God says stuff we wish we could ignore!
Exodus 23:15 ends the verse with this command: “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.” In 2 Corinthians 8:2-6 we see that the Macedonian church gave out of their “extreme poverty” They gave, “as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” Then in verse 7, “But just as you excel in everything…see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Yesterday, I wrote about how rich most of us are! With those riches come responsibility. Are we willing to truly surrender all that we are and all that we have to the LORD? Will we not just give out of our abundance, but also in sacrifice like the Macedonian church? I will end with a question our pastor asked, “Who or what does my wallet/purse say that I worship?”
Dying Churches
Filed under: Body of Christ, Direction, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, Vision, church growth, creativity, leadership, ministry, planting, stewardship
Is your church is a downhill slide? Have you not seen a salvation or a new member that wasn’t a child or grandchild of a member since Elvis was controversial? Is most of the tithe money in the church coming from pension checks or social security? Then you as a pastor or leader have some work to do! What can you do?
Option 1: Lay down and die. Soon, your church will literally die off, and the building can be sold once you can’t afford to keep the lights on anymore.
Option 2: Try something new…radically new! Change is hard! It is even harder when working with a congregation whose youngest member has been there longer than I have been alive. But change is better than dying off. I am not talking about compromising principles or changing the message of salvation. I am referring to the way that message is conveyed. I am also referring to your outreach programs, missions etc. Take a hard look at everything you do! What does your budget say about you? Are you spending more money on keeping the dead in the cemetary than you are on evangelism, children and youth?
Option 3: Find a church plant that is busting at the seams in a rented facility and invite them to come join with you. This will take some guts for both pastors! It falls under the really radically different category. You can’t expect them to follow the same path your church has been on for years…but remember that they are growing, and seeing people’s lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ! So maybe they are doing something right.
Other ways to get out of your rut are to read books that will challenge you in your ministry. Attend conferences. Get together with some other pastors..not to compare attendance numbers, but to encourage one another and share ideas. Never forget to get back to the basics of spending time in God’s Word every day! Beg God in prayer to give you a new vision for HIS church. Turn it over to HIM, if you have tried to take control…and remember, with God, ALL things are possible!
Doing something different
Filed under: Encouragement, Random Thoughts, community, evangelism, stewardship
This morning, I went to a yard sale. It was put on by a group from my church going through financial classes at our church. The cool thing is, they aren’t just learning about personal finance and thinking it would be nice to be debt free. They were doing something about it! Selling off a lot of their stuff to go toward paying off their debts that they accumulated buying that stuff. These people got up on a Saturday morning and were out making a difference in their lives and in the process, they were able to talk to other people about what they were doing. Was it a super spiritual thing? Maybe not, but they were making connections with others and talking about something they believe in.
Shouldn’t we as Christians be doing something different to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our communities? Just being there at the yard sale gave me a chance to talk to someone about my church. Is that the same as sharing the Romans road with them and bowing our heads for the sinners prayer. No it isn’t, but it was establishing a positive relationship with this particular man toward a church that is letting people have a yard sale in the parking lot. Many people who first make friends with people in a church later become believers in Jesus Christ through seeing God work through those they meet. My hat is off to those trying to get out of debt and achieve financial freedom! I myself am on that journey…and 20K less in debt this year than I was two years ago! Let us all go out and do something different for Jesus Christ. Like in the movie “Pay if Forward”, just come up with something that will change the world.
Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley
Filed under: Book Review, community, leadership, ministry, stewardship
I just started reading Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley. It has been an interesting read as someone who is not a senior pastor. The biggest truth I have gleaned so far from this read is to manage the time I have rather than letting it manage me. If I do everything rather than getting people to help me do it, then not only am I robbing others of a chance to do what they are good at, but I am adding stress to my own life that doesn’t need to be there. An example from my own life: Last year, my wife and I decorated the platform at church for Christmas. It took the two of us about five hours lugging out the huge Christmas tree and putting up all the decorations. This year, a team of people came to help and it only took about an hour. Another team came to tear it down and again it only took about an hour! Not only did I save my time and walk away with out sore muscles, but it became an enjoyable experience for a whole team! As a normal American guy, I have a tendency toward self-sufficiency and have trouble asking others for help. As I learn to do so, I am finding that the benefits aren’t just for me, but also help to create a sense of community for those who use their own talents to help me, and the results are much better! I may post again on this book as I have more thoughts on it. So far, I recommend the read.
Tithing
In a blog for pastors, why write about tithing? Every pastor knows the importance of the personal tithe. What about the church? We are quick to exhort people to tithe by sharing with them how God blesses those who give. Do we believe that God will bless a church that tithes as well?
Over and over I have seen churches that practice giving to ministries, missions, and denominations beyond their walls blessed by God in miraculous ways! I have also seen churches who claim not to have a big enough budget to be able to help support other ministries struggle year after year just to meet the bills and keep the doors of the church open. “God loves a cheerful giver” goes beyond the individual level. If your church is not supporting missions or any ministry beyond itself and you feel like it is in a constant struggle to meet the bills, I encourage you to put this idea to a test. Trust God, give generously, and see how our Awesome Omnipotent God will pour out His blessings on your ministry.
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