If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. ~ I Corinthians 3:12, 13
READING: I Corinthians 3
Recently my husband was invited to help a local church plant that had struggled along for about ten years. Their pastoral staff was exhausted and their congregation befuddled and discouraged. Jim agreed, and our church mobilized with enthusiasm and goodwill. The more our pastoral staff investigated their situation, to revitalize and support their efforts, the more mess they uncovered.
No one there had set up any mechanism to train people to do basic ministry or established any guidelines for who could teach; so no wonder the pastors ran themselves ragged! Nobody set up simple ground rules for collecting, recording or depositing the weekly offering, or presented a budget to the church. In fact, the church had never in ten years held a business meeting. One or two people handled all the money from start to finish—inviting temptation and mismanagement.
Those involved in this church plant had a sincere heart for ministry. They loved Jesus and had a heart for the lost. They had won many precious converts. It might have seemed unspiritual to them to take time away from that important work to do humdrum things like set up financial rules and procedures, write job descriptions for teachers, and think through what they needed to set in place by way of classes or training or whatever to turn new converts into mature believers equipped to serve the Lord.
However, it is just such mundane details as these that transform a crowd of people into a functional church.
Dear Lord, Help me to see the eternal good that comes of such minutia and may I be faithful in small things. Amen.
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