One of the stresses of church planting is the notion that every sermon, every worship service, every outreach effort has to be your best. The perception is that one off day could potentially cripple the work. Add to that the increasing pressure to bring new works up to a self-supporting status in a shorter timespan (patience is running out on works that have existed for more than 10 years without organizing or being self-supporting), and you see that church planters are running with more hectic schedules to finish their work in record time. Or, at least I am. The others may have more common sense.
This creates a hectic week, not only for the church planter, but also for the family. Over the past couple of weeks, I have noticed the effects of stress showing up in my wife and kids... so this weekend, I'm scheduling some playtime... just the five of us.
I can not be successful in life if I am not successful with my family. This takes first priority.
1 comment:
I actually preached something similar this morning. God first, Family second, Church third.
God first. Salvation-baptism-church membership-spirituality and all that comes with it.
Family second. Their spirituality-Their physical needs.
Church Third. Attending-helping-following the commission.
I used Jonah who did his "church work" so to speak in preaching the 8 word (in English) sermon and seeing probably well over a quarter of a million people saved, but in the very next three verses (Jonah 4:1-3), we see how very far away from God Jonah was. He'd put the "church work" first, seen results, but lost his relationship with God long before.
Another biblical example. Noah could've spent more time each day reaching out in the 100 + years of preaching, but at what expense? He could've tried harder, and lost his family. I'm glad Noah put his family second, and the other people third. Otherwise, no human race would exist.
The final thing to remember is 1 Timothy 3:2-5. If you lose your family, you lose your ministry. God first, Family second, Church third. That is God's priority. PARAPHRASED FROM MEMORY: If a man know not how to rule his household, how shall he take care of the flock of God? Notice God even put the family second and the church third. You may be at that mission for so many years, but if they kicked you out, you still have your wife. If you lose your wife, your ministry will be very much hurt. I may be at this church for twenty years, but I hope to be with my family until death.
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