Some years ago it was our privilege to share the following with our readership by permission of pastor and author Brian Classen. While somewhat variant our usual approach in addressing the concerns of these postings, it obviously yet applies and bears repeating.
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AN ACCOUNT IS shared of a dangerous place on the eastern seacoast where shipwrecks often happened. There was once a crude, little life saving station - the building was just a hut and there was only one little life saving boat. But the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea and, with no thought for their own safety they searched tirelessly, day and night, for the lost.
Some of the people who were saved and various others in the surrounding community wanted to become associated with this life saving station, and to give of their time and money for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews were trained. The little life saving station began to grow.
Some of the members of the life saving station were unhappy that the building was so small and so poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided for those who were being saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarging building.
Now the life saving station became a popular gathering place for its members and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely. It became - sort of a club. Few members were now interested in going into the sea on life saving missions, so they hired a professional lifeboat crew that was especially trained to save lives. The life saving motif still prevailed and a ceremonial life boat was placed in the room in honor of all those who had been saved in the past.
About this time a large ship wrecked off the coast and the hired crew brought in boatloads of cold, wet, and half drowned people. They were dirty and sick. Some of them were from a foreign country and couldn't speak the language. The beautiful new club was in chaos.
So the property committee of the life saving station called an emergency meeting and decided to build a shower house outside the club where victims of shipwrecks could be cleaned up and properly instructed regarding the rules of the life saving station.
At the next meeting there was, as one might imagine, a split in the club's membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's life saving activities because they were both unpleasant and a hinderance to the normal social life of the club. Other members, however, insisted that saving lives was the primary purpose of the club. They pointed out that they were still called a life saving station.
But, finally, they were voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives they could start their own life saving station down the coast.
And so they did. As the years went by, the new life saving station experienced the same changes that had occurred with the old. It evolved into a club and yet another life saving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself and if you drive along the eastern seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that very shore.
Shipwrecks still occur in that water, but now most of the people drown.
Burl Ratzsch
Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, November 09, 2007
"MANY WILL SAY..."
It is unlikely that the more conservative church realm will avoid considerable fallout in consequence of the Senate Finance Committee's investigation of six prominent televangelists (and potentially others as well) regarding alleged financial improprieties. Several thoughts come to mind.
1. Under the leadership of Senator Grassley from Iowa, a man of integrity and pro-faith disposition, the investigation will almost certainly be fair and objective. In other words, it is not some "anti-church witch hunt" of liberal instigation.
2. Need for addressing the issue is long overdue. That financial contributions, ostensibly given for purposes of promoting the Gospel, should be rather used to finance lavish life styles, palatial homes, yachts, jet airplanes, foreign bank accounts, extensive property holdings, import luxury automobiles, ad infinitum, is not only unconscionable, but sometimes falls little short of soliciting funds under false pretext. It need little be added that such is totally antithetical to the spirit and example of Christ.
3. Given the present and growing anti-Christian bias within many spheres of the political, academic and socially related, it is to be feard that the present inquiry - needful though it is - will play into the hands of those desiring to impose restrictive government control over religious establishments, institutions and cause at large - including the local church.
4. As for those guilty of such abuses, a day of reckoning is coming. Indeed, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?'" (Matt. 7:22). It is important that Jesus does not deny their claims. Nor will he be lied to on that day.
The error of those offering such defense reflects the assumption that, in and of itself, effective ministry denotes divine acceptance. The degree to which our Lord's response (vs. 23) might apply to those of immediate concern will, of course, be his to determine. The point is that effective ministry or gift operation alone will prove inadequate on that day.
5. The problem is not new. In writing the church at Philippi, Paul shares his hope of sending Timothy to them in the interests of assisting their spiritual endeavors. The reason he is sending Timothy, the apostle continues, is that Timothy is the only one available who will "genuinely be concerned for your welfare," as opposed to those viewing the Philippian believers believers as mere means to personal ends. "For they all" (i.e., other than Timothy) "seek after their own interests..." (Phil. 2:19-21).
6. While not denying that God anoints some individuals for particularly effective ministry, the fact remains that unquestioning acceptance of every "high visibility" leader is not the key to meaningful spiritual quest. When teaching at a small Bible School some years ago, we used to advise the students that while remaining open to that which God may deign to effect, one should also remain cognizant of the fact that a "healthy skepticism" can at times save one from spiritual confusion and/or disillusionment in relation to that which is not of divine intent.
7. Before "hitching one's wagon" so some "religious star," it will prove beneficial to also recognize that the "cutting edge of the Kingdom" is not meant to reside in this or that individual, but rather in the community of believers as given expression in the local church.
Simply stated, we need to be wise and discerning in relation to concerns of this nature.
Burl Ratzsch
1. Under the leadership of Senator Grassley from Iowa, a man of integrity and pro-faith disposition, the investigation will almost certainly be fair and objective. In other words, it is not some "anti-church witch hunt" of liberal instigation.
2. Need for addressing the issue is long overdue. That financial contributions, ostensibly given for purposes of promoting the Gospel, should be rather used to finance lavish life styles, palatial homes, yachts, jet airplanes, foreign bank accounts, extensive property holdings, import luxury automobiles, ad infinitum, is not only unconscionable, but sometimes falls little short of soliciting funds under false pretext. It need little be added that such is totally antithetical to the spirit and example of Christ.
3. Given the present and growing anti-Christian bias within many spheres of the political, academic and socially related, it is to be feard that the present inquiry - needful though it is - will play into the hands of those desiring to impose restrictive government control over religious establishments, institutions and cause at large - including the local church.
4. As for those guilty of such abuses, a day of reckoning is coming. Indeed, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?'" (Matt. 7:22). It is important that Jesus does not deny their claims. Nor will he be lied to on that day.
The error of those offering such defense reflects the assumption that, in and of itself, effective ministry denotes divine acceptance. The degree to which our Lord's response (vs. 23) might apply to those of immediate concern will, of course, be his to determine. The point is that effective ministry or gift operation alone will prove inadequate on that day.
5. The problem is not new. In writing the church at Philippi, Paul shares his hope of sending Timothy to them in the interests of assisting their spiritual endeavors. The reason he is sending Timothy, the apostle continues, is that Timothy is the only one available who will "genuinely be concerned for your welfare," as opposed to those viewing the Philippian believers believers as mere means to personal ends. "For they all" (i.e., other than Timothy) "seek after their own interests..." (Phil. 2:19-21).
6. While not denying that God anoints some individuals for particularly effective ministry, the fact remains that unquestioning acceptance of every "high visibility" leader is not the key to meaningful spiritual quest. When teaching at a small Bible School some years ago, we used to advise the students that while remaining open to that which God may deign to effect, one should also remain cognizant of the fact that a "healthy skepticism" can at times save one from spiritual confusion and/or disillusionment in relation to that which is not of divine intent.
7. Before "hitching one's wagon" so some "religious star," it will prove beneficial to also recognize that the "cutting edge of the Kingdom" is not meant to reside in this or that individual, but rather in the community of believers as given expression in the local church.
Simply stated, we need to be wise and discerning in relation to concerns of this nature.
Burl Ratzsch
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