In today’s sermon text from the book of Genesis, there is a sentence that appears repeatedly:
“The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a prosperous man.”
In the world’s understanding, to be “prosperous” usually means that things go smoothly as planned, that one is rewarded in proportion to one’s effort, and that life is comfortable and stable.
Yet Scripture calls Joseph a “prosperous man,” even though his life began with betrayal. He was sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Not a single season of his life could be described as comfortable or secure. And still, the Bible clearly testifies that God made Joseph prosper.
In the biblical sense, prosperity does not mean the absence of hardship. Rather, it means that God’s purpose is not interrupted or defeated through a person’s life. Joseph’s prosperity flowed from the fact that God was with him in every circumstance. Joseph was not prosperous because he avoided prison; he was prosperous because he did not lose God’s calling even while he was in prison.
As we reflect on the reality of our church after the COVID pandemic, we see much of Joseph’s story reflected in our own. The pandemic disrupted our worship life, and longstanding denominational issues brought deep turmoil. These struggles left painful wounds on our sense of spiritual identity and trust in the church. Many experienced confusion and disappointment, and some stepped away or created emotional distance from the church. Yet these challenges were not unique to us; they were shared across many mainline churches in the United States. At the same time, broader economic hardship made daily life more difficult for our members, and the hands that once joyfully labored for the church have not been as many as before.
In the face of these realities, people sometimes ask, “Have we taken the wrong path?” or “Has God left us?” But the story of Joseph speaks clearly: prosperity is not the absence of problems, but the evidence of God’s presence.
Last year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our church. Now we stand at a crossroads as we look toward a new fifty years. This journey must be a renewed commitment to walk with God, and a decision to ensure that the mission God has entrusted to this church continues without interruption. What we need now is not greater speed, but clearer direction—not the pressure to prove results, but faithfulness before God. Just as Joseph remained faithful even in prison, we too are called to faithfully carry out the mission entrusted to us right where we are.
What gives us deep gratitude is that, even amid all these challenges, God has preserved our church and kept it strong. The center of our life together—worship, the Word, and prayer—has become even more firmly established. Through hardship, we have learned the value of one another, laid aside the empty pride of the past, and embraced a humbler faith that focuses on the true essence of the church. This is clear evidence that God has not left us but continues to be with us. In this, we see a reflection of Joseph’s prosperity.
There are projects we were unable to complete during our 50th anniversary year. The Laos Women’s Self-Reliance and Peace Center will begin its construction process with the purchase of land in the coming weeks. Due to the long rainy season from May through October, the project is expected to be completed next year. We are also moving forward with the Urban Prayer Retreat project. While further discussion and communal discernment are needed, it is my hope that the first floor, where our current church office is located, will become an open space for encounter, and the second floor, where the ministry staff office is, will be transformed into a space for prayer and healing.
If God was with Joseph, and if that divine companionship ultimately bore fruit in God’s perfect timing, then we too must move forward one step at a time with confidence that God will take responsibility for the future of First United Methodist Church in Flushing.
