Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

THEME OF THE DAY: WOULD WE BE OPENED NEXT SUNDAY? Bear with me and think on this hypothetical, but yet teaching illustration. It won’t be true for Christ builds His church, not us. However, He uses His people to do so. His church will endure, but local visible churches may not. He does not promise local churches to remain who fail to “do church” as He defines in today’s scripture. Read the letters to the churches in the Revelation. Those were local churches who went extinct. So, here is the scenario; imagine you and your family were the determining factors that kept your local church “in business” week to week. Would your contributions in giving of your resources, your active service, and faithful attendance keep your church open or would it have to close due to inactivity? When it comes to Christians attending their churches, they fall into one of two categories – givers or takers. And each of us are in one of the two. We are either contributors ensuring life and fruitfulness or consumers, simply getting from those who are contributors. Which are we? Below is a fictional illustration that is “funny, but not funny” to help us decide if we are contributors or consumers. It is not original with me . . .

Dear Friend,

Our church membership 1400
Non-resident membership 75
Balance to do the work 1325
Elderly folks who faithfully served in the past 25
Balance to do the work 1300
Sick and shut-in folks 25
Balance to do the work 1275
Members who don’t give 350
Christmas and Easter members 300
Balance to do the work 625
Members who are too tired 300
Balance to do the work 325
Excuse-makers 200
Balance to do the work 125
Members too busy with other things 123
Balance to do the work 2 (you and me)

Consumers or contributors. It is up to each of to decide what we are in our local churches.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I see Your Son’s church more for what I get than what I give.”

QUOTE: “Christ’s children see His church as the place where they give themselves, not get for themselves.”