Last night, an icy, miserable night, I sat in the church's Fellowship Center at tables with about a dozen ministry leaders and was I ever encouraged! The meeting was about our 2006-2007 Fiscal Year budget. Fun, right? Yet as each person talked about what their ministry was doing, who attends, and what they saw as their pressing needs, a new level of sharing entered the picture. In every case, whether a kid's focused effort, a 'whole church' effort, or work in grounds and maintenance which is often perceived as being a less 'spiritual' work; what we heard were stories of hundreds of hours, and thousands of dollars being invested in making a Kingdom difference in the world. As we wrapped it up, one participant remarked- "I had no idea what others were doing for God in this church! We should do this more often." Imagine that- people asking for another budget meeting! It was wonderful to know what God is doing with one congregation.
Washington Assembly is not a large church by any stretch of the imagination! There isn't much chance that Christianity Today will be writing us up in a feature article any time soon. But she is a church with a great heart for God and His work in the world. The amazing thing is just how much a few (relatively speaking) people who are Spirit-gifted, passionate about changing lives, and unified in mission and purpose are accomplishing under the Lordship of Jesus.
Are you contributing to the work of the Body of Christ? No, not just financially, though that is important, but in time and effort and cooperation?
Are you weaving a network of connections, a web of supportive relationships with people of like mind and heart?
Are you aware of what others in your network are doing, rejoicing in their successes, supporting them in their disappointments?
That's how we change the world.
The Church is not a place for competition. It's not a place to thump our chests and strut our stuff. It's not about who's more important, or who has a bigger chunk of the annual budget. It's about MINISTRY, making God look good and building up people at the same time.
The Word urges us to get together. Read this passage slowly, with comprehension.
Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.
We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.
There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. (Ephesians 4:2-7, NLT)
United in purpose, different in giftedness - that's what makes Christ's church effective.
There's a world that waits for us to bring them the message of hope in Jesus Christ. There are broken, lonely people who wait for us to extend a hand of mercy. There are children waiting to be taught the Way to Life. There are marriages waiting to be strengthened by the infusion of the love of Jesus. There are men and women who are waiting to shown the way to know God's Presence, the joy of saying 'Yes,' to God's purposes.
Are you part of the need or part of the solution?
Join the Team. Let's make a Kingdom Difference together!
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