Understanding the Times

(1 Chronicles 12:32)

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Dear Southwest Third Jurisdictional Family and Saints:

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Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. As we prepare to enter a new year, my heart is filled with gratitude for the goodness of the Lord and for the faithfulness He continues to show toward His people and the Michigan Southwest Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. We stand at a significant threshold—one that calls for spiritual clarity, renewed commitment, and a fresh anointing.

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Scripture speaks of the sons of Issachar as “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). As the Church of God in Christ, we too are called to discern the season we are in and respond with wisdom, holiness, and power. We find ourselves in an unfamiliar place in the history of our nation and the Church. Even the world is experiencing unprecedented challenges—signs that point toward the imminent return of the Lord.

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To understand the times is to look beyond headlines and cultural shifts and to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Our world is changing rapidly. Many are anxious, divided, or spiritually adrift. Yet these challenges remind us that the harvest is great and that God is positioning His Church to shine as a beacon of hope in dark times. Understanding the times means RENEW:

• Your Mind (Romans 12:2)

• Your Spirit (Psalm 51:10)

• The Vision (Habakkuk 2:2–3)

• The Church (Acts 2)

 

This is not the time to become weary or faint. The Bible instructs us, “Be not weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” This is a time to be ready, not a time to get ready.

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As we enter a new year, we must recommit ourselves to the mission God has given the Church—to go into all the world and make disciples, reaching every generation and seeking to save the lost. It is time for a fresh anointing and a focused vision, operating not in self, but through the Holy Spirit of God.

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We must renew our focus on prayer, consecration, fasting, and keeping our spirits tuned to God’s voice. Discipleship, teaching, unity, and strong relationship-building must be restored at the center of our ministry efforts. Evangelism and outreach have never been more critical than they are today. The family foundation must be strengthened at all costs. And leadership development is not optional—it is essential for our success as we continue Teaching Saints, Training Leaders, and Transforming Lives. Pastors, elders, ministers, evangelists, missionaries, and lay workers must serve with excellence.

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The challenges of our time demand that we operate with both spiritual sensitivity and practical wisdom—listening for God’s direction and stepping forward in unity and love.

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The Church Of God In Christ has always been a Church of hope—Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-empowered. Our confidence is not in systems or structures, but in the God who never fails. And as we move forward, we do so with the blessed assurance that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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I urge every pastor, the Supervisor, evangelists, missionaries, elders, ministers, deacons, and every member to seek the Lord intentionally in 2026. Let us pray together for the discernment of Issachar—eyes to see, hearts to understand, and hands ready to work.

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May this new year be marked by revival, restoration, and renewed commitment to the cause of Christ. Let us stand together as one jurisdiction, one mission, and one voice, declaring Jesus Christ to a world in need.

 

With love in Christ and great expectation for what God will do,

 

Bishop Samuel Duncan, Jr., Prelate
Michigan Southwest Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction