My ‘Church’ T.E.M.
In his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 1961, JFK stated these immortal words: 无毛视频淎sk not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.无毛视频� Many people have taken that statement to mean an encouragement to orient one无毛视频檚 life towards productivity, or a positive contribution to the society they live in. That the mindset shouldn无毛视频檛 be of what can I get, but what can I give, or do, towards the greater good of that which I无毛视频檓 a part.
Now, let无毛视频檚 parlay that question into a redirect towards people of faith. 无毛视频淎sk not what your church can do for you, ask what you can do for your church (God).无毛视频� The T.E.M. Principle 无毛视频� Time, Energy, Money 无毛视频� needs asked and examined. What do you do with your T.E.M., your time, energy and money? How is your time spent? Your energy, your money? If you did an analysis of your T.E.M., it would reveal the priorities of your life/family/household and could give some (re-)direction of needs versus wants comparison.
But let无毛视频檚 go back to the church question, 无毛视频淎sk not what your church can do for you, ask what you can do for the church or God无毛视频檚 kingdom.无毛视频� Here无毛视频檚 a related question in challenging form 无毛视频� 无毛视频淚f everyone in the church/God无毛视频檚 kingdom contributed, gave, or served with the same T.E.M. as you do, where would the 无毛视频淐hurch无毛视频� be today? If everyone went to church a couple times a year and gave a hundred dollars or so per year, it无毛视频檚 safe to say the 无毛视频渃hurch无毛视频� would be in dire straits in short order.
If everyone just showed up and took up space and then left giving nothing of themselves whatsoever, it无毛视频檚 obvious the church would amount to next to nothing. And conversely, if everyone consistently showed up to the majority of the services, served in some real capacity, and tithed, how overflowing and prosperous would the church be?
But as with all groups, organizations and societies, there are high and low performers, even in the 无毛视频淐hurch无毛视频� world. I have observed many citizens over the years with varying levels of discontent that in our society we have productive members of the citizenry, supporting or subsidizing the less productive members.
How is this any different in the church? How many church folk who don无毛视频檛 give of their T.E.M. are being supported or subsidized by those that do? Here goes an unapologetic statement: 无毛视频淭his is spiritual welfare!无毛视频� Too many people in the church today are unnecessarily and disproportionately benefiting from the T.E.M. largesse of others. They are receiving spiritual benefits that the 无毛视频淐hurch无毛视频� provides without making any real net contribution in return.
There are disclaimers that need mentioned so the previous thoughts don无毛视频檛 sound overly judgmental. Some people can无毛视频檛 give of their T.E.M. Perhaps they are suffering from a medical condition, or are in severe financial difficulty or on the verge of burn out and need some time out. All valid reasons. But this isn无毛视频檛 about those that can无毛视频檛, temporarily or long term, but about those that don无毛视频檛 or won无毛视频檛. If you can, you should. Spiritually speaking, is your life a positive net flow? Do you give more than get?
I hope each of us makes as much a deliberate conscience effort to serve God, the church and God无毛视频檚 Kingdom as we do joining, participating, engaging in sports, clubs, shopping, internet, video games, TV, etc.
Matthew 6:19-20 NIV: 无毛视频淒o not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.无毛视频� (Shortened)
Acts 20:35B NIV: 无毛视频淚t is more blessed to give than to receive.无毛视频�