Pastor Tychicus

A letter from the pastor to the church at Ephesus after receiving the letter from the Risen Christ (Revelation 2.1-7)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I write with a solemn heart after hearing the Lord’s message through John. As you are all aware, the Risen Christ has addressed our congregation directly, and His words contain both commendation and grave concern. As your leading elder, I have written a summary of the situation we are facing, and I have suggested a way forward for us together.

The Lord’s Assessment of Our Church

Christ acknowledges our positive qualities:

• Our diligent labour and perseverance
• Our refusal to tolerate wicked people
• Our testing of false apostles and exposing their deception
• Our endurance and unwavering toil for His name
• Our steadfast opposition to the Nicolaitans, whose practices the Lord hates

These strengths have sustained our community through difficult seasons. Yet, the Lord has identified a critical failing that threatens our very existence as His church:

“You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

This charge strikes at the heart of our identity. Our Lord commands us to:

1. Remember the height from which we have fallen
2. Repent
3. Return to the deeds we did at first

If we fail in this, Christ warns that He will remove our lampstand—our status and function as His church in Ephesus.

Understanding Our Situation

Our congregation has maintained doctrinal purity and persevered in difficult labour, yet we have neglected our primary calling to bear public witness to Christ in Ephesus. Though we remain outwardly opposed to false teaching and moral compromise, our witness in the city has dimmed. We have become known more for what we stand against than who we stand for.

While we maintain our religious activities, we have withdrawn from engaging our pagan neighbours with the transformative love of Christ. Our first works—the joyful proclamation of the gospel and demonstration of Christ’s love to all—have faded as we’ve turned inward.

Matters for Consideration

For Our Whole Church Assembly

1. How have we, collectively and individually, forsaken our public witness for Christ?
2. In what ways has our church’s testimony in Ephesus diminished?
3. What specific “deeds we did at first” must we recover to restore our witness?
4. How might we repent as a congregation and return to our calling?
5. What practical steps can we take to rekindle our evangelistic zeal?
6. How can we balance maintaining doctrinal purity while actively engaging our city?
7. What barriers or fears prevent us from meaningful engagement with our community?

For the Elders’ Council

1. How has our leadership contributed to this drift from our first love—our public witness?
2. In what ways have we modelled isolation rather than engagement with our city?
3. How can we lead by example in servant-hearted outreach to Ephesus?
4. What specific initiatives should we prioritise to restore our church’s witness?
5. How can we restructure our church activities to support renewed evangelistic efforts?
6. What training or equipping do our members need to confidently engage our pagan context?
7. How might we measure progress in recovering our first love as defined by public witness?
8. What accountability structures should we implement among the eldership?

Brothers and sisters, our Lord Jesus did not approach us as the Emperor would, demanding servitude and threatening punishment. Rather, even in His rebuke, He comes as one who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

I propose that we gather as a whole church this Sunday to pray, reflect, and discuss how we might respond to our Lord’s call. The elders will then meet the following evening to form specific plans based on the congregation’s insights.

May the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the lampstands grant us the wisdom and courage to respond faithfully to His call.

In Christ’s service,

Tychicus
Leading Elder
Church of Ephesus

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