What does Jesus Say to Congregations With Few Resources? (Part 1 of 5)
Posted on 2/22/12 by Jeff Stiggins
Jesus told a story in Matthew 25: 13-20 about a businessman who called his employees together before taking a trip. To one he gave $1,000, to another he gave $500 and to the third he gave $100, each according to their abilities, and instructed them to carry on his business while he is gone. Most of us have heard this story many times . . . and applied it to individuals. But what might Jesus be saying to congregations . . . that, after all, are a constellation of individuals? More specifically, what might Jesus be saying to those congregational leaders that identify with the third employee given only $100?
So that the details are fresh in our minds, let's review them -- with a bit of cultural translation. The businessman takes his trip and returns to call the employees to give account of how they have carried on his business. The first, who had been working diligently, returned twice what he had been entrusted. The businessman is quite complementary and entrusts more too him to continue investing. The same happened with the second employee. But when the third employee walked in, he said that because he had been afraid of losing what was entrusted him and even though he knew that the businessman expected a profit, he fearfully hide the money away where it would be safe, and then returned the $100. The businessman was not pleased, because he did expect a return on his investment. And so, taking the $100 away from the third employee, the businessman said, "You're fired!" and gave the money to the first employee to invest.
There seems to be several assumptions by the businessman: The employees will be held accountable:
· for investing whatever has been entrust them,
· in carrying on the businessman's business
· and, as a result, for reaping a profit.
These seem to be the main points made in teaching and preaching about this parable when applied to individuals. Is it pushing too far to apply them to congregations, to communities of disciples who are called to make more disciples and to support their growth into more mature disciples who have increasingly a kingdom impact in the world in which we live?
Many congregational leaders may identify with the employee who was entrusted with only $100 when they look at their ministry resources today. Their buildings are getting older and more expensive to maintain. Their attendance is declining, as are the number of persons willing and able to step into leadership as the congregation's average age creeps higher. Furthermore, their financial resources are less than what they used to be and less than what they now need to continue doing ministry in the ways they have been accustomed.
I suspect that many of those congregational leaders who identify with having the least resources to continue their ministry may also identify with the third employee's sense of fear. They too are afraid of losing what they have. And so they cling to what has been, trying to maintain it -- and in so doing fail to invest in continuing to engage in the disciple making, world changing mission to which Jesus has called us. And this is a problem.
Like the third employee some congregational leaders shift into survival mode and cease being about Jesus' ministry. Their new mission becomes caring for our members, maintaining our facilities and continuing our beloved traditions -- in other words, holding on to what we've got. They essentially buried what they have in hopes of holding on to it. And when the denomination begins to ask about Missional Vital Signs and stories of life change and community impact (i.e., for account of the results of their ministry) they feel particularly threatened.
If you are someone who identifies with the third employee and yet who also wants to be a faithful and fruitful church leader, what should you do from this point moving forward? In the next four posts, I'd like to share with you my thoughts about this. And just so you know what's coming, here is the outline of where we will be going.
1. Take heart in knowing that God often advances God's mission through those that appear least likely to be able to do so.
2. Reconnect and recommit to God's business, to the mission in which Jesus invites you to join him as coworkers.
3. Instead of focusing on the resources you don't have or don't have any more, focus gratefully on the resources you do have and pray to discern what message about your calling to ministry they bring.
4. Instead of clinging fearfully, invest these resources now where Jesus is currently at work in your community and congregation.
I look forward to sharing with you these ways in which those that feel like the third employee can become like the second and first employees.
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Blessings,
Jeff
Dr. Jeff Stiggins
The Center for Congregational Excellence |
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