Thou Good And Faithful Servant? (Matthew 25:21)
by Joel Hendon(801)
Some groups hire multiple employees, some have a number of them who are over this thing or that thing and are paid many dollars from the monies given towards the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. All these other employees are engaged in the work of teaching and entertaining the home congregation. Where they have normally spent years in listening to the word of God already. When so many worldwide have never heard a sermon from His word.
We have some missionaries in areas of the world who report that their expenditures result in converts at less than $10.00 per person. Just think what could have been done if only one million of the multi-millions wasted on the facilities had been utilized where it would count. Over 100,000 conversions!! Over 100,000 lost souls saved from torment!! Can you not hear God speaking to those spend thrifts..."Well done thou good and faithful servant"?
When the day comes that we are willing to sacrifice a smidgen of beauty, a smidgen of comfort, a smidgen of desire for glory from man, sacrifice a smidgen on comfortable seating, air conditioning, entertainment, playing, over eating, separate cell phones for every member of the family, and on and on we could easily add several millions of dollars to our mission efforts, then we might expect God to say, "You are still unprofitable servants". So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. (Luke 17:10)
Readers, we need to be sure our hearts are right! I'm not talking about slightly, I am talking about all the way right. We need to pray with our wallets drawn.
Webgazine Columnist.
Article submitted Sunday, May 03, 2009 & read 337 times.
Leave Your Comments:
» left by Bruce Horst (281 days 15 hours ago.)
Interesting article, Joel. I've spent years of my life trying to figure out what the ideal Church facility should look like.I've seen some great Churches which did so much to serve the community grow and expand to the point where they have so much in overheard expenses that now nearly all of their resources go to sustaining the Church facilities and salaries. It seems today that we spend more on air-conditioning for our own comfort than we do on feeding and clothing the poor. What can we do to reverse this?Respond to this comment
» left by Joel Hendon (281 days 15 hours ago.)
Hi Bruce, thanks for reading and commenting. To answer your question, "I don't know".Respond to this commentI attend services at a congregation with a very modest building, although nice enough. We have good heating and air conditioning. I don't mean to preach against comfort, but the other stuff. I had an older sister who attended a much larger congregation in another city. When she passed away, they conducted her funeral from their building. Actually, I felt embarrassed. They had a considrably larger auditorium than we do, which is alright, they have a larger congregation than we do.But the elaborateness (if that is a good word) was overwhelming. Everything about the system was computer operated, two video screens, one on either side of the stage where the podium was. These screens must have been 8 or more feet in height and width each. They had her photo showing on each screen and the clarity even at that size was magnificient. And I had seen the photo before so it was blown up from a normal sized photo and still as clear as ever. Now it takes some expensive equipment to do that.Back of the auditorium was a broad two lane drive through so people would not have to get oput in the rain or walk a long way if elderly, and beyond it was everything imaginable as I have mentioned in my article. The church served an elaborate meal after the funeral with enough food to have fed the city. An enormous amount was left over. I do hope they donated it to a soup kitching or something.As you know, Bruce, I am a hillbilly. I rarely wear a necktie to church. I have attended meetings outisde under what they call a brush arbor, with kerosene lanterns and lamps furnishing the light and drawing all manner of bugs. But I just cannot adjust to people throwing money to the wind, especiall when it is supposed to have been given to the Lord.But if you mention these things to those people, they are offended. So as I said above, I just don't know what to do about it. I just keep writing about it and when i have opportunity to teach a young folks class, I try to impress upon them the necessith of being a good stewart of the Lord's money.
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