THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (28)

 The Church as a Business

"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's BUSINESS?" (Luke 2:49)

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this BUSINESS." (Acts 6:3)

"Not slothful in BUSINESS; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." (Romans 12:11)

Recently, I was discussing with a brother who has a stationery store in the city. I asked him to expand his business across town because he has enough materials to equip three to four stores at a time. He told me he has been prayerfully working on this proposition and that his major constraint is the personnel to manage the business. The people out there have no mind for business progress but rather ulterior motives for enriching their pockets. So, rather than planning his own untimely death and heartbreak, he would prefer to manage a shop than to have others that would steal his peace and shorten his life.

Oh, what a prudent way a businessman would think! But does anyone see and manage the church in this manner? When we have the passion, burden, and drive to expand our churches across nations and kingdoms, do we think and hold back due to the personnel that will handle this divine business?

Until we take the church of God and her expansion as a business, we will not make significant progress and impact for Jesus, who is the head of the church.

Jesus sees His Father's kingdom on earth (the Church) as a business; hence He told His parents that they must respect His interest in His Father's business. (Luke 2:49) "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

The apostles knew the church as a business. Therefore, they would not allow transient murmuring from some sect to lead them into making irreverent decisions that they would later regret. They agreed that anyone who must be appointed over the church business must fulfill these requirements:

1. Must be men of honest report

2. Must be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom

These men may be black or white, rich or poor, Greek or Jew, but the basic spiritual requirements must not be compromised. The church cannot overlook this.

Churches are expanding everywhere today. But the personnel handling the expansion are shortsighted, untutored, and lack spiritual discipline.

Today, pastors and church leaders are rejecting postings and refusing to go to the perceived village parishes. I was told recently of one who has just graduated from Mission School but refused a village church as his place of assignment. I wondered why he chose to be trained as a missionary in the first place. But this is the picture of church leaders today—leaders who add more certificates and diplomas with the aim of getting rich and serving in city churches rather than making an impact. Leaders who are ready to spend anything to influence their postings to the cities and developed world. Leaders who are almost going on strike for non-payment of salaries. Leaders who believe that those serving in villages and rural places are being punished by church leaders.

Today, in the city, there are about four or more pastors managing a single church, while one pastor is pastoring four or more churches in the villages. Who dares to post the luxury-seeking pastors out of their comfort zone?

Sincerely, the church must never think of any expansion until it is assured of the people to manage it. Although we must not be skeptical about expansion, we must appropriately recruit men to do this. It is not enough to have a Bible school and theological institutions. There is a way to determine those among them who are passionate about serving and those who are simply pleasing the cries of their parents.

Do you notice that, in these days, it is becoming difficult to correct and discipline church leaders because the church is mad about retaining someone to lead its vast denominations? We have compromised major biblical injunctions to accommodate leaders who have no heart for the gospel in the first place.

Do you think it is a crime to shut down a branch of a church when the leaders are accused of spiritual misconduct? This is the best approach. Rather than doing this, the leadership will be handed over to someone who is not interested at all but is privileged to be educated and a bit wealthy.

We are indeed in perilous times.

The church is simply a business. And for it to thrive and fulfill the desires of Him who purchased it with His own blood, we must have the right men in place to drive its expansion and encourage people to earnestly contend for the faith.

Peter Abdul-Razaq OLAYINKA 

A Serving Missionary with Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.  

WhatsApp: (+229) 94139130  

Mobile No.: (+234) 8066540987, (+234) 8028495639

Email: peterrazaq@yahoo.com  

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