"IT'S MY LIFE"

 

When I was a teenager, I enamored a pop song which was much celebrated at the time. It goes with the title "IT'S MY LIFE." That precisely defines the pulse of our depraved humanity. 

But after I became a disciple of Christ, I understood it's a lie to believe "IT'S MY LIFE." I realized, "IT'S NOT MY LIFE." 

1 Corinthians reveals who does my life belongs to. 

First, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 exhorts to flee from sexual immorality. And the reason it gives is that my life belongs to God who bought me with the blood of Christ Jesus. It says, "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. for you were bought with a price." It's God's life. 

Second, 1 Corinthians 8:13 speaks about giving up eating certain food that causes a Christian brother in the church stumble. My Christian brother's welfare is more important than my personal pleasure. This shows my life belongs to the community of God. I am not my own. 

Third, 1 Corinthians 7:4 teaches that a Christian married couple must satisfy each other's sexual needs, "For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." This points out that I must give preference to my wife's needs over mine. I am not my own. I belong to her. 

You see, all the above Scriptures reveal that our life is not our own. God owns our life, and we belong to His community and our spouse. "IT'S MY LIFE" is a phrase that must never be uttered and lived by a Christian. 

Hearing this truth, one might wonder, "Then what about my joy and happiness?"

Remember, the most joyless people in the world are selfish people. True joy is not in living a selfish and individualistic life but in living for God and those He placed in our lives. Blessed is the one who lives accordingly. 

___________________________

Enquiries: 

messageforourage@gmail.com

What Every Pastor and All Believers Should Know [Part One]

Church ministry is an adventurous journey. It is a journey wherein both shepherds and believers walk along together towards spiritual maturity. Of course, leaders should stay ahead in leading the flock, but they are not on the mountaintop of perfection. We all have lessons to learn as we fall and rise.

There are few lessons I have also learned in my brief journey of being a shepherd of God’s flock. I hope, as I put these lessons in writing, it would inspire and enlighten both the pastors and believers in Christ Jesus.

Before going further, I want to mention that this message is addressed to both shepherds and believers, especially to the shepherds who wants to care and serve God’s people. This is not relevant to those pastors who have no heart to love and serve the people of God.

UPON WHOM IS THE DEPENDENCE?

One crucial lesson I have learned in church ministry is this—I should not suppose I am a ‘messiah’ of people. Many pastors function like a messiah [savior] for their own detriment. In our good intention to help God’s people, I am afraid, we have become more of a hindrance in believers’ relationship with Christ Jesus, the head of His church.

We shepherds think we have to be always ready to give counsel and to help. We consider ourselves as problem-solvers of people with problems. We want them to know we are always there for them. Now I am not denying the responsibility of a shepherd to counsel and to help people in their problems. What I want us to understand is that this is our secondary role.

The first and foremost task of a leader is to lead people to the Lord of lords. It is to draw people closer to God, not toward myself. It is to teach people to seek God first, not me. It is to guide people to lean on their Maker to cope with the problems of their lives, not to depend on me for their help. It is to cast them under the wings of God, not to curb them under my wings.

To put in one statement, this is what I would say—the primary responsibility of a Christian leader is to train people to depend on God’s wisdom and strength to solve their own problems. 

True, there is wisdom in the counsel of elders. It is foolish to ignore their counsel. God uses His children to speak to us and to guide us. But many people act unwisely by always seeking first the counsel of leaders than praying in the closet and seeking the face of the Wonderful Counselor. They are quick to share their problems with the shepherds than giving priority to the Chief Shepherd of our souls. They are more dependent on the prayers of their leaders, than on God in whom they have believed for their salvation.

Although such attention is cherished by church leaders, it is unhealthy and dangerous, both for themselves and for believers.

A Christ-centered leader avoids excessive attention and unhealthy dependence upon him by believers. His delight is in seeing people seeking God, trusting in Him and exalting Him in all things. 

Let me also mention something which is necessary for your consideration—it is good for leaders to pray for people, but it is wrong to think that the prayers of pastors are more powerful than the prayers of believers. The Scripture doesn't say the prayers of pastors are powerful and effective. It says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16). I hope the readers do not have the assumption that only pastors are righteous:-) Observe, these words are said in the context of praying for one another.

Furthermore, before saying to people to call for the elders of the church to pray for them in sickness, James beforehand says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (Jas. 5:13). Before "them", "him" should come first in prayer. Personal private prayer precedes corporate prayer. Our corporate prayers, in fact, would be powerful when our private prayers are fervent. 

Sadly, there are many believers who keep on begging others [pastors and others] to pray for them while they themselves neglect to pray in isolation and wait upon the Lord.

In seeking to cope with the problems in life, both pastors and believers ought to realize their helplessness and the urgency to seek God for His intervention and help. We are all helpless creatures in desperate need of helpful Creator. We all must, both individually and corporately, rely absolutely on God, who alone is our refuge and strength. Apart from Him, we are nothing and can do nothing.   

Therefore, we pastors should know, and also the believers must understand—leaders are not high priests. They are not mediators between God and people. They are just monitors to help people know God for themselves. In the New Covenant age, because of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer has access to seek and walk with God. And the shepherds’ job is to see this being fulfilled and lived by believers in church. 

_________________________________________

Enquiries: 

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com

One Mission of Local Churches

A picture of Nepalese taken in our recent mission trip to Nepal.

Recently, I went on a mission trip to Nepal along with my brothers in Christ. We saw tremendous needs in this land. There are places without gospel and churches. There is no proper community development and growth. There are no sound moral values. People are living in utter darkness, for there is no Christ in them.  

I know this pathetic situation is obvious also in many parts my nation, India. It is apparent in other countries too. As I think about the plight of the nations, my heart painfully questions, “What are the local churches doing for Christ in their nations and beyond? What is their mission?”

It seems many local churches are absorbed in their own programs, events and formal services. A couple of them are wallowing in doctrines without having passion for missions. Some churches are passionately focused on gaining more numbers and making their church appear big.

All these local churches are forgetting their one significant mission, and that mission is to send missionaries to the unreached and needy places. Of course, there is a need even to send missionaries to the affluent nations which are spiritual dry and dead.

Are the local churches realizing this great privilege and responsibility?

Sending missionaries is not just the responsibility of mission agencies. In fact, in the early church, if we carefully study the book of Acts, we don’t find mission agencies. We see only local churches. These local churches were missional, sending missionaries to spread the gospel of Christ and planting more churches.

For instance, we see the believers who were scattered from the church in Jerusalem, travelling as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the gospel of Christ and paving way for church planting (Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19ff). Now when multitudes of people turned to the Lord in Antioch, ready for church planting, it is written, “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch” (Acts 11:22). It was the local church in Jerusalem which played an active role in spreading the gospel and in planting churches.

We also learn that the Holy Spirit spoke and the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1ff). And there might be many missionaries sent out from the early local churches which were not recorded, for the book of Acts is essentially a historical record of the Acts of the Apostles.

One thing we observe reading the book of Acts—the early churches were missional. Sadly, the modern churches have become ceremonial.

Considering the tremendous needs around us, I wonder, “What if every local church endeavors to send one missionary once in every year? If it is difficult, sending one missionary at least once in every two or three years?” How much of the gospel would spread! How many churches would be planted! How many communities would be transformed! O, there would be incredible results on earth and joy in heaven!

May God have mercy on the local churches and send revival in them to awaken them to see the needs around and send missionaries to spread the gospel, to plant churches and to develop communities. What great things can be accomplished for Christ if the believers in the local churches are equipped for ministry and from among them, some are sent as missionaries!

I understand, pastors play a key role in triggering such missional movement in the churches. So I plead with them in the Name of Jesus Christ to take the task of missions seriously and commit themselves to make their local churches missional for the glory of God.

To share as an encouragement to you about the grace of God in our lives—just after finishing a year of planting our local church, Assembly of Living Witnesses, the Lord has given us the grace to send our first missionary couple to a needy place in Maharashtra, a state in the western region of India.

We are a small community but we are praying and planning to send many missionaries from our local church. By God’s grace, some of the brothers are already willing and expressed their desire to go as missionaries. I know there is a huge price to be paid. It calls for sacrifice, suffering and self-denial. But let us remember—the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is inimitably greater than all our sacrifices. Moreover, greater the sacrifice for Christ greater the reward in the kingdom of God. Hallelujah!

Our local church is committed to missions. Life is short and lived only once in this world and we don’t want to waste it. Our passion as a local church is to spread the glory of God among the nations by sending missionaries to the nations. Even the elders of our church are willing and ready to go as missionaries wherever God sends and enables them to go. Soli Deo Gloria!

We believe, every local church is called to be missional. Are we, the local churches, willing to become what God has called us to be, making a difference in the nations for the glory of God?

When there are so many places and peoples without Christ and hope of eternal life, this is not the time for the local churches to settle in their own world and snore in their comforts. Let us rise and shine by sending missionaries for Christ!

Do not forget, one primary mission of local churches is to send missionaries. Are we willing to equip the saints and send them as missionaries?

_________________________________________

Enquiries: 

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com

Three Important Lessons for Pastors

It is a great privilege to be a shepherd of God’s flock which He bought by His own blood. It is a great responsibility to lead God’s people. It is a great joy to love God’s family. Nevertheless, I have learned, if we are oblivious of our boundaries and ignore our limitations, there are certain inevitable pitfalls—such as disappointments, rejection, stress, burnout and failures.

In the few months of shepherding God’s church, I have learned many significant lessons. The following are just three out of them. I pray and hope that my fellow-pastors in God’s vineyard would find these lessons quite encouraging and helpful in their church ministry.

Lesson One—Who Is the Source?

As pastors, we have to be burdened to build the people of God. We should be concerned for their spiritual welfare. We must be passionate in serving them and equipping them for works of service. We ought to ponder over how to lead them towards spiritual maturity.

However, may we never forget—they are ultimately God’s church. It is God who bought the church by His own blood (Acts 20:28). It is Christ who is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23). It is Christ who builds His church (Matt. 16:18). It is God who makes things grow (1 Cor. 3:7). It is the Lord who sanctifies and preserves His church till the end (1Thess. 5:23).

Therefore, should we not helplessly throw ourselves completely in the arms of God to guide and lead us to direct His church? Must we not constantly seek His wisdom and direction to serve His people? Ought we not walk with Him in our effort to talk about Him to His children?

There is a tendency to think that the church belongs to us, that we are the head of the church and that the pressure is completely upon us to lead the people of God into spiritual maturity. If we walk with this perspective and attitude, I am sure we are going to bring insurmountable trouble, both on ourself and upon the church.

In our age wherein so many resources are available via books and internet, wherein so many church experts are existent, wherein so many of us are talented, knowledgeable and skillful—there is a danger of slipping off from humble dependence on God to our own detriment. Let no idols, however good, rise between us and God.

Now it is good to read books on how to lead the church, it is wise to learn from the experienced pastors and leaders, it is wonderful to have God-given knowledge and skills—however, we need to seriously take the words of Christ to heart, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Nothing means nothing. Only by our abiding in Christ and by our humble dependence upon Him that we will accomplish great things in His name. And when Christ had said it is He who is going to build His church, our responsibility as His servants is simply to work along with Him, not take His place to build His church. Teacher and writer, Warren Wiersbe, put it well:

The trouble with too many of us is that we think God called us to be manufacturers when He really called us to be distributors. He alone has the resources to meet human needs; all we can do is receive His riches and share them with others. [On Being a Servant of God, pg. 15]

Acknowledging our infinite need for the all-sufficient Christ, like Moses, may we continually crave His presence with us without which we cannot go ahead in leading His people (Exo. 33:15). Like Solomon, may we earnestly pray, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (2 Chro. 1:10) Like Paul, may we labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in us (Col. 1:29).

Let us remember that it is Christ Jesus who alone is the source of life and growth of the church, His people. 

Lesson Two—Who Is the Savior?

As pastors, people in our church look unto us as role models. They see us as counselors and guides who would help them overcome the challenges of everyday life. Whenever problems come, they approach us for prayer, counseling and help. And this is good, for it is our responsibility to watch over God’s flock and to help them live an overcoming Christian life.

However, may we always remember—we are not the saviors of people. We are not the deliverers of people from their problems. We are not the refuges for people to come and hide under us in their troubles. Yet, there is a tendency to think, both by leaders and the church, that pastors are messiahs.

Although it is necessary and biblical for pastors to counsel, help, pray and support people, we have to make sure we are there to represent God in situations, not to resolve problems by ourselves. We are there to direct people to God, to seek His face for His help, for He alone is our refuge and strength.

The Scripture says, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him” (Ps. 62:50). It is to this condition and experience that we, as pastors, are required to lead the people of God.

Just think for a moment—is it not an undeniable fact that we pastors have our own problems? We know we ourselves cannot overcome our own hurdles. Our lives are obviously dependent on the grace of God, on the wisdom of the Lord and on the power of the Holy Spirit to live victorious. How then do we suppose we can handle the problems of people and resolve them by our own knowledge and strength?

We need to know that we are broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Hence, we must lead people to the spring of living water, the author and perferter of our faith, to the One who alone is our unshakable rock (Jer. 2:13; Heb. 12:2; Ps. 62:6).

Remember, there is no wisdom and safety in the multitudes of counselors when the Wonderful Counselor is ignored.  

As an elder/pastor, I have learned two crucial things—engagement and disengagement. I have to engage in the lives of people to help them follow Christ in their everyday living, even amidst trials and temptations. Also, I have to disengage from the lives of people from becoming a center of their attention and dependence, so that they will learn to focus on God alone and depend upon Him for their sustenance.

Dear fellow-pastors, we have to guard ourselves and be careful in not letting people to completely depend on us for their spiritual growth and solution to their problems. We are their guides, not gods. We are messengers, not messiahs. We are lead-ers, not lords. We are shepherds, not saviors. We are resources, not the source. We are counselors, not life-changers.

Biblical counseling and helping is not about becoming experts in solving people’s problems; it is humbly seeking together the all-knowing and almighty God to give us wisdom and strength to cope with the challenges of life.

Let us remember that it is Christ Jesus who alone is the Savior of people from their sins and troubles.

Lesson Three—Who Is Sovereign?

As pastors, we wish people would listen and obey what we teach. We desire that they would submit to God-given authority. We expect that they would cooperate with us in ministry and live as responsible people.

However, the fact is—there is no utopian church and ministry. Not every person in the church is obedient, submissive and cooperative. Not every time people speak and conduct themselves responsibly.

There are people in the church who give us pain when we endeavor to do good to them. There are people who behave nicely before us but despise us behind. There are people who do not cooperate with us and are often lazy and negligent. There are people who are casual, irresponsible and ungrateful, even rebellious.

When we look at such people, don’t we get frustrated and disappointed? We feel pressurized and stressed. Should I mention even the times of sleepless nights? We feel like giving up on them, even at times the whole ministry too.

However, we need to remember that God is sovereign and He knows how to handle His people. He has been doing this since the beginning of His creation. He knows how to convict His people, change them and even punish them when they stubbornly refuse to submit to His word.

Yes, it is good to lovingly encourage people, admonish them, warn them and even discipline them. Yes, it is good to grieve over the sins of people and be concerned to help them live a holy life. Yes, it is good to take counsel from the veterans of church ministry.

Yet, we need to keep this fact in mind—God has His own way about how to take people through the process of change. We need not take the whole burden to change people and when they do not change, we need not wholly bury ourself under discouragement.

God is well aware of how to humble His people (Dan. 4:37). He knows how to discipline His children (Heb. 12:6). He Himself declared, "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand" (Deut. 32:39).

Considering God’s sovereignty and wisdom, let us leave room for God’s work in the lives of His people. When I read and reflect on the life of Moses, I observe that whenever the Israelites gave him trouble, the main thing he did was—he cried unto the Lord. And the Lord did intervene and uphold His servant’s cause.

Therefore, my fellow-pastors, let us pray more for God’s work in the lives of His people rather than worry more about how they live and change. Let us be patient and wait upon the Lord for His work rather than feel pressurized by people. Let us cast all our burdens upon the Lord rather than pile them up on ourself. Let us do our best to encourage, admonish and warn people—all out of love—and leave the rest to God to have His own way of accomplishing His will in their lives.

May the Lord give us His grace and power to serve His church with pleasure and patience!

_________________________________________

Enquiries: 

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com

How Often Should We Take The Lord's Supper?

It is obvious from the Holy Scripture that the Lord’s Supper or the breaking of bread was instituted by the head of the church—the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:23ff; Lu. 22:19ff). In obedience to God’s word, the breaking of bread is practiced by every local church. But the question with which many churches struggle is—how often should we participate in the breaking of bread?

Honestly, there is no obvious command from the Scripture in regard to how often we need to take the Lord’s Supper. But this doesn’t mean we can break the bread whenever we feel like doing it. By observing the practice of the early church, we can gain an understanding of how often we can participate in the breaking of bread.

Acts 2:42
It is written that the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, ESV). It seems their gatherings were fundamentally governed by these factors: teaching and fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.

Observe here—one of the activities to which the early church devoted was to the breaking of bread. The word “devoted” is a strong word. It speaks about constantly and diligently doing something. In fact, the New American Standard Bible translates that "they were continually devoting themselves to...." There is no idea of being “occasional” or “casual” in devoted acts. An act to which we are devoted actually governs what we do.

When the early church was devoted to the breaking of bread, it appears that one primary purpose for which they had gathered was for the purpose of breaking bread in remembrance of the Lord’s death on the cross. It was one of the central activities in their gatherings, just like teaching and praying. Commenting on Acts 2:42, New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce points out, "the regular observance of the Lord's Supper is no doubt indicated." (The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Book of Acts, pg. 79)

I believe, the reason for the early church to continually devote themselves to the breaking of bread is this—it made them to constantly remember and celebrate the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross as His redemptive community.

Furthermore, Acts 2:46 records that the much early believers gathered at homes on a daily basis and broke bread together. How interesting to notice that even when the believers had to gather daily, they would break bread together! They could not imagine coming together as a church without the breaking of bread. To them it seems to be a prime purpose of their gathering.

Like the early church, should we not be devoted to the breaking of bread?  Can we imagine coming to together as a church and yet not listen to the teaching of God's word? And how can we neglect to break bread when we come together as a church? Must we not, as a local church, constantly celebrate the Lord’s Supper whenever we come together as a church, at least once a week?

Acts 20:7
This is what is recorded in Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight” (ESV).

Let us ask two questions. When did the church in Troas gather? On the first day of the week. For what purpose did the church gather? To break bread. Notice here, although Paul intended to talk with them for a long time, it is not written that the church gathered to listen to Paul's message; it is clearly mentioned that the church gathered to break bread. It seems the breaking of break was a central purpose of their coming together as a church.

From this Scripture, it is commonly agreed that the early disciples generally gathered as a church on the first day of the week. But why did they gather as a church? They essentially gathered for the purpose of breaking bread. The breaking of bread, the celebration of the Lord’s victory on the cross as a community, seems to have been a regular activity every time the church had come together.

C. H. Mackintosh, a nineteeth century bible teacher, wrote:

It should be the special aim of Christians to show that the breaking of the bread is their grand and primary object in coming together on the first day of the week. They should show that it is not for preaching or teaching that they assemble, though teaching may be a happy adjunct, but that the breaking of bread is the leading object before their minds. It is the work of Christ which we show forth in the Supper, wherefore it should have the first place.

1 Corinthians 11:17-20
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat” (1 Cor. 11:17-20, ESV).

In the above four verses, observe that Paul uses the phrase “when you come together” three times. Now what did Paul say to the Corinthian church that they were not having when they had come together? They were not having the Lord’s Supper. Since the rich Christians were going ahead and taking the Lord’s Supper without waiting for the poor Christians (1 Cor. 11:21-22), Paul said that they were not having the Lord’s Supper as the Lord intended when they had come together as a church.

The participation in the Lord’s Supper is a community celebration in which there are no class divisions—such as rich and poor, slave and free, Jew and Greek. All are one in Christ and all celebrate the Lord’s Supper as one body of Christ.

Although the Corinthian church participated in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner by entertaining class divisions among them, it is important to notice that they had come together as a church to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper seemed to have been a dominant feature of their church fellowship.

Final Words
Although there is no clear command from the Scripture regarding how often we need to break bread, the above Scriptures reveal the practice of how often the early church had the Lord’s Supper. The breaking of bread was an essential purpose for their gathering as a church.

I strongly believe, one primary purpose for the regular gathering of church should be for the participation in the breaking of bread. The Lords’ Supper must be a governing feature of our church fellowship. In doing this, we give the cross of Christ the central place in our church gathering.

In our fellowship, there is no church gathering without the breaking of bread. We break bread every week, sometimes even more than once in a week. I encourage our believers not to miss church fellowship in order not to miss the celebration of the Lord’s Supper as a community.

One reason why we need to go and be a part of regular church fellowship is so that we can participate in the breaking of bread, remembering the Lord’s body and blood offered for us on the cross, along with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

I believe, the Lord wants His church, as His redeemed community, to constantly remember and celebrate His sacrifice and our salvation on the cross through the symbolic act of breaking of bread and drinking of cup. Remember, this is done with a sense of being a community of God, which He purchased by His blood.

Q&A:

If we have the Lord’s Supper every week, don’t you suppose it may become a casual act? Don’t you think people lose reverence towards it? Will it not be better to break the bread once in a month and inform people beforehand to prepare themselves well for their participation in it?

Although the intention to not make the Lord’s Supper a casual act is appreciated, to think the solution to this problem is to celebrate it occasionally is unwise, even unbiblical.

What if I say, let us not pray, worship and study the Word of God daily, for doing these things on a daily basis may cause us to approach these sacred acts with a casual attitude. What about doing it occasionally, perhaps once in a month? I suppose you would strongly disagree with me. You may argue here that we need to change our attitude without having to change the frequency of such important activities.

 If praying, worshiping and studying the Word of God daily doesn’t necessarily become a casual act—why should we think the Lord’s Supper becomes a casual act if we do it at least once in a week? And if praying, worshipping and studying God’s word daily becomes a casual act, we need to change our attitude and not its frequency—if the Lord’s Supper becomes a casual act because of weekly celebration, should we not change our attitude than its frequency?

Moreover, remembering what Christ had done on the cross and praising Him for His sacrifice should be a daily meditation of a Christian. In fact, considering how the Lord’s atonement for our sins on the cross delivered us from sin and from hell—we should be thanking and praising Him every moment of our daily life. We can never thank Him enough for the indescribable gift of salvation we have received from Him because of His blood and body which was offered as a sacrifice on the cross.

Let us understand that when we break the bread as a church, we only remember the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross as His community. We not only personally remember and thank Him daily for what He did on the cross, we also celebrate it as His spiritual family.

The only difference between personal reflection and reflecting the Lord’s death as a church is—when we do it as a church, we remember the Lord's victory on the cross as a community with symbolic elements of bread and wine, which represents His body and blood. And community celebration of the Lord's Supper is quite significant because the Lord's ultimate purpose of salvation is to build a community for Himself.

So, here is my point—when reflecting on the cross personally and thanking the Lord daily for His sacrificial death should not make us casual in our remembrance— why should we think the celebration of the Lord’s Supper at least on a weekly basis makes us casual? If we are tempted to become casual, may we change our attitude than its constant practice.

Let us not neglect to devote ourselves to the breaking of bread whenever we come together as a church. Let us give the cross of Christ its due place through the celebration of the Lord's Supper. May the Lord take delight and be glorified as we constantly celebrate the Lord’s Supper as His community until His coming. Maranatha!

_________________________________________

Enquiries:
messageforourage@gmail.com (or) cstephendavid@gmail.com

Why Be a Part of a Local Church?

The book of Acts predominantly reveals two things—rapid evangelism and robust local church planting. In fact, the former [evangelism] was done to accomplish the latter [church planting]. And this is how Christ’s promise that He would build His church is being fulfilled, i.e. through the planting and equipping of local churches.

Establishment of Local Churches

The establishment, continuity and growth of local churches are clearly revealed and emphasized in the New Testament Scriptures. Observe how Luke records [due to space and time limit, I am citing only two Scriptures]:

“And he [Paul] went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:41).

“When they [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:21-23).

Throughout the book of Acts, the apostles planting local churches in different places and then strengthening them are obviously seen. Although there is mention of universal church, most New Testament teaching about the church refers to local church. Warren Wiersbe writes that the word ekklesia is used “114 times in the New Testament and in 90 of these references, a local church (assembly) is in view.” [The Bible Exposition Commentary, pg. 58]

So what does this speak to us? Local church has crucial place in God’s sovereign plan. Christ Jesus builds His church [universal] by working in and through the local churches.

Being a Part of Local Church

If the New Testament speaks so much about the importance of local church, shouldn’t every believer be a part of it?  Although we all belong to the universal body of Christ, the Scripture teaches that a believer ought to be a member of a particular local church and grow with others in the church body.

Thom S. Rainer, a leading expert in church research, notes:

“The majority of the New Testament books are written about and to local churches. The book of Acts provides a historical narrative of the Spirit’s work of the churches in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Cyprus, in Thyatira, in Thessalonica, in Berea, in Athens, in Corinth, in Caesarea, in Ephesus, in Troas, in Rome, in Malta, and others. Look at how many New Testament books were written to specific local churches: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. Four of Paul’s books were written to individuals in specific church contexts: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Even the book of Revelation has the context of letters to local churches. The point? The Bible is clear that we are to be connected to a specific church in a specific context. [I am a Church Member, pg. 72]

How interesting it is to observe that all communication in the New Testament is either addressed to local churches [like Romans, Galatians, Ephesians...etc] or to individuals who were part of local churches [Philemon, Timothy, Titus…etc.]!

Joseph Hellerman aptly points out, “We do not find an unchurched Christian in the New Testament.” [When the Church Was a Family, pg. 123] And if we find the unchurched in the New Testament, they were those who were handed over to Satan, i.e. excommunicated from God's church (1 Cor. 5:4-5, 13).

Sadly, don’t we find unchurched Christians today? There are plenty, not because they are excommunicated, but because they are not connected to any church. I believe anyone who is not a part of a local church, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, is clearly out of God’s will, which is to be a part of His local community. This is true even about those Christian workers who are active in other ministries without being a part of a local church.

The Holy Scripture reveals that God never intends for any individual to live a Christian life without being a part of His community, i.e. church. God's great purpose for individuals is to become His community. We are called to live a community-centered life, not individual-centered.

Just as a child needs a family, so a Christian needs a church, which is God’s family. Remember—A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT A CHURCH IS A SPIRITUAL VAGABOND. 

Question: Some people excuse themselves for not being a part of local church because of imperfections and problems that exist in it. What do you think about this? There is another article coming up soon to address this issue.

_________________________________________

Enquiries:
messageforourage@gmail.com (or) cstephendavid@gmail.com

What Does It Mean to Fulfill the Great Commission?

It is commonly asserted that the Great Commission is the mission of Christianity, and rightly so. In these days, which many suppose to be the very end times, there appears to be an increasing sense of urgency to fulfill the Great Commission. There is a passion to spread the gospel among all the nations and the unreached people. This is something to rejoice about.

However, there seems to be a blurred understanding about what it means to fulfill the Great Commission.

In my observation, when it comes to the talk about the fulfillment of the Great Commission, many of us just think about spreading the gospel of Christ Jesus. We suppose, evangelism is what the Great Commission is all about. As a result, many individuals and Christian organizations are only zealous about the propagation of the gospel. In doing so, they believe, they are fulfilling the Great Commission.

The Great Commission

When I ponder over the words of Christ Jesus, it becomes obvious that evangelism is not what the Great Commission is all about. It is simply a part of it. Listen carefully to what Christ had spoken in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

How?

“…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

And what else?

“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

How do we fulfill the Great Commission? Is it just by preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus? No. We fulfill it by preaching the gospel to the unsaved, baptizing the saved and teaching them to obey everything what Christ had commanded.

Planting Churches

Now, a question arises—in what context does baptism and continuous teaching take place? Don’t you think this happens in the context of a church community? It is in church that a saved person becomes a part of God’s family through faith in Christ and baptism. It is in church that he constantly learns to know more about God. It is in church that he grows towards maturity by continuous learning and obeying the word of Christ.

So, what does it mean to fulfill the Great Commission? It is to plant churches in every tribe and language and people, wherein folks get baptized and are frequently taught to obey everything what Christ had commanded.

Don’t you observe this is what the apostles did, particularly Paul, in the book of Acts? Throughout the book of Acts, this is what precisely happened—the apostles preached the gospel, baptized the saved, planted churches that gathered regularly and discipled them to obey the word of God. This is how the early church grew towards spiritual maturity and it is in this way the Great Commission was fulfilled in Antioch, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Galatia, Colossae, Ephesus…etc.

Two Common Problems

By reading the Great Commission of Christ Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles, I am convinced—without planting churches wherein people are baptized and continuously discipled, I don’t think we are truly fulfilling the Great Commission.

These are the two common problems that are conspicuous in our Christianity today:

First, there are those who just focus on proclaiming the gospel without having a vision to plant churches in order to completely fulfill the Great Commission. This is one reason why so many saved ones are left as spiritual orphans.

And second, there are those who plant churches but don’t focus on discipling them towards spiritual maturity. They simply gather the church to have a service without considering how to take care of the spiritual condition of believers. To them, church is nothing more than a building and a program.

But, according to the Holy Scripture, church is a community that is to be discipled towards spiritual maturity. This doesn’t just happen by the proclamation of God’s word from the pulpit but via personal discipleship.

For this reason, the leaders of the church, from the beginning of church planting, should focus on making disciples who in turn disciple the new believers. And this church ought to grow and multiply into more communities in other parts of the town, city, even nation. This is how, I believe, we effectively fulfill the Great Commission.

Call to Fulfill the Great Commission

This is my plea to the Christian leaders, believers and various ministries—let us not just focus on preaching the gospel, but make it our goal to plant churches where baptism and constant teaching to obey God’s word becomes a common activity. Also, let us not make church a material sanctuary or a program, but see to it that it would be a family community where discipleship becomes a regular activity. 

Let us, therefore, fulfill the Great Commission by preaching the gospel of Christ, baptizing people and teaching them to obey everything what Christ had commanded, which is effectively done in and through the church. Don’t you suppose this is how we fulfill the mission of Christ who said, “…I will build my church”? (Matt. 16:18)

Related Articles:

• The Great Commission
  
  _______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

The Pastor’s Greatest Temptation

What do you think is the pastor's greatest temptation? I am not going to talk on the common battles that are well known to many – gold [money], glory [pride] and girl [lust]. I would like to share with you about something crucial which many pastors do not even think about it as a temptation.

One of the reasons, I believe, why the church today is not maturing is due to the pastor's focus on this while neglecting the essential. I think, almost every pastor, who is honest with himself, agrees that his focus is primarily on this and that this is indeed his greatest temptation. I have seldom come across a pastor who is free from this enticement.

What could this be?

Sunday Service
In my years of Christian life and ministry, I have observed that the pastor's greatest temptation is Sunday service. His focus is primarily on getting people together, possibly in large numbers, on Sunday. His main passion is to fill the place with people and feel good to see every member on the chairs.

There is nothing as disappointing for pastors as to see the missing members on empty chairs. Thus he chases people during the week not to miss the Sunday service.

The pressure is even more when a guest speaker comes to speak. When I go as a guest speaker to different churches and if there are no good numbers, I see how pastors feel embarrassed and struggle to justify why it is so. I have to take some effort to let them feel at ease.

Why does a pastor chase people to bring them all together? Is it for the glory of God and for the edification of all God’s people? I wish this would be the reason but it seems this is not the attitude of many pastors. I am afraid whether there is a kind of pomposity, a puffed up feeling, to stand before the crowd and feel good about the numbers.

I don't completely deny a pastor's love for people but I fear whether the temptation for numbers has taken precedence over his heart for them. The sight of great numbers of people can truly feed our hidden egos. We love numbers, want to feel good at the sight of numbers and even boast about the numbers.

Didn't David feel great about the numbers in 2Chronicles 21 and invoked God's judgment? One of the reasons the Lord may not hear our prayers for church growth is this—our attitude may not be to save people and fill the kingdom of heaven but to bring people and fill our church hall with folks and feel good about the numbers.

How complacent a pastor can feel to see his church hall being packed with people! But is good numbers on Sunday service a sign of success?

Building Lives in the Lord
I never heard of a couple being complemented for having a successful family just because of giving birth to a dozen children. Our common sense tells—the sign of a successful family is not in how many children we bear but in how we bring them up in the Lord. Likewise, a pastor's success is not in how many people he can gather on Sunday service but how he brings them up in the Lord. His reward is not in bringing people to the church but in drawing people closer to the Lord.

When a pastor sees a great number of people before him, instead of feeling good, he should prostrate before God and cry out to Him, "Lord, here I see so many before me. How can I bring them in you? I have a great responsibility upon me. I am incompetent to rear them. Give me your grace and wisdom to lead them towards maturity." As the numbers increase, he should fear and tremble at the great responsibility of equipping them to walk worthy in the ways of the Lord.

Remember, unlike many pastors today, Paul's passion was not to present every person regularly on Sunday service but to “present everyone perfect [mature] in Christ” (Col. 1:28). I wonder how many pastors come out of the pulpit and take personal concern, finding out and motivating believers to have a disciplined and devoted walk with the Lord in their daily life.

Monday to Saturday
Yesterday, i.e. on Sunday, I had an opportunity to personally listen and learn from brother Zac Poonen who visited my city to speak. He is about seventy two years old, doing the Lord's work for more than forty years. He is one of my esteemed Indian bible teachers in our day. In his teaching, he said something like this [about his ministry] which very much impressed my heart:

Our focus on people is not for Sunday. Our focus on people is for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and then at last Sunday. We want to see people living for the glory of God from Monday to Saturday. Sunday is not that important to us.

If pastors have such a focus and passion, the spiritual condition of the churches today would be quite different and better.

I plead with the shepherds of the church, not to stay focused on just the Sunday service—having good numbers, good worship, good sermon, good offering—but to stay committed and prayerfully focused on equipping people to have a good personal walk with the Lord 24/7. [1]

----------
1. I am not saying that we should not pray and desire to have a lively Sunday fellowship. It is good [provided if our attitude is to build lives in the Lord]. But it is not the only important thing as it is to many pastors today. The primary concern of every pastor must be for the believers’ personal walk with the Lord, not simply for a large gathering.

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to

E-mail: cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Wanted: Sanctifying Communities

We are aware of the exhortation from God’s word to us—to live holy, to pursue righteousness, to shun evil and to do good. But many of us suppose this process of sanctification is something that happens in isolation. This is something individualistic. This is my pursuit, my responsibility, my concern, my commitment, my act of discipline.

Yes, we know it is the Holy Spirit who is the source of sanctification. But we assume He does His sanctifying work just personally in us—the Spirit of God sanctifies and I have to yield to His sanctifying work through submission and discipline.

Now, there is no doubt of untruth in this assertion, but is this completely true?

Sanctification in Community 

It is written, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (Heb. 3:12-13). Again it says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).

What do these Scriptures speak about? Does it not talk about sanctification? Exhort one another so that you can guard each other from being hardened by the deceitful work of sin. Stir up each other to love and good works so that you would not live an unproductive life. Are these not sanctifying acts?

Sanctification is not something that happens only in isolation, the Holy Spirit dealing just personally with us. It happens most importantly in a community, the Holy Spirit using each other to sanctify us. Sanctification is primarily a community event. The Spirit of God conforms us into the likeness of Christ in and through the fellowship of believers.[1]

Services without Sanctification
What can we say about contemporary Christianity? What is happening in our churches, communities and fellowships?

We modern Christians have become so overly concerned with privacy, so unduly reserved, so too preoccupied with minding one's own business that the acts of sanctification in a community has become something alien to us. John Piper rightly pointed out: "We live in a day when people shun responsibility and accountability. We are very individualistic and resistant to others holding us to any standard that might cross our immediate desires."[2]

Don’t you think our gatherings are simply external rituals without internal sanctifying ministry of one another? We come together physically but stay miles away from each other from the spiritual work of sanctification. We have formal programs and nice Sunday services but no sanctifying communities.

Sanctifying One Another
Notice, the said Scriptures—Hebrews 3:12-13; 10:24-25, does not speak about pulpit ministry, just one man exhorting all others. There is, of course, room for the ministry of leaders. But these Scriptures primarily speak of one another ministry, sanctifying each other toward holiness and love. This is a community work. This is the act of the Holy Spirit in and through the community.

Sadly, how our fellowships are merely physically connected without no spiritual connection in a way that stimulates our faith, our love, our purity and our life with God! Honestly, when we come together, is our spiritual life boosted?

O, how much holy we would become, how much loving we will be, how much we can shine as the light of the world, how much salt can be spread across, how much glory we can bring to the name of God, if we heed to these Scriptures—seeking for and building sanctifying communities, such as encouraging each another, correcting one other, rebuking each other, holding one another accountable and stirring up each other to live a life worthy of the calling we have received from the Living God!

Wanted: Glowing Fellowships
Remember, no matter how much knowledgeable I may be, having great Christian experience, I need the sanctifying fellowship of the saints that stirs up my walk with God. How few of us realize like Charles Simeon (1759-1836), the nineteenth-century spiritual giant, who said, "I love to view all my Christian friends as fuel. Having gathered you all together at my hearth, I warm myself at your fire, and find my Christian love burn and grow."[3]

I believe, one of the reasons we are so cold, so lukewarm, so shallow in Christian life is—we pursue spirituality and sanctification just as an individual act but not as a community. We somehow missed to understand from the New Testament teachings—we grow as a body, not as an individual part (1Cor. 12:14-27; Eph. 4:15-16). Thus counsels John Piper, "Put yourself in some kind of fellowship, small enough so that this one-another ministry is happening. One of my first questions in dealing with a joyless saint is, "Are you in a small group of believers who care for each other and pray for each other and ‘consider how to stir one another up to love'"? Usually the answer is no."[4]

Don’t you think this is what you need? I think, I desperately need it. O, we need sanctifying communities!

Prayer

Father in heaven, we come before Your Throne of Grace and plead unto You to forgive us of our sin of individualism. Forgive our churches for not living according to Your Word. We brought so many systems and programs which seldom reflect the life of the church you gave in your Word. Bring revival in our communities so that we may seriously take your word and build sanctifying communities.
O God, may we not be content with our current shallow Christian life and church gathering. We need the fire of Your Spirit within us which consumes each other with Your presence. Give us such communities that stir us up to live mightily for Your glory, loving each other and expanding

Your kingdom by bringing the lost into Your fold. In the name of the Chief Shepherd of the church, our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

----------
Notes:

[1] In some cases where the fellowship with believers is impossible, God does provide His grace to fill the lack.
[2] John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), pg. 131
[3] Cited by Gordon MacDonald, A Resilient Life (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004), pg. 219
[4] John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), pg. 130

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

E-mail: cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Where is the Money of the Church Going? - Part 6 (Final)

(Continuation of Part 5)

Now, what should our response be when the church leaders do not use the money appropriately? What decision can we make regarding our giving when they neglect poor and the needy, missions and other genuine needs, and lavishly spend money on things that are not truly necessary?

There are numerous people who suppose that their responsibility is just to give the money and what happens to that money is not their concern. In my conversation with a young man, the issue was raised about how wisely the finance of the church ought to be spent. This young person said, “I give money to the church and if it is not used properly, it is God who is going to judge them. I can't do anything about it.” I then asked him, “If your sister is sexually abused in the church by a church leader, would you say the same thing?” He blurted, “No!” He was a bright guy—he got the message.

Judging
One of the major reasons for the abuse of God’s money in the church is because of lack of financial accountability. God would eventually judge every person on the Last Day. But as long as we live on this earth, we have been given the responsibility by God to judge those within the church. To the passive believers of Corinth who were silent over the prevailing sin among them, Paul admonished, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” (1 Cor. 6:2-3).

Did you observe those last words, “How much more we have the responsibility to judge the things of this life?” True, we are not to slander, gossip and curse others, but when something goes wrong in the church, we have all the responsibility to judge, i.e. hold people accountable and gently correct for restoration.

Remember, judgment and correction is done, not only by the leaders, but by the whole people of God. It is interesting to notice in 1 Corinthians 6 that Paul was not addressing to any particular leaders to judge and correct the erring person. He was writing to the whole church, exhorting them to purge the evil and keep the church of Christ holy and righteous. Of course, everything ought to be done in order and love, for Paul said in the same epistle to the Corinthians, “Do everything in love” (16:14), and also “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (14:40).

Therefore, a believer who justifies himself/herself, saying, “God knows who I am; He is the One who judges me; No one has any business to question me or to correct me”, is not truly abiding by the principles of the word of God. And a church leader who terrifies believers, saying, “I am a man (or anointed) of God; I am directly accountable to God; If you judge me, God is going to curse you,” isn’t really walking in the light of God’s word. A leader’s life in the church is not a secret book; it is an open album. His life ought to be transparent before others, especially the way he handles the money of the church.

Two Principles
One of the wonderful qualities about Paul was the way he was honest and transparent in handling the money of the church. In no other book Paul spent so many words in writing about the issue of money as he did in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. Charles Swindoll gleans two principles from 2 Cor. 8:16-21, relating to who should handle money and how. (A Minister Everyone would Respect, Insights for Living, 1989, pg. 12-13)

First, only qualified people should handle financial matters.

I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. (2 Cor. 8:16-19)

What are the qualifications of people whom Paul sent to handle the money of the church? They were earnest, their good testimony impressed the church to appoint them, and they were zealous to help and to do good works. The responsibility of money management shouldn’t be entrusted to those who are not faithful in administering financial contributions. We are responsible to see that God’s money goes into the hands of the right people who would use it to meet appropriate needs.

The second principle: money matters should be administered honestly and openly.

We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men. (2 Cor. 8: 20-21). (2 Cor. 8:16-19)

Have you carefully read in the above text the honesty and transparency of Paul in handling church’s money? His words in regard to the issue of money, “we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men”, implies that he counted himself accountable to people and took every effort to avoid criticism or accusation of any kind in the way he used the generous gifts of the people given to noble causes.

In light of Paul’s integrity, what should we think about the leaders of the church today? How many of them are imitating Paul in regard to financial openness? Regretfully, many leaders aren’t open to the church in the way they use their money. The believers who faithfully give to these leaders have no idea where their money is going. Many churches don’t know how much of the money is coming in and where it is going. Although there are some leaders of the churches who announce every week or every month about the offerings received, they still withhold the information from the believers (intentionally or unintentionally) about how they have spent it.

I am glad to know ministries (not churches)—very, very, very few—who send financial statement, either monthly or yearly, to their sponsors, sharing with them their opening balance, received contributions, expenditure and the closing balance. Praise God for such wonderful exemplary ministries!

Don’t you think every believer in the church, who works hard and faithfully gives money, has the right to know where their money is going? Shouldn’t the leaders be transparent about the way they spend church’s finance? If money is spent faithfully for the right needs, what’s wrong in letting the church know about how their finance is spent? Do we find such accounts on the notice board, such as pastor’s family support so and so, travel so and so, literature so and so, orphans so and so…..etc? I understand there are church leaders, who are diligent and faithful, don’t practice this transparency because they are unaware of such accountability. Writes Charles Swindoll:

When people give their money to churches, ministries, and charities, they trust that their money will be used wisely and carefully. That trust is just as valuable as the money—maybe even more—so it must be guarded. We’re accountable not only to God, but also to the people who contribute to His work. It’s a matter of honor. (pg. 13).

I am glad to learn the lesson of accountability in my ministry. When people give me money, especially with the freedom to use it for my family, I spend it accordingly. There is no need to give an account about how specifically you have spent on your family. But if they give to use particularly for ministry, I give them the account about how the money was spent. I think it is their right to know how their money was used. This would also help me to do blameless ministry, for there are many leaders in our day who are accused (truly or falsely) of financial scam.

Two Suggestions
But shall we do when leaders are irresponsible in handling church’s finance? Should we ignore such things and continue to give or is there any wise means give our money to be used in a fruitful way? There are two things I want to suggest:

1. Go to the leaders. Humbly and respectfully ask them how the money is spent. You may also request them to be accountable in their spending of church’s finance. If they are not practicing to share the offerings with the poor and needy, and even to support missions, you may motivate them, based on biblical principles, to consider helping them. In case there are no poor people in your church, there are many outside, especially in other communities and nations. It is noteworthy to observe that in 2 Cor. 8 and 9 Paul was raising money from other churches for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
   

   It is also necessary to consider helping missionaries and itinerant workers who give themselves to extensive ministry. There are many places around the world where such people are working hard for the Kingdom of God in spite of financial crisis. Helping such blessed ones pleases the Lord who provides our needs. Laborious pastors who do local and non-local ministry, whom their churches are unable to offer sufficient support due to financial inadequacy, are well worthy to receive help too.
   
   Here is a word of caution—before giving to any person, ministry or church, it is of utmost importance to examine the credibility of the receivers.

2. Give personally. If the church leaders are deliberately and continuously refusing to be accountable about the use of money and neglect to give for noble causes, I would stop giving my money and personally meet the genuine needs. I know churches that do not continuously spend even an ounce of their money for the needy and missions. I count them as unworthy to receive a penny of mine.
   
   I know friends who do not give their tithes and offerings to their church but directly give to the people in need, for they have found their church leaders irresponsible in spending their money. I think this is a good practice of investing our money wisely. In spite of your church leaders being unreliable, if you feel obligated to give at least some of your finance (maybe 1 or 2% or whatever) because you are attending the church, and then give rest of your offering personally to meet the right needs of the people, that’s better still.
   

Finally, keep in mind, you are responsible not only to give offerings but also to consider how wisely you are investing that money to bear fruit.

END OF THE SERIES OF "WHERE IS THE MONEY OF THE CHURCH GOING?"

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

E-mail: friendsofchrist@gmail.com

Note: Dear readers, thank you for writing to my personal mail and sharing how the articles in this blog have been a blessing to your heart. Besides e.mail, feel free to write your comments below. Bless you!

Where is the Money of the Church Going? - Part 5

(Continuation of Part 4)

I think it is important for us to have a clear understanding of - “Who are the poor?” and “Who are the needy ones?” Describing this would help us to have a better understanding of this message.

Poor
Randy Alcorn is one of the prolific evangelical authors of our day. His ministry, Eternal Perspective Ministries, is dedicated to teaching and helping the poor in the world. His generosity is such that he gives away 100 percent of the royalties of his books to support missions, poor and other ministries. Now Randy cites the statistics that if you have sufficient food, decent clothes, live in a house that keeps the weather out, and own a reasonably reliable means of transportation, you are among the top 15% of the world's wealthy. If you have any money saved, a hobby that requires some equipment or supplies (fishing, hunting, skiing, astronomy, coin collecting, painting), a variety of clothes in your closet, two cars (in any condition), and live in your own home, you are in the top 5% of the world's wealthy.

So, what can be concluded about who the poor are? The poor are those who lack basic things to survive in this world, such as:

• Food
• Clothes
• Good water
• Shelter
• Medicines…etc.

The Living God of the Holy Bible is very much concerned about the poor. He can be rightly called as the “God of the poor” (this doesn’t mean He despises the rich). It is written, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—and he will repay you!” (Pro. 19:17, NLT). Those who were fasting, praying and seeking the favor of God, the Lord rebuked them, saying, “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Is. 58:7) As Christ is the head of His body, the church, He wants His parts to get actively involved in charity, manifesting His love and compassion to the poor, especially to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

But here is a word of caution: beware of helping those who are physically fit and have opportunities to work but yet remain idle and beg others for help. Such ones ought to be taught the principle Paul laid: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (2 Thess. 3:10). Let us help the helpless, but not make those who can help themselves lazy.

Needy
Who are the needy then? Although the poor can be considered as the needy, the term “needy” may also fall in different categories. A needy person may not generally be a poor person but there are circumstances that unexpectedly come up, driving him/her into a difficult situation which requires help, such as:

• Unemployment (no opportunity to work and earn despite willingness)
• Sickness (no money to buy medicines)
• Physical disability (loss of an essential part of the body, compelling to depend on others for help)
• Loss of money or material things to provide oneself (due to natural disaster or theft…etc.)
• Other unprepared, unexpected and emergency situations.

Remember, the point I am trying to make is how the money of the church, contributed for noble causes, can be used. If a person wants to individually bless someone with a gift, which may not be essential to survive (like phone, computer, vehicle…etc), that is something personal. Yet the church, without neglecting the poor and needy, can also contribute such things to support various ministries.

Missions and other Ministries
May the readers not misunderstand that I am only defending to help the poor and needy, thereby causing an impression that all the money of the church must be used only for such purposes. There are other needs too that need to be met, like supporting the Christian workers and other ministries that are focused on evangelism or counseling or apologetics or church planting or discipleship or bible translation…etc. There are varieties of ministries in the body of Christ and such services, done with great diligence and wisdom, ought to be supported.

By the way, when it comes to support the Christian workers, may we know that a person is truly a laborer in God’s service. It is saddening to see so many in Christian ministry, receiving good support, but without shedding sweat in their service to the Lord. I have observed that a person can be sincere, yet may not be a diligent worker. The Lord wants His servants to be diligent, not slothful. As Watchman Nee put it, “God’s servants are always industrious.” Being diligent isn’t being workaholic but giving oneself to labor within appropriate time and responsibility.

The often cited Scripture to support Christian workers comes from 1Timothy 5:17, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” It is noteworthy to mention that the word ‘work’ used in conjunction with preaching and teaching, emphasizes energy, labor, working to the point of weariness. (Holman New Testament Commentary—Acts. General Editor: Max Anders. Author: Knute Larson. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000, pg. 226). It is the laborers, diligent workers, hard working people who deserve financial support. They are the ones who make a difference in expanding the Kingdom of God.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

E-mail: friendsofchrist@gmail.com