A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
PRAISE GOD IT’S MONDAY!
A WEEKLY ‘WWW (world-wide word) OF ENCOURAGEMENT’
TO THOSE IN MINISTRY
A FREE service, currently connecting with Christian leaders from 3,000 denominations and ministries, in 70 countries.
Issue No: 366 Published: 27 Oct 2008
TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHURCH: 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF KINGDOM PEOPLE
SELF FUNDING - THE BETTER WAYToday's writing will cause controversy, but it needs to be said.
People are given ministry gifts, to be used to develop the saints to do the works of service and evangelism, resulting in unity, maturity, indeed Christlikeness.
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
This obviously has not happened - yet!
We can all think of a thousand reasons why.
But I will suggest here, at the risk of being lynched, that a primary reason is that our leadership motivation is based on the principles of kings rather than kingdom. Kings must have subjects in order to be kings. Subjects need to be kept in subjection in order for the king's kingdom to remain and to grow.
Kingdom leadership motivation however, is to develop others towards maturity through the application of the lordship of Jesus in their lives. Dependence is to be upon God, not man.
The heart of the problem, as in many things, is money!
Regarding leadership remuneration, there is both a good way and a better way. Paul was very aware of this in his own life.
Payment for the 'elders' (Please note, not apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or teachers, for these are roles, not positions.) are justified. This is most clearly expressed in the Amplified Version.
Let the elders who perform the duties of their office well be considered double worthy of honour (and of adequate financial support) especially those who labor faithfully in preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17 Amp.)
So, if you are being paid for being in ministry, you are acting Biblically.
However, in the next chapter, Paul brings up some of the problems that payment brings.
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Timothy 6:5)
Now this is an extreme situation. However, in my travels, in places where jobs are scarce, I have seen many situations where people have started up churches in order to obtain an income.
In general though, the motivation of most paid leadership is far more worthy, particularly at the beginning of a ministry. But, as time goes on and followers increase, there is an increasing temptation to protect 'your' flock, for they are the source of your income. So one becomes more circumspect in what one teaches or preaches, in order not to offend 'the hand that feeds you'.
Paul was very aware of this situation and throughout his letters he often talked about not being a burden upon the people he ministered to by working in his occupation as a tent maker. For example;
9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. (1 Thessalonians 2:9)
The advantage that this gave Paul was that he could preach and teach the truth without fear or favour.
Of course, Paul did receive occasional support from those he ministered to, but he was not solely dependent upon others' provision for his next meal!
Paul understood that this, the kingdom way, was the better way. For through this we can simply encourage people to follow Jesus, to obey the will of the Father as revealed by the Holy Spirit, in their lives.
Today, amongst kingdom people, there is a move away from full time paid ministry towards generating other sources of income, to enable them to speak 'the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God', as true witnesses of God in the community, rather than just at a trial in a courtroom.
I can testify to this personally. For I could not write this, if I was dependent upon my paid leadership readers for my next meal, for paying my rent, and our other living expenses. Yes, we struggle at times to pay the ministry bills. But the cost is worth it to bring this to you.
I hope and trust you think so too!
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FROM THE WORD
"He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:10-16)"The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,†and “The worker deserves his wages.†Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden." (1 Timothy 5:17-25)
LOVE OF MONEY
"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:3-10)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
RELIGION, REVELATION AND GOD'S KINGDOM1041. Revelation and religion make incompatible companions.
1042. Religion resists change while revelation requires it!
1043. Revelation formalised soon becomes religion institutionalised.
1044. God's kingdom breeds revelation, religion, rules.
1045. Religion is man's adaptation of God's revelation.
1046. When religion fails you, turn to God.
1047. So often the church attempts to compete with God's kingdom rather than promoting it.
1048. God's vision is our mission.
1049. Religion is the eager repository of yesterday's revelation.
1050. Revelation is eternal truth meeting today's circumstances.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1300 David sayings for you to view at ...
CRANWELL'S CARTOON
THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH
11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. (Revelation 13:11-18)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
GOD AND MAN continues...as we look at why Moses missed out on the Promised Land.
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LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused****** "Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others." ***
766. SYMPHONY IN F
Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his father to fork over his farthings. Fast he flew to foreign fields and frittered his family's fortune, feasting fabulously with floozies and faithless friends. Flooded with flattery he financed a full-fledged fling of "funny foam" and fast food. Fleeced by his fellows in folly, facing famine, and feeling faintly fuzzy, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy foreign farmyard. Feeling frail and fairly famished, he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder fragments. "Fooey," he figured, "my father's flunkies fare
far fancier," the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, facing the facts. Finally, frustrated from failure and filled with foreboding (but following his feelings) he fled from the filthy foreign farmyard.
Faraway, the father focused on the fretful familiar form in the field and flew to him and fondly flung his forearms around the fatigued fugitive. Falling at his father's feet, the fugitive floundered forlornly, "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favor."
Finally, the faithful Father, forbidding and forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast. Faithfully, the father's first-born was in a fertile field fixing fences while father and fugitive were feeling festive. The foreman felt fantastic as he flashed the fortunate news of a familiar family face that had forsaken fatal foolishness. Forty-four feet from the farmhouse the first-born found a farmhand fixing a fatling. Frowning and finding fault, he found father and fumed, "Floozies and foam from frittered family funds and you fix a feast following the fugitive's folderol?" The first-born's fury flashed, but fussing was futile. The frugal first-born felt it was fitting to feel "favored" for his faithfulness and fidelity to family, father, and farm. In foolhardy fashion, he faulted the father for failing to furnish a fatling and feast for his friends. His folly was not in feeling fit for feast and fatling for friends; rather his flaw was in his feeling about the fairness of the festival for the found fugitive. His fundamental fallacy was a fixation on favoritism, not forgiveness. Any focus on feeling "favored" will fester and friction will force the faded facade to fall. Frankly, the father felt the frigid first-born's frugality of forgiveness was formidable and frightful. But the father's former faithful fortitude and fearless forbearance to forgive both fugitive and first-born flourishes. The farsighted father figured, "Such fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivity for the fugitive that is found? Unfurl the flags and finery, let fun and frolic freely flow. Former failure is forgotten, folly is forsaken. Forgiveness forms the foundation for future fortune."
Four facets of the father's fathomless fondness for faltering fugitives are:
1) Forgiveness
2) Forever faithful friendship
3) Fadeless love, and
4) A facility for forgetting flaws
Fortuitous Felicitations
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can now download the book 'Laughing At Ourselves' in PDF format at LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What happens to butterflies if their body temperature goes below 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30C)?ANSWER: They are unable to fly. (As temperatures cool, do they get ‘the
butterflies’?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Thomas Edison did not invent, as many
people believe, but improved upon electric lights. But which of
these were Edison inventions? The phonograph, the motion picture
camera, the mimeograph machine, the electric vote recorder, the
dictating machine, and wax paper?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS471. MEDIEVAL MUSIC
Scientists have discovered the oldest playable musical instrument in the world, a flute carved from a bird’s wing bone more than 9,000 years ago. The flute was discovered with other flutes at an ancient burial site in China. (A fluke the flute was now found?)
472. A RHYME IN TIME
The game ‘crambo’, in which a person or team must find a rhyme to a word or a line of verse given by another, originated around 1600. The word 'crambo' is derived from the Latin for ‘cabbage’. (A game so funny, not played for money.)
473. GENERATIONAL INHERITANCE
The world's first iron bridge, built at Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, England in 1782, was the culmination of the creativity of three generations of Darbys. Abraham Darby I developed the use of coke; his son manufactured cast iron; and his grandson built the bridge. (Were they ‘iron fisted’ too? Come from a line of ‘iron maidens’?)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
NYQUIST
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - YOU BE THE JUDGE!
14) How did Gideon know he would beat the Midianite army?A - the army was tired
B - a Midianite dream
C - he had faith
D - he had better weapons
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! A wishbone should not be where the backbone belongs.
!!!!!! Air Pollution is a mist-demeanor.
!!!!! A magician might pull rabbits out of hats. but Jesus can pull habits out of rats.
!!!! I'm trying to invent a microwave television so I can watch "Gone With the Wind" in only 30 minutes. --Lawrence
!!! What is a mosquito's favorite sport? Skin diving
!! If you cut yourself, rub thyme into the cut, because thyme heals all wounds.
! Some power saws are a cut above the rest.
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LIFE'S A LAUGH
47. AN APPLE A DAYWhile visiting a friend who was in the hospital, I noticed several pretty nurses, each of whom was wearing a pin designed to look like an apple.
I asked one nurse what the pin signified.
"Nothing," she said with a smile. "It's just to keep the doctors away."
48. CHECKING FOR LEAKS
At a naval barracks the enlisted men were being given their shots prior to going overseas. One lad, having received his series of injections, asked for a glass of water. "What's the matter, Mate?" asked the sick bay attendant. "Do you feel pain?"
"No ... just checking to see if I'm still watertight."
49. PRAYING ON DUTY
The new Army recruit was given guard duty at 2 a.m. He did his best for a while, but about 4 a.m. his head fell forward and he went to sleep.
He awakened to see the feet of the officer of the day standing before him. Remembering the heavy penalty for being asleep on guard duty, this smart young man kept his head bowed for another moment, then slowly raising his head he reverently said, "A-a-amen!"
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BIBLE TRIVIA
THE ROOSTER...of the Bible was little different from it's wild pheasant ancestor, the red jungle fowl. It was still found in recent decades from Pakistan to Java, although it has now been replaced by new breeds.
The red jungle fowl closely resembles the barnyard chicken both in looks and habits, but it can still fly.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
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ARMENIA: Children respond to the Gospel
A young Armenian boy came to Christ last year when a team from a local church came to his orphanage. Just the night before, Armen had decided to kill himself because he thought he was useless and nobody loved him. After he read the Book of Hope, he became one of 1200 Armenian children who committed their lives to Christ last year through the ministry of Book of Hope.Source: GO GLOBAL MISSIONS REPORT 2008 No. 64
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF…….THE 3 GARDENS OF GODHaving spent much of my life involved in the gardening industry, as a grower, wholesaler of flowers, bulbs and plants and finally as a mail order seller of the same, this revelation has reached into my 'gardeners' heart!
Gardens and nature have a special place in God's heart too. This is not surprising, for He was their creator! Nor is it surprising then, that He should choose garden settings for key events in His interaction with man to take place.
Let's see what they are.
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WAXING LYRICAL
So often we 'live for the day' but the reality is, we don't know how many more days we will have to live! What will be our eternal future of endless days!PLANNING AHEAD
Reality is, today's life is ever so uncertain,
Never know when God will pull down the curtain!
Yes, we all like to think it will never end,
That forever, death's punches, we can fend!
But that is not the way with real life,
Never know when we'll end up in strife.
Yes, it's true our life may be long - or it may be short,
But, one day, by death's clutches, we'll all be caught.
When that day comes, what will we say?
For there's no longer any time to pray.
Yes, it's time now to be held accountable,
Will we then rejoice - or be miserable?
We only get one shot at living,
Too late now for any misgiving.
Yes, the reality of heaven and hell has come,
Can't change our mind, what's done is done.
"Oh Lord, give me another chance,
My claims to heaven to advance!"
"No, you've had your chance, it's now too late,
With a loud clang, He closes the heavenly gate."
Where will you be found on that inevitable day?
On which side of the gate will you forever stay?
Yes, I know now where I'm going to be,
How will it, my friend, be with thee?
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A DAVID MUSING
When you get people together you get problems! The church would be perfect if there was no-one in it!We have had to sort out 'people problems' here at Seekers this week. It is certainly draining! the bigger you get, the more people you need and the more problems that arise!
I am really looking forward to the day when Jesus finally builds His bride, a group of believers who will be in unity doing His will. May I, and my staff, be part of it!
In the meantime, life is life, is life....
Until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: SQUINTY
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': B - a Midianite dream (Judges 7:12-15)
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ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Hastings, New Zealand. A ministry dedicated to developing discipleship, fostering unity amongst God’s people to achieve the Great Commission, and in doing so, preparing for Christ’s return. It is securely based upon the foundational principles of the Apostles Creed while recognising the wide and rich diversity of beliefs amongst Christians in other areas. In accordance with the Lord’s direction, materials produced by the ministry are available, free of charge, to genuine enquirers upon request. The ministry is solely funded by donations, as the Lord provides. A list of materials available (plus some fun!) is obtainable and freely downloadable from our websitewwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.
Walking With Jesus Ministries
7 Bull Street
Ahuriri
Napier
New Zealand
Phone: (06) 835 0567 International (+64) 6 835 0567
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: wwj.org.nz
Our role is to bless and encourage those in ministry while promoting co-operation and unity of direction amongst the body of Christ, as emphasised 3 times by Jesus in His longest prayer, immediately prior to His arrest and crucifixion. "… so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:12, 21, 23-4) Our website is currently being developed to encourage your participation one with another, to share resources, and to enable you to promote events and items of interest to the body as a whole – and have a smile while doing it!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz