Thursday: The Church at Work
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Prov. 16:3, NIV).
Once your church has a clear vision of how it can minister to the community, it is important to develop a plan whereby all church departments can work together in order to make this vision a reality. Even though you may not consider yourself a “leader” in your church, you can contribute. Also, it is good for all church members to understand this process, for this is about your church’s mission to your community.
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
Ideally, a church strategic plan should be based on input from at least three sources: (1) input from biblical and Spirit of Prophecy principles; (2) knowledge of community needs; and (3) input from the congregation. Some churches have collected input from the congregation by holding brainstorming sessions during which all church members are invited to share their ideas and dreams for outreach and for improving their church within.
Read Luke 14:25-35. What does this passage have to do with commitment and the planning it takes to fulfill your church’s mission?
As you think about the process required to meet your community’s needs effectively, you might think: this takes too much commitment and time.We’d prefer to take shortcuts. The two parables warn us against taking the responsibilities of mission and discipleship lightly. They remind us that analysis and planning for our mission are essential. It’s a matter of good stewardship. The flavor of the salt in Luke 14:34 represents devotion. Without this our service, our discipleship, is useless and meaningless. We need fervent and faithful devotion to our Lord, and if we have that, fervent and faithful devotion to ministry will follow.
| What are ways that you can do more to work with your church in organizing and planning beforehand how you can reach out to your community? |
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Luke 14:25-35 shows me the importance of surrendering all to God and putting Him first before everything else - family, work, friends etc... Often these things do get in the way and because pressures that come from these relationships, we compromise on our relationship with God which is the foundational relationship on which all other relationships should spring off and/or stand on.
If our hearts are fully yielded to the Lord we will be willing to see HOW MUCH we can do not HOW LITTLE. All will be done with true gratitude, humility and love. This will be laced with joy as faith, that works by love and purifies the soul, does it great work under the unction of the Holy Spirit! As we give ourselves to Him even now, so let the great Power that is outside of and above ourselves, do His gracious work of expelling all selfishness and flooding our hearts (Romans 5:5) with the love, the awe-inspiring love of God which is self-forgetful, discerning, patient, ever so kind and NEVER fails (1 Cor. 13:4-7)!
I have deeply admired the series of teachings in this third quarter; and I urge my fellow
Christians to meditate upon them with maximum attention.
For the church to be effective as far as community service is concerned, earlier preparation and unity among the church members should be ensured: for the saying goes, "failing to prepare is preparation to fail"
so Proverbs 16:3 says \"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and HE WILL ESTABLISH YOUR PLANS.\"....where does it say WE will establish OUR plans...or where does it say a committee will establish a plan....I think that is what Scripture is telling us....stop planning and start and continually pray...let the LORD reveal us HIS PLAN for our churches and our lives....we spend too much energy in developing plans that WE think the LORD has for us.....just like the first Church in Acts they spent their time continually in pray and worship and the LORD revealed HIS will ......
Dear Mark,
I agree with you that continuous prayer is of paramount importance. However, the text does not imply we shouldn't plan but before planning we should COMMIT ourselves to God so that our plans can be according to His will. On the other hand, It is to God to ESTABLISH our plans, not to us. We PLAN only after commiting and surrendering ouserlves to God and wait fo his approval.
The story in Sabbath Afternoons lesson tells of a woman who saw a need. Then she took the initiative to do something for her community. God blessed her plan.
Amen Bud! Our church is next to the local shelter. We have a Sabbath lunch for them every week. Some come to church, but most just drop by for the "loaves and fishes". We pray about our work, we act upon our prayers. This is trusting in faith that God is leading us. Without a hand in the work it might be difficult to see these people as anything but beggars, now they are friends and pre-christians. God has changed our attitudes and we are a church of service more than one of just preaching. Acts 2:45-- there were a few pre-christians in that group I am sure.
"The greatest help that can be given our people is to teach them to work for God, and to depend on Him, not on the ministers."—Testimonies for the Church 7:19