August 13, 2017

The Shepherd's Corner

[:en]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

As I write this, Nani’s workers are putting up sails in our courtyard. Not only will they provide a more permanent shade, they will also add to the beauty of our garden. I don’t know about you but I really like our garden. It’s beautiful. I also enjoy watering the plants and the grass. When I do, not only do I get to smell the fresh scent, I also have a chance to see how these plants and grass grow—very slowly. So long as they get sun and water, grow will they!

It’s not easy to be a son of a famous pastor, it’s even harder to plant a church and be a pastor yourself. Growing up Andy Stanley lived under the shadow of his father, Dr. Charles Stanley, the renowned pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. And, for a period of time he served under his father’s tutelage. But, knowing it’s the Lord’s will for him to start a church, he left and did just that. By the grace of God, the church has grown.

One of things that he shares in his book, Deep and Wide, about church, is the importance of paying attention to minor details, like keeping the church clean and in order. He says when people visit a church the first thing they will notice is the physical condition of the church. A messy and dirty church gives the impression that nobody cares. I completely agree. How can we expect people to believe that we take our church seriously and that we really care for our church if it is unclean and in disarray?

There is another reason why we should pay attention to minor detail. Luke 16:10 contains the words of Jesus which reminds us, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . .” We should be faithful in taking care of the little things God entrusts us with before He can entrust us with bigger things.

Pastor Paul[:id]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

As I write this, Nani’s workers are putting up sails in our courtyard. Not only will they provide a more permanent shade, they will also add to the beauty of our garden. I don’t know about you but I really like our garden. It’s beautiful. I also enjoy watering the plants and the grass. When I do, not only do I get to smell the fresh scent, I also have a chance to see how these plants and grass grow—very slowly. So long as they get sun and water, grow will they!

It’s not easy to be a son of a famous pastor, it’s even harder to plant a church and be a pastor yourself. Growing up Andy Stanley lived under the shadow of his father, Dr. Charles Stanley, the renowned pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. And, for a period of time he served under his father’s tutelage. But, knowing it’s the Lord’s will for him to start a church, he left and did just that. By the grace of God, the church has grown.

One of things that he shares in his book, Deep and Wide, about church, is the importance of paying attention to minor details, like keeping the church clean and in order. He says when people visit a church the first thing they will notice is the physical condition of the church. A messy and dirty church gives the impression that nobody cares. I completely agree. How can we expect people to believe that we take our church seriously and that we really care for our church if it is unclean and in disarray?

There is another reason why we should pay attention to minor detail. Luke 16:10 contains the words of Jesus which reminds us, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . .” We should be faithful in taking care of the little things God entrusts us with before He can entrust us with bigger things.

Pastor Paul[:]

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