Developing A GIVING Church

TITLE: The Church & Business
DATE: February 17, 2011

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:5
“When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.”

OBSERVATION: Being involved in the business world, as a tentmaker, was not a distraction to Paul. Nor was it beneath his spiritual dignity – a lower status than being a full-time preacher. In verses 2 &3, it opened the doors to Aquila & Priscilla’s heart and they eventually became his disciples. But his desire was to be fully freed to preach the gospel and when he had the opportunity, as was the case in Corinth, at the arrival of his team, he “devoted himself exclusively to” preaching. This passage tells us, that before this time in Corinth, he was engage in a marketplace business in making & selling tents, which opened the partnership with business people who help spread the message of Jesus to others, especially Apollos, later on.

APPLICATION: I’m being challenged to partner more intimately with business leaders in our church so that the model Paul left can be followed. The vision given at the Transformation Conference was developing the church to be a “Giving Church” by having its budget underwritten by 5 business people in the church for the entire year and giving all the tithes and offerings away to the needs of the community. I believe that is what God wants to do so we can be a model church living that way to change the world’s image of the church as a “Giving”, not a “Taking” organism.

PRAYER: “Grant me wisdom and favor to see Your purposes for our church on Maui become a reality – that we would become a powerful “Giving” church that would impact our island.”