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| Owners vs Renters
A few weeks ago I posted a blog titled Renters vs. Owners on the web. My blog was a reaction to some of the readings that I had been doing for one of my classes. I had been reading a book by Peter Block called Stewardship. You would think that this was a book about the biblical principles of stewardship, but it is not. It is a book about how to run a business! In the pages of the book he describes how stewardship can improve a business by helping employees think and act like owners. He shows that it is possible to replace self-interest, dependency and control with service, responsibility and partnership.
As I was reading this book I could not help but think of the church. Many times we talk about stewardship in the realm of the three “T’s” time, talent and treasure. But sometimes we forget to talk about stewardship as a lifestyle. What does it mean to be a steward, we are not owners, yet we are given the responsibility of ownership. Too often, however, we treat our responsibility like renters and we in turn act like renters in our responsibilities.
This past week at MCA we celebrated a special event, and if I think about it too long it’s a little overwhelming. Donna Cox just finished 30 years of teaching at this school. I can’t even begin to imagine 30 years in one place. Wait a second, I can hardly imagine 30 years. I was two years old when Donna started at MCA! Here’s my point, lots of times it is easier to feel like an owner if you have been someplace for a while. It is hard especially for us younger people, perhaps the older ones too, to fully engage if we feel that we won’t be around to see some results. Perhaps that is once again renter mentality.
What if we acted like owners no matter what. I think that God has placed each of us here for a purpose, it may be for 30 years, or it may be for 3 months. It doesn’t matter; God has brought each of us to this church and has given us stewardship of this community. Maybe you don’t live in the area, maybe you are reading this on the website, but if you feel part of this church or want to feel part of this church then it is time for us to take up our responsibility as God’s stewards.
--Pastor Benji Ferguson |
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