Wednesday
Jan182012
What most pastors screw up....
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 5:19PM
There are tons of pastors who teach stewardship regularly but do a very port job of living it out. What's worse is that I believe pastors screw this up most with the people God has given them and not the money! How....
Take a second and read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30
The story is about taking what the master has given you, investing it and having it multiply. Two of the three servants in this story did just that. But, one did not. He disillusioned himself to believe that if he simply protected the thing he was given and returned it just the way it was, the master would be please. But, the master was not....He was angry and called the servant wicked and lazy! Even more, he took away the thing he had given to the one man and shared with the one who had been most successful in obedience.
The two who had been obedient had something in common....They both took risks. The reality is that investing is risky...you either win or lose! They took the risk of losing at the chance of gaining something. But, after all the master asked them to multiply what they had been given. The only route to success was to invest...and it worked. Not only was the master pleased, but he gave them more!
Pastors....most often we get this wrong when it comes to people. Most pastors are so worried about losing attention, money, people, quality or control that they become the wicked and lazy servant!
How???? Let's ask a few questions:
If you answer is yes to any one of those, you're in danger of being that wicked and lazy servant....God has given you a vision and a ministry...that's your talent (not a skill...I'm referring back to the parable!) If you hold it closely with fear that someone may steal it, break it or loose it....You have become that servant!
Our job is to take the people God has given us and multiply them. No where in the New Testament Church was there a call to remain the same, remain small and protect the original. The New Testament Church is a picture of risk, multiplication and miracles.
We multiply people by empowering them to do ministry. We multiply people by giving them the chance to do something great. We multiply people by giving them the chance to shine. We multiply people by training them to replace us!
I want to be the kind of pastor who multiplies what God has given me! I will do everything in my power to be sure that I do not hear God call me the wicked and lazy servant!
Take a second and read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30
The story is about taking what the master has given you, investing it and having it multiply. Two of the three servants in this story did just that. But, one did not. He disillusioned himself to believe that if he simply protected the thing he was given and returned it just the way it was, the master would be please. But, the master was not....He was angry and called the servant wicked and lazy! Even more, he took away the thing he had given to the one man and shared with the one who had been most successful in obedience.
The two who had been obedient had something in common....They both took risks. The reality is that investing is risky...you either win or lose! They took the risk of losing at the chance of gaining something. But, after all the master asked them to multiply what they had been given. The only route to success was to invest...and it worked. Not only was the master pleased, but he gave them more!
Pastors....most often we get this wrong when it comes to people. Most pastors are so worried about losing attention, money, people, quality or control that they become the wicked and lazy servant!
How???? Let's ask a few questions:
- Are you the type person who would rather do something your way than risk someone else not doing it as well?
- Do you need all the accolades, and feel inadequate when someone else gets more credit than you do?
- Do you like to show up at all the meetings, and make all the decision instead of allowing others to do that?
If you answer is yes to any one of those, you're in danger of being that wicked and lazy servant....God has given you a vision and a ministry...that's your talent (not a skill...I'm referring back to the parable!) If you hold it closely with fear that someone may steal it, break it or loose it....You have become that servant!
Our job is to take the people God has given us and multiply them. No where in the New Testament Church was there a call to remain the same, remain small and protect the original. The New Testament Church is a picture of risk, multiplication and miracles.
We multiply people by empowering them to do ministry. We multiply people by giving them the chance to do something great. We multiply people by giving them the chance to shine. We multiply people by training them to replace us!
I want to be the kind of pastor who multiplies what God has given me! I will do everything in my power to be sure that I do not hear God call me the wicked and lazy servant!
Reader Comments