Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Does big equal best?

Why do we read the books of church leaders that have thousands of members on their lists? Did the leader create the faith that converted their souls? Do the numbers really mark success?

1 Corinthians 3:6-8,
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." 

Since church growth is of God, Pastors of small churches are no less faithful if the measure is the size of the congregation. Even if we could see the measure of Faith in the membership, that Faith is not the result of gifted speaking. Sermons, lessons and prayer are parts of ministry, but not the result of man's efforts.

Ephesians 2:8-10
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

If the Faith that saves is not of works, then the rule applies to the church leader as well as to the individual believer. Why then does God choose to make some churches large and others tiny? While we are on the topic of God's moving among people, why are there a disproportional number of churches in one country versus the next?


Isaiah 29:16,
"Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?"

God works in the small and in the large. Jesus gathered for Himself, twelve, and one of them was a traitor. In the public ministry, Jesus had crowds measured in the thousands. Did these masses stay in Jesus's teaching?

John 6:63-68,
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."

Jesus knew how the crowd would respond. He didn't go running after them crying, "Oops, I'm sorry, I didn't really mean that. Please come back." Jesus let them walk away, KNOWING they would never return. The heart of His disciples was his concern, not the numbers. Not everyone will believe, in fact the John passage shows The Father has a specific list, and "few the be that find it".

To the leader of a small group I write, (to myself as well) obey God, teach His Word and His Way. The Father will draw to Himself those that He chooses. 

Galations 6:9,
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

2 Thessalonians 3:13,
"But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing."

We need the books written by leaders of the few, as well as the leaders of many.



Monday, May 7, 2012

I had a vision today, my father shaking hands with Miriam's dad. It would not be that unusual, in the past they have shaken hands, and there was no animosity between them. They likely agreed when Miriam and I were about to wed (Dec. 21, 1978) that we should have waited til we were more mature, more financially secure, and maybe out of college. Now thirty years later, well their concerns were rational but we have remained committed in love.

No, the uniqueness of these two Christian men shaking hands is tested in that Miriam's Dad died back in the early 1990's. My Dad died this morning. In full assurance and confidence, they are rejoicing in the presence of our Lord. I venture that they have few thoughts of us in our earthly doings. It isn't that they are heartless or cruel, but rather they have entered into the rest of our LORD and have left the trials, pains, and burdens of this life behind. Jesus has promised to "wipe away all tears". For them to leave behind sin and this sin filled world, God may have a way for them to cheer on those of us who are still running the race, but not be discouraged by sight or sound or ...marks of evil that are in abundance around (and in) us.

I have pondered that Jehovah is the master of time and eternity, so when we, those before us, and those to follow will step off the "Heaven Express" to arrive at the same station, same time, ready to join in the jubilee.

Dad was a farmer, electrician, mechanic, teacher, preacher, welder, father, husband, and outdoors sportsman. The Master Architect, Father God (of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel...and a bunch of Westbrooks) has woven together an incredible and sometimes unrecognized bigger picture built from seemingly disjointed lives. In giving back to God, the people around us receive grace from the things HE has put in our hands, or made our hands to do. Love lived out by our skin and bones.

It was in one of those giving plans, that Dad got his ticket home. As farmers tend to do, one helps another by supplying what the other lacked, then in turn giving with what the second had. Brother lifting up brother. One of Dads hobbies involved collecting and rebuilding, and rebuilding, and rebuilding bulldozers (his cats). The project was somewhere that required a dozer being put on a truck with a "lowboy". In the steps of driving the dozer up, something went wrong. It fell off and rolled over. Dad was gone just like that.

I know where he is, and look forward to joining him, at a date not yet identified. His hope is in the Lord, my hope is in the Lord. The blood of Jesus was sought to purchase us back from Death and Hell. That is our only claim to allow us into "the joy of our Lord". Were Dad to be able to speak aloud to me, I'm sure he would say, "Come anytime, I'll be here, Our Father sends His love".