Is it possible that many churches are declining because they do not believe they have what it takes to be fruitful? Two of the most heard reasons for churches fruitlessness is 1) “We don’t have any creative/innovative people.” and 2) “We don’t have the financial resources to…”
I believe and have written that I believe that every church has exactly what you need to reverse declining trends and to be the fruitful, productive church God created you to be. You may not have what the mega churches have, but you have exactly what you need to begin your turnaround. When your church is faithful at employing all that God has given you, God will add what you need as you grow and as you need it. And the glory will go to Him alone.
Think on this; where will God gain the most glory, from your church receiving a one-million-dollar inheritance from a now deceased, long time member, or from your church providing ministry out of your meager resources? God is the God of miracles. Yes, we would all like to receive that inheritance, but we know the greater satisfaction (in Christ) and the God moments happen when we allow God to demonstrate who He is in His power and His resources through our weakness and our meagerness.
If your church receives a million dollars, great! Let God multiply it like the lunch of a little boy to bless many more than a million. But the reality is most of our churches will never receive anything like that. This allows God to show up and shine through the church as only God can do, as Christ did with the one lunch of that small boy.
Stop fretting over what you don’t have, and start praising God for what you DO have, and ask Him to show you how to allow Him to shine through your church (the people) to a lost and dying world currently separated from God.
In Acts chapter 3, Peter tells the beggar, “Silver and Gold I have none, but what I do have, I give to you.” I believe Peter had no money on his person. If he had money and had given the man a couple dollars to get something to eat, would the outcome have been the same? Would the crippled beggar have been healed? No, he would have a couple bucks. He would not know the healing power of God.
Peter gave what he had, and it was more valuable than a million dollars. You have exactly what you need to be the fruitful, productive church God created you to be. Are you willing to give all to Him as He has given to you as an individual and as a church?
by Dogwood