This Callahan dude is the bomb! I love those lines - some money is not worth raising.... the annual budget is the most missional document in the church. Or oughtta be!
OK, Jeff, I know you've thought about this a lot - How CAN we clearly communicate this to the people we serve?
'The missional church isn't a program to adopt, it has always existed by God's will through out history after Christ's was born. In other words it is the body of believers that resides in and out of our churches.
What we need to do is pattern our churches on this understanding. That means being aware of the Holy Spirit and humbly following His cue's."
I made the above statement in another forum on missions but it applies here also. Every relationship should always be a mission to each of us. Love and humility is the gage to measure where we are in our belief's and thoughts.
In other words, live the way Christ want's and things like mission's, money and idea's from the Spirit will provide a path. Every one is a missionary of equal importance.
This calling is essence of walking with Jesus not a human construct.
God bless you guy's for your wisdom
Ken
I'm sorry ,I just reread the post and I forgot some key words. I was trying to say this money issue and mission's issue's are a result of the same thing.
We need to walk the earth like Jesus. I know that is not possble but that is the model. Jesus made every one important and lead with love and humility. His love is what made him missional. Love is by nature missional.
I know my points sound tangential, but it what l said is the reason why we struggle because a lot us forget how to think like a Christian. When we do strive to live this way everything becomes clear.
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Let's face it, a good chunk of what deacons traditionally deal with is finances. Whether it is promoting good giving, setting the budget, or overseeing ministries, in the great majority of churches in our denomination this falls squarely under the responsibility of the deacons. Deacons, we are told, are to promote good stewardship.
But the leader's motivations for prompting stewardship are what makes the difference. I recently read this quote from Kennon Callahan:
"Mission is more important than money. Some money is not worth raising. If raising it begets a maintenance mentality, it is not worth raising. If raising it creates a climate of scolding, law and demand, then it is better left unraised. When church finance becomes preoccupied with institutional maintenance and survival, it becomes self-serving, nervous, and awkward. It looses its way. When you center first on mission, you help to develop sound practices of church finance. Mission helps finance find its way."
Mission isn't optional--its the proper lens through which to see stewardship. It's been said that the church budget is the clothes that we put on the church mission. The annual budget is the most missional document in the church. How can we clearly communicate that to the people that we serve?