Every student of Scripture is an interpreter. Whether we realize it or not, every time we open the Bible, we make decisions about language, context, history, symbolism, prophecy, and fulfillment. These decisions form what theologians call a hermeneutic—the principles by which we interpret God’s Word. The question, therefore, is not whether we have a hermeneutic. The question is where our hermeneutic comes from.

When churches decline, it is tempting to declare, “Ichabod.” But Scripture tells a more hopeful story. Spiritual decline calls for repentance—not despair—and God may still strengthen what remains.

When the crowds grow, we call it success. When they shrink, we call it failure. But Scripture calls pastors to something deeper: faithfulness. What can Greg Locke’s recent reflections teach every church about the danger of measuring ministry by visible results? When a church is growing, we naturally assume something is going right. When a church begins to decline, we instinctively ask what went wrong. Those assumptions are deeply embedded in modern ministry. Attendance, influence, visibility,...