"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!" - Proverbs 16:16 (NIV)
I read this article today concerning the Church of England and the deficit they face in their Pension Scheme. I don't want to be critical of the Anglican Church in this post but this story does raise the vital importance of handling money in churches with the utmost integrity, faith and wisdom.
The Church has an opportunity to demonstrate wisdom, generosity and a true heart for the poor in the way it handles the finances that God has entrusted them. Every penny really does count and it is so important that there are Holy Spirit anointed administrators (1 Cor 12:28) in the right areas of leadership in the Church to ensure that the finances are handled really well for the purposes of God to be advanced through His Church.
The Apostle Paul was so keen for a financial offering taken by the Macedonian Church , described in 2 Corinthians 8, to be handled in a way that :
Honoured the Lord
Avoided criticism
and would be seen to be right in the eyes of God and the eyes of the World around them.
2,000 years on, the wisdom found in the Bible is still so relevant, radical and real for every situation - including how finance should be handled in our own lives and in the church.
"What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men" - 2 Corinthians 8:19-21 (NIV)
Liverpool lost 1-0 to Sunderland on Saturday in the Football Premier League. Something very unusual happened with the goal that Sunderland scored that won them the game. The Liverpool fans were massed behind the goal that Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper was defending. One of these fans threw a beach ball onto the pitch at the start of the game. The goalkeeper initially moved the ball to the back of his goal so it was not interfering with play. However, the ball was blown by the wind back into the field of play and right into the centre of the penalty area in front of goal. Pepe Reina didn't move the ball this time and when Sunderland next attacked Darren Bent scored a goal that was deflected in off the errant beach ball - that 'freak' goal won them the game.
There has been much conjecture about whether the goal should have been allowed, but what I think is fascinating from this is that such a small, even innocuous, thing made such a big difference. Papa Reina didn't get rid of this beach ball completely and it came back and caused him much grief. The Holy Spirit prompted me today in relation to this and reminded me that little things matter - they do a make a difference.
"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom" - Song of Songs 2:15 (NIV)
In the above verse in the Bible, it's the little foxes that ruin the vineyard. A little fox isn't very big compared to a large vineyard, but they are still destructive nonetheless. We can sometimes allow things into our lives that seem to be harmless and can seem to be even fun at first, but left unchecked and ignored, they can cause great damage and distraction.
If Pepa Reina had popped the beach ball, that goal probably wouldn't have been scored. Instead, he just moved it to one side and it came back. We can sometimes do this with issues in our lives, we move them to one side and promise to deal with them later but what is often required is a more ruthless and radical approach.
I'm determind to not let any 'beach ball' distraction get in the way of the goal and purpose of God's Kingdom being more fully established and seen in my life in all that I do and all that I say.
The Conservative Party comes to town next week. Together with the Conservative Christian Fellowship and a number of church leaders in the City I've been helping to organise an event during the conference to profile to the party what the church is doing in the City to bring transformatiom and restoration. The key text & reading for the event is Isaiah 58:9-12. The idea is that we do a similar event next year aswell when the Labour Party Conference comes to Manchester. I live in a City of great political influence!
The Mail on Sunday ran an article over the weekend about the event, you can read it by clicking here. It's an interesting piece of journalism to say the least. I was a bit negative about it at first, but then I came round a bit as at least it has put the event on the media radar and ensures that what the church is so wonderfully doing in the City is not ignored as so often is the case.
It will be interesting to see how the media respond to the event next week - I'm personally really looking forward to it!
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)
I'm reading 'Release the Power of Jesus' by Bill Johnson at the moment. I read the following quote today which touches on something that God has been speaking to us as a church here in Manchester in recent weeks:
"Works cannot save us, but without the fruit of good works in our lives, we lack the evidence that identifies us as new creations in Christ. Just as God's nature is revealed in what He does, the evidence that we are being transformed into His likeness is that we reveal His nature in what we do"
Page 31, Release the Power of Jesus, Bill Johnson, Destiny Image, 2009
"..For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.."
Hebrews 11:10
About Me
Name: Gavin White
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
Why the title 'Thousands and Millions'?
Well, it's a statement of Faith, a dream, a mission statement for my life and witness as a believer in the house of God...........
Click on '?Thousands and Millions?' for more details!
"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!" - Proverbs 16:16 (NIV)
Liverpool lost 1-0 to Sunderland on Saturday in the Football Premier League. Something very unusual happened with the goal that Sunderland scored that won them the game. The Liverpool fans were massed behind the goal that Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper was defending. One of these fans threw a beach ball onto the pitch at the start of the game. The goalkeeper initially moved the ball to the back of his goal so it was not interfering with play. However, the ball was blown by the wind back into the field of play and right into the centre of the penalty area in front of goal. Pepe Reina didn't move the ball this time and when Sunderland next attacked Darren Bent scored a goal that was deflected in off the errant beach ball - that 'freak' goal won them the game.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"
