considerations has it's merits and it's pitfalls. The Relevance approach shows true care and compassion in the moment. The Remain-Focused approach shows wisdom in appreciating God at work in our work both in the presence and the absence of tragedy. The Middle-Ground offers a bit of each other approach. Ultimately, throughout God's Word we have instances of God calling his servants and ministers for long periods of preparation (Jesus in the wilderness, Moses shepherding for 40 years, David anointed king but still Saul's son-in-law and subject while Saul lived). We also have instances of God causing or using great and seemingly sudden change at a moments notice (The Martyrdom of Stephen, The last supper, Esther chapter 1 with Xerxes disfavor of his queen Vashti). Each of these three approaches have valid reasons for their usage. Therefore, pray in humility to the God who is always at work, that he would give you wisdom in your own ministry on a daily basis to know when and how to best serve.

In the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 we're given much wisdom about life in the face of the reality that life is fleeting. I encourage you in your ministry to take great comfort, even as we did after those conversations so many years ago:

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

In all of these times, and in all of these seasons, in all of these tragedies, God is at work. In the absence of tragedy, in the presence of tragedy, God is at work. In your planning, God is at work. In your preparation, God is at work. In your work, God is at work. Turn to him in your planning, turn to him in your preparation, and lead others to him in your content, your worship, and your prayers.

In other words, when tragedy strikes on Saturday, during the 11th hour, do the same thing you would do if there was no tragedy: lead people to the True Truth and trust that God is at work.