Today I have been working on mid year reports. Our treasurer is the best in the world at keeping track of nickels and noses so a lot of the work is already done ahead of time for me. Where I struggle the most is in determining the "world impact" we are having through WHFC. So much of our ministry to the community is not recorded and tracked annually and yet, in comparison to attendance and money, it too is an important indicator for the health and success of our combined effort.
So what is a healthy church anyway? Is it increasing numbers of nickels and noses or more service to the community? Or maybe a combination of both? Regardless, one of the most important things we can remember is that Jesus is the One who builds it. Jesus said, "I will build My church..." in Matthew 16:18, and we need to hold Him to it.
The key point is that "growing the church" is Christ's work in and through us and we must constantly be looking to Him for direction and definition. That is what Paul had to remind the Corinthians in 3:1-15. They has lost perspective with Jesus and were going about church their own way; viewing it from their own fallen viewpoint and setting their own agenda. I wonder if the American church today is not in the same boat?
Paul's admonition to the Corinthians is summed up in a few direct phrases...words the church today would do well to recall. We are to be "Christ's fellow workers" (3:9); working in "God's field" (3:9). The key to grow is understanding and implementing those two things, I believe. It is Christ who assigns the work of the church (I Cor. 3:5). We must sow and water but it is God who gives the increase( 3:6-7).
So, if we are not to seek growth from business manuals and through marketing savvy and simply to trust in "thea Lord to add to our numbers day by day" as recorded in Acts 2:47 ... does that mean then if our numbers and dollars are not increasing we must not be in the "right field" or doing the "assigned work" of Christ? What say you? Thanks for stopping by!
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Adrian
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paul....
ReplyDeletePerhaps we aren't prepared to do the work Jesus wants us to do.
ReplyDeleteIn these discussions the spiritual condition of the brethren is rarely referenced.
If Christ owns the field and sows the seed, would he send a bunch of amatuer providences out into His garden to play around? We would ruin all of His preperation.
Or are we to just go out and "do" because we believe He told us to and He'll honor our intent by turning our attempts into success?
I believe He owns the field, tills the soil, sows the seed, erects a scare crow, germinates the seed, grows the shoots and ultimately sends out "prepared" workers to help Him harvest.
Luke 10:2
He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field".
Are we asking the Lord to send us or are we "going" under a sense of duty?
Are we strengthening the brethren, making disciples, preparing workers?
When we, His workmanship, are prepared, we will joyfully ask the Lord and He will send us to do the works He preordained us to do.
Surrender all to Him. He is Lord. Make Him sovereign and witness Him work.
Carry on!
Jesus builds the church.
ReplyDeleteFrom John 6:44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day”.
From John 12:32
“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
It’s God’s responsibility. All our actions and works mean nothing unless He draws to Himself.
Our attempts to measure our success in numbers and dollars and service ultimately reflect whether the Lord is drawing people to our church because of its program or adjenda? This puts the relationship into the position of being a puzzle. Have we drawn the right conclusion from reading? If our numbers are down or flat we must not be doing it right or Jesus would draw more people to us.
I am a staunch believer that when Jesus enters a life, some form of demonstrative service will result, (weather it is evangelical in nature or humanitarian), because that is the nature of Jesus, to lay down the life. Accept His offer; he will do it to you when and how He chooses.
I suppose if I met Paul we would have a good time. I believe; he was anointed by Jesus Himself, had Jesus’ heart within him, and tried his best to explain what he knew and learned from Jesus to a bunch of humans. But as wonderful and inspired as his letters are the words of Jesus are greater.
I believe the responsibility of the institutional church is to first lift up Jesus, what He accomplished on the cross and why He had to depart so the Holy Spirit could come. I believe if we do that, lift him up, He will draw people to Himself. We then bear witness to the truth of what is happening to them (something I think is critical).Then, I believe as people interact with us and see how we work out our faith, He will speak to the hearts of His people. They must then choose to respond “yea or nay” to His leading (just like always).
I know as church leaders with all the responsibility associated with that calling, coupled with the level to which our church leaders of WHFC have accepted that calling (very commendable), it can be sooo hard. You are expected to direct our success. If we fail financially, you have done something wrong? How sucks is that?
But take heart; be of good courage, you are loved.
I heard a sermon Sunday in which the pastor said that when Jesus uttered those words to Peter about building His church, He wasn't referring to Peter as the rock of His church, but rather He was referring to building His church on the rock of what had been revealed to Peter. Namely, that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. That is how we can measure the success of our churches. Are we built on the right foundation and are we adhering to the principles of our founder? Before any church should rush to answer that question in the affirmative, they should do some soul-searching to see if their ministries, programs, interactions, etc. reflect the King of Kings and all that He represents. If not, it's time to regroup.
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