Good news and a happy reunion; if we were to summarize chapter 3 with a phrase, that could be it. After getting word from Timothy that the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica were standing strong in the faith and that they loved the Lord and him as well, Paul rejoiced. He was greatly relieved. He had feared that under the pressure of persecution these new believers would turn away from the Faith, but they did not. And he prays for the opportunity to come back to them.
Have you noticed how much Paul talks about prayer? I admit that I am on a bit of tangent here, but this has been growing in my mind as I’ve been reading and observing how Paul and the early church went about their work, and the way we go about the work God has given to us.
It seems to me that in the church today we often conduct ourselves like a business. To some degree this is appropriate. We have to pay our bills, balance our budgets, maintain our facilities, and take care of our workers – including giving appropriate feedback regarding their performance, both good and bad. However, when it comes to planning, budgeting and providing direction for the congregation, regular business tactics are not completely appropriate. It seems to me that today’s churches too often allow themselves to be directed by “Almighty Dollar” instead of Almighty God.
Like businesses, we gather our data, look at attendance trends, giving trends, and try to predict what we’ll be able to afford. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing! God gave us brains and skills. We should use them. Where I fear we fall short is using those brains and skills bathed in prayer. Where in our churches’ planning do we see evidence of faith? (And, yes, that is rather cynical, and I probably am pushing it a bit far.) I wonder if we haven’t set up some idols in the Lord’s house in our attitudes about money and our definitions of what it means to be successful.
Surely, we all desire to be successful, and to do great things for the kingdom. There’s nothing wrong with that. But how do we measure? Is it by having more people in the pews than the church down the street? Is it by having a bigger budget? Is it by having a well organized prayer ministry? Is it by having people in the Word? Is it by the number of baptisms? Adult conversions? Frankly, each of these might be part of a picture of a successful church . . . or not.
Success in the church ultimately comes down to when those who hear the Word remain standing in the Lord despite the pressures of the world. How do we achieve that kind of success? The short answer is WE don’t. God does as He works in people’s lives, ours included, through the Word and Sacraments. That does not excuse us from being thoughtful and strategic. The axiom, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail,” while not in the Bible, is good wisdom. But those plans must be made seeking God’s heart, calling for His guidance, and aligning ourselves with His methods.
Paul was very successful in his work as a missionary establishing the church. How did he do it? Did he have a strategy? Yes. But more than that, he worked prayerfully putting everything into God’s hands. He kept the focus on the right message – the Crucified and Risen Savior. In the end, he trusted God for results. Perhaps, we should evaluate how we balance strategy and faith.
Father, forgive us when we trust our strategy more than your promises, and help us to focus all the more clearly on living in Your Word and Sacraments. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Have you noticed how much Paul talks about prayer? I admit that I am on a bit of tangent here, but this has been growing in my mind as I’ve been reading and observing how Paul and the early church went about their work, and the way we go about the work God has given to us.
It seems to me that in the church today we often conduct ourselves like a business. To some degree this is appropriate. We have to pay our bills, balance our budgets, maintain our facilities, and take care of our workers – including giving appropriate feedback regarding their performance, both good and bad. However, when it comes to planning, budgeting and providing direction for the congregation, regular business tactics are not completely appropriate. It seems to me that today’s churches too often allow themselves to be directed by “Almighty Dollar” instead of Almighty God.
Like businesses, we gather our data, look at attendance trends, giving trends, and try to predict what we’ll be able to afford. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing! God gave us brains and skills. We should use them. Where I fear we fall short is using those brains and skills bathed in prayer. Where in our churches’ planning do we see evidence of faith? (And, yes, that is rather cynical, and I probably am pushing it a bit far.) I wonder if we haven’t set up some idols in the Lord’s house in our attitudes about money and our definitions of what it means to be successful.
Surely, we all desire to be successful, and to do great things for the kingdom. There’s nothing wrong with that. But how do we measure? Is it by having more people in the pews than the church down the street? Is it by having a bigger budget? Is it by having a well organized prayer ministry? Is it by having people in the Word? Is it by the number of baptisms? Adult conversions? Frankly, each of these might be part of a picture of a successful church . . . or not.
Success in the church ultimately comes down to when those who hear the Word remain standing in the Lord despite the pressures of the world. How do we achieve that kind of success? The short answer is WE don’t. God does as He works in people’s lives, ours included, through the Word and Sacraments. That does not excuse us from being thoughtful and strategic. The axiom, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail,” while not in the Bible, is good wisdom. But those plans must be made seeking God’s heart, calling for His guidance, and aligning ourselves with His methods.
Paul was very successful in his work as a missionary establishing the church. How did he do it? Did he have a strategy? Yes. But more than that, he worked prayerfully putting everything into God’s hands. He kept the focus on the right message – the Crucified and Risen Savior. In the end, he trusted God for results. Perhaps, we should evaluate how we balance strategy and faith.
Father, forgive us when we trust our strategy more than your promises, and help us to focus all the more clearly on living in Your Word and Sacraments. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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