As I read this chapter, I looked back at churches I have attended and been involved in and found the flaws behind why they are not growing like they expect to be. A big proponent to many churches why they are falling short of the mark is that they want everyone going every hour of every day and if you are a family-minded individual, like Jesus is and how the church should be, it is impossible because God requires men to nurture their families in other ways than just spiritual. I look at the schedules of certain churches and I am shaking my head because I am confounded by the amounts of special speakers and events, but not true sense of community. Granted, small groups are to help build community but if there were no small groups ministry, that purpose of Christian brotherhood is not being fulfilled. Our mission should be to minister to the unreached and to each other, not run ourselves ragged where we are not effective in ministry. Being able to equip ourselves with nourishment of the Word and being able to effective make disciples as Matt 28:19 states needs at least some rest. 'Rome wasn't built in a day' and 'God rested after he created everything' are just two phrases that show us to pace our lives.
I, myself, was going 7 days a week with ministry in my senior year of high school, but I was not tired out and I enjoyed it because a couple days I was ministering and the rest of the time I was being ministered to, although I was involved.
Ministering to some people takes a while for them to realize certain truths and takes years for appreciation to come out, but it is rewarding to know the impact on lives you have had. Churches have to focus on that...just because you don't see the end result doesn't mean you don't impact their life in some way.
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