12 Witnesses
Let these stones be a witness to what we have done here this day.

God will send you the people

Jun 2nd, 2009 | By art rogers | Category: Church, General Christian, Missional

October of 2007 saw me fly out to visit Marty Duren and his family, church and staff.  It was an exploration of what it would take to transition a church, since they were further along that road than we, who were just talking about it.

While I was there, one of the staff members was telling me about the talented volunteers that had just come to New Bethany to serve their church.  I have to admit, I sinned a little.  Covetousness.  It’s a pet sin of mine.  I take it out and play with it, from time to time.

Well, it may be a pet sin, but it’s not a private one and I announced to Dan Brothers, the staff member against whom I was sinning, that I coveted what God had given him and them.  Unphased and unblinking, Dan looked at me and said, as though he was without any doubt, and said that I shouldn’t worry.  God would send Skelly the people.  I wondered if God was alright with Dan’s commitment on His behalf.

About 2 months ago, I began to pray that God would do just that.  Send us the people we need.  I am very much against church “growth” by transfer, but I know that there are believers moving to Tulsa or are currently disconnected with a church body that could be of immediate benefit for us and vice versa.  I asked God to start sending them to us.  We were at a point where we needed to step forward and we needed people who wanted to serve to help us get there.

Don’t mistake me to be taking for granted those fantastic volunteers that serve relentlessly and with joy.  Far from it.  Rather, I am of the opinion that we need to spread the responsibilities out in order to give them a bit of a rest and, therefore, needed more servants with talents.

I’m not ready to call Dan a prophet, yet, I must say, God has been faithful to Dan’s word and my prayers.  Over the last 6 mos, God has begun to bring us wonderful people and we are being blessed by all that they do for Skelly.

Moreover, these are people who already have the vision of living missionally in our community.

God is good.  He sends you people.

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3 comments
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  1. Bob Cleveland June 2nd, 2009 7:43 am

    As Ken Hemphill pointed out in Serving God .. Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts, God sent Bezalel to Moses & company, and pre-fitted him with gifts in craftsmanship. That’s what the folks needed, then, to do what God had in mind.

    There’s every reason God does the same thing, now, for leaders and flocks who have a heart to do what God wants them to. Which is the case, at Skelly.

    Bob Clevelands last blog post..Blessed Redeemer. Precious Redeemer.

  2. Mike Woodward June 2nd, 2009 9:21 am

    Art,

    I know you’re not implying it, but transfers are not always a bad thing. I can think of several valid reasons off the top of my head:

    1) Home Location / Relocation (even just a few miles)
    2) Perceived ministry need in new church
    3) Agreeable difference in ministry philosophy

    In my case I hit all three. We left a regional megachurch for a local smaller church.

    I often think that some awesome synergy would occur if some of the big megas would intentionally send some of their leaders (and let’s face it, most are chock full of them) as seeds out to smaller congregations. You would see greater cooperation amongst the churches, and the smaller churches could continue with their relational and missional models as they drill into the communities that don’t dress up for, much less attend, church. The mega could still use the program driven model that seems to draw leaders. Draw and Send, Draw and Send.

    Sounds good as an abstract idea.

  3. art rogers June 2nd, 2009 9:38 am

    Mike,

    Sounds good period. Releasing people is a major part of my missionality. An Institutional church (of any size) seeks to build itself in size. It becomes an end unto itself, rather than means to an end.

    My implications about transfer growth is that it is not Kingdom growth when people circulate from church to church within a community. doing well at sucking other churches’ leadership and gifted servants away is not Kingdom growth, but actually hurts the Kingdom. Hence it should be avoided.

    Obviously, I am for the transfer of talented leaders and servants to Skelly in the right situation, since that is what I am praying for and, it would seem to me, God is in favor of it, since He is answering our prayers.

    Good thoughts.