I have an active imagination which can often find itself immersed in a Bible narrative visually. This can sometimes be a problem when I encounter a chapter like Acts 27 and the storm that overcomes the boat carrying Paul to Rome.
This is a very timely message to us right now.
We read of the perilous and doomed voyage of the centurion Julius, as he attempts to get Paul safely to Rome. The storm that entraps them was strong and fierce enough to tear the boat apart. The conditions had already deteriorated so much that all non-essential supplies and goods had been thrown overboard. These represented the sailors' livelihoods and their reason for sailing. The voyage had switched from earning a living to fighting for survival.
With 276 passengers and crew on board, this was no small vessel, but the crew could see that the forces being exerted were aggressive enough to begin damaging the integrity of the hull. Tongue-and-groove planks formed the hull of the ship, with pitch used to seal them. To mitigate the risk of the planks being torn apart, they passed cables - actually very large ropes, under the ship and winched them together on deck to hold the hull together. It was a process called "frapping".
As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together.
Acts 27:16-17
Churches right now are in the midst of a huge storm - one that seems to have wrested control of our leadership’s decisions away from them. Now is the season to frap - to pass the cables under and around the boat to hold it firmly together. Support your church by identifying the most important things that need to be in place to hold the church together - all other things and cargo need to be jettisoned, and hold foremost the core functions of discipleship, leadership, and trust in what God is doing with us. All other cares and considerations are now secondary and distracting from the over-riding purpose of getting through the storm.
This voyage is not for the faint-hearted. At UCAN, we extol the courage and bravery that are often required by those in church administration to keep going, to weather storms, and to deal with some pretty awful situations. The God-given gift of administration is so much more than just administration, it is the gift to read a situation, know how to make a decision, and to take progressive steps of action that bring about order and execution to that decision.
However, with the pandemic-induced weariness and struggle that we are all within, the ferocity and duration of this storm is potentially triggering a sense of flight and panic where leaving the ship altogether suddenly seems a very attractive thing to do.
We are not the only ones. In verse 30 we read:
In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.’ So, the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
Acts 27:30-32
Paul sees the situation and knows that those men trying to leave the boat will die, and that is not God's intention when he has promised that everyone will survive. Ironically, everyone staying together in the worst situation will actually lead to everyone's survival.
God's plan for the redemption of our land and the rescue of people is his church. There is no plan B.
By the time we finish reading the book of Acts, it is clear that Paul's subsequent two years of openly preaching the gospel without opposition had been God's plan and destination. The storm on the boat and subsequent shipwreck but safe arrival of all the crew and passengers after a swim to shore, was a memory. All had been part of the journey.
So, if you are scared enough to want to quit, and are looking to the lifeboat to escape your role in the middle of the storm, don't. We are all human, all subject to fears and worries, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. God's plans are bigger and more trustworthy, and ultimately, we are all in this together for God's plan A. Hold tight and follow Paul's advice in verses 33 and 34:
Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. ‘For the last fourteen days,’ he said, ‘you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food – you haven’t eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.’
Acts 27:33-34
Look after yourself and those around you. Take a rest, take nourishment. You're going to need your strength and readiness for the next part of the journey.
Julian Mander
Executive Director of UCAN
Here for you: If the waves are too ferocious and the water level is approaching your head, please do get in touch with us via this link https://www.churchadministrators.net/here-for-you or by emailing info@churchadministrators.net . It would be our privilege to help support you through the stormy seas.