Word of Faith is located in a commercial building in the heart of downtown Dayton, and to be honest with you, I can not think of anywhere else I would rather be. Yes, there are a lot of challenges, and yes, there are times when I get frustrated. Yes, the building needs work – Yes, there are some other greater areas, but God has called us to the “heart” of the City. So, why in the world would I go out and get a loan to build a new building when there are tons of buildings (including the one that I am in), that would, a do, work great for ministry? This point was driven home even more when I read this post by Gary Lamb (he is a great guy). Gary said that he should not write the post, and that could be true, but I hope more people like him stand up and just say something. Maybe if some of the pastors would start a 360 degree feedback with their members and other pastors in the community we could see some unity and progress. I wonder how much money is being spent on the sanctuary and the pews and the pictures on the wall, instead of the lives that need to be changed?
Why is that people in the body of Christ, and more importantly leaders in the body, seem to have their priorities all messed up???
You know, I was thinking just the other day about how fortunate we are as Christians in the United States. This applies to the post in that we (the Body in the U.S.) tend to loose sight of a couple of factors in our life as Christ followers. 1. We were called to work (Gen. 3:19) 2. We were called to suffer (Ro. 8:17) and 3. It’s more important to live for Christ than to have a bunch of stuff (Mt. 16:26). I think that we equate the acquisisiton of stuff, ie; million dollar buildings and Benzes, to success. I have recently gained the revalation that I can die the owner of a ten year old car and the father of men and women of God, and still obtain success in the eys of The Lord and His eyes are the only ones that count. All of that being said, I think our priorities are backwards. “Stuff” is our goal round these parts, not fulfilling the great commision. It’s sad really… we should pray for this city… we should pray that the 3 million churches in this city and especially their pastors “get it” and start to go after souls and seek to help change lives as apposed to bulding monuments to their bank accounts which is what, I believe, some are doing when they focus on buildings rather than the people that fill them.
It does seem like “Stuff” is our focus around these parts. I fhave found myself stuck thinking: “Well maybe if I had this or that.” But the truth is God has already given us the tools for success. For instance, I was looking at my Motorola RZR and eager to get a new and better phone. Well, I got the phone and found that I didn’t need half of the capabilities that it possessed. I was spending more money for nothing. Luckily my daughter threw it into the toilet. Needless to say it shorted out and I’m back with my RZ and trying to use everything in it before I move onto something else. I have people in groups, special rings, pics with callers, using my tasklist, notes, and calendar. And paying about $60.00 less on my phone bill. Doing that is in my process of staying in order. I learned just this Thursday while talking to someone that being out of order has reprucussions and that it doesn’t feel good. Kinda like buying a 500 seat, 1.2 million dollar edifice and you only have 13 members. I was reading in Proverbs 10:22-The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. If it was really from the God they wouldn’t have to beg and plead for the Mortgage every month, kinda like me struggling to pay that other phone bill every month.