What if pastors and ministry leaders were nameless, maybe then some would lift up the name of Jesus more than their own name. I once heard the following story: There was a pastor who became jealous of the mega churches growth and congregate numbers. So he talked to one of his pastoral friends who had successfully established a mega-church with over two thousand members and a large building. His pastor friend gave him the number to a marketing firm that helped him achieve such a large successful ministry. So the pastor of the small church called the marketing firm and scheduled a meeting. The salesman from the marketing firm asked him what current marketing campaign he had. The humble pastor told him they used most of their members money to support missionaries and community outreach, but they did have one large sign at the towns outskirts that read JESUS SAVES. Well, the marketing rep explained that first they need to stop giving so much of their money to missions and community service and create a large marketing fund if they want their church to grow. Secondly, they need to start putting the name of their church and the pastors name on the billboards instead of using up the space for just Christian verbiage. The pastor took his advise and the church began to grow. His name and the name of his church began to become a household name within the small town. In fact, the more he marketed his name and the church name the more the church grew. Eventually they had five large billboards around the town with his photo, his name, and the church name while nowhere on the billboard was anything found about Jesus. Years later after the pastors church grew to over 1,000 members, one of the older members approached him with a question. Pastor, are you happy now that our church is so big and popular? The pastor replied, NO, because now Jesus is not as big and popular in our midst, and I feel I am more of an administrator than a minister. We pay to have the best musicians and worship leaders instead of love-sick volunteers who have a spiritual gift of ministry. Our prayer time is just about extinct, with our longest prayer being over the offering. Nobody falls to their knees or prostrates themselves before our Gods presence anymore. We have become a household of religious obligation instead of a kingdom of intercessors. In fact, my wife and I have decided to turn in our resignation and go back to our humble love-sick community of saints. I will have to go back to selling insurance to make ends meet, but I will then be happy and fulfilled again. The old member that asked the question replied, my prayers have been answered. There is a remnant of those love-sick sheep ready to follow your lead pastor. Just some growth perspective cud to chew on Beloved
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:02:00 +0000
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