Characteristics of a healthy church - Part 10

Well, we end our series today on the 10 characteristics of a healthy church. In order to grow, a church must be healthy.

The last characteristic of a healthy church goes along with what I have been teaching the last two Sunday mornings.

A healthy church teaches its family that they are stewards of their God-given resources and challenges them to sacrificial generosity in sharing with others.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:6, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."

Let me say here that I am grateful for all of the faithful volunteers that we have at Stone Church. Many give of their time and efforts to keep our church ministering as it does.

A church is only as strong as its volunteer ministers.

I say to all of you who are reading this and ministering at Stone church - Thank You! Well done!

We've been talking about stewardship of our money the past couple of weeks, but stewardship goes beyond that. Stewardship is a lifestyle that states that everything is God's, I am simply a steward of what He has given me. That includes not only my money, but my time, my talents and my efforts.

Let me ask you this question:

Who is in control of your resources - God or you?

Who is in control of your soul? People magazine or the Word? (not saying its wrong to read People magazine, just that it must be lower on the totem pole next to God's Word).

Who's in control of your resources? Are you open to opening up your checkbook to a "Holy Spirit audit?"

Who's in control of your relationships? Are you trying to cling to them and manipulate them, or is God's guiding you to be loving, giving, and forgiving to all?

Who's in control of your job and your career? Are you living out your life purpose (to serve God with all of your heart, soul and mind) in the workplace, neighborhood and community as God has called you to serve, or are you in the driver's seat?

Life is not about me; life is about God.

Michael Quillen writes, "I met my wife, Julia, at a Bible study where 30 to 40 people gathered every Friday night to sing, break into small groups, and then come together for fellowship afterwards.

I became one of the regular musicians in the group. I played an old guitar and was beginning to think about a new one. A friend of mine in the Bible study had two nice guitars, and he lent me one. It was the nicest guitar I had ever played; I cherished it as if it were a newborn child (I was single, after all). I was careful not to bang it into things. I gently wiped down the strings and body after playing. I tenderly placed the guitar in its velvet-lined case. I worried about things such as the humidity of the room where the guitar was kept.

I borrowed this guitar for months and was thinking of buying it. Meanwhile, Julia and I became engaged. One day, as our wedding approached, Julia said, "The guitar is yours. I bought it for you weeks ago as an early wedding present."

My first reaction was ecstasy. The most beautiful guitar I had ever played was mine. My second reaction was relief. Since the guitar was mine, I could stop babying the thing. I didn't have to treat it so gently or clean it so carefully.

Then she got me. "Isn't it really God's?" she asked. "Shouldn't you take good care of it like you did when it was yours, but you didn't think it was?" What I had been doing without knowing it was stewardship. Stewardship is taking care of what we have as if it is on loan from someone else, because everything is on loan to us—from God."

Healthy churches are filled with people who take their stewardship seriously and will live out a rule of life that is universally true that tell us that to the one who has, more will be given; and the one who has not will lose even what they have.

Use it or lose it (reference to the parable of the Talents; Matthew 25).

Using what we have it meaningful not only to a healthy church but to Jesus himself.

If you agree with this, I encourage you to pray something like this:

"Father, I give you permission today to conduct an audit of my life. My books are open for review by You. I want to be a faithful steward of the time, talents and treasures given to me for my care.

I long to be a generous person who gives out of a heart that is willing to sacrifice for the needs of others, rather than continue to give out of my surplus, as if my giving were merely a part of paying my bills instead of an act of worship.

Help me not to look over my shoulder to see how others are giving for kingdom proposes; but instead, may I shut my eyes and focus on what you would have of me in this life-shaping matter.

I offer myself to you with open, outstretched hands that are willing and ready to receive from you and in turn offer all of who I am back to you. I love you Lord. Amen."