Family Values: Transparency

This week we are going to be talking about transparency

I want to start by asking a couple of questions:

What do we mean by transparency?

Why would the Church be interested in transparency?

What does transparency mean in a person?

you invite trust by revealing that you have nothing to hide

What does transparency mean in an organization?

you invite rust by revealing how resources are utilized and any issues or failures that have been experienced

Why is Transparency important:

- It builds individual trust

-it becomes the DNA

-it is a differentiator between us and the world.

The Apostle Paul was dogmatic about transparency.

Notice his statements:

A. Recognized the Calling

Paul was constantly aware of the burden of the ministry.

It wasn’t a career.

It wasn’t a job.

He wasn’t mama called and daddy sent.

Paul referred often to the importance of the ministry as a CALLING.

Colossians 4:17 (CSB): And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”

1 Timothy 1:12–13 (CSB): 12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—

2 Timothy 4:5 (CSB): But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

B. Renounced the Craftiness

There are too many con-artists in the pulpits.

I hate to say it, but independent Baptist are many times the biggest bunch of suckers.

Their lack of discernment and spirituality make them perfect marks for the con-artists.

Paul was outspoken about his attitude toward transparency.

2 Corinthians 4:2 (CSB): Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.

Renounce: to speak out, set forth, declare; forbid.

Ephesians 4:14 (CSB): Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

C. Respected the Conscience

Paul’s respect for the conscience of his hearers IN THE SIGHT OF GOD was a huge motivation to keep it honest – keep it true and keep it transparent.

NOTE: A man that has seared his own conscience will not respect yours.

A man with a defiled conscience will have no problem defiling yours.

Paul was an example of…

I. Transparency with the Ministry

Paul welcomed accountability – I Corinthians 4:1-5

Paul invited them to judge him

2 Timothy 3:10–11 (CSB): But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all.

2 Corinthians 6:4–10 (CSB): Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth,, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

TURN TO I CORINTHIANS 4:1-5

The Request of a Steward – vs. 1 Let a man so account of us…The Requirement of a Steward – vs. 2 …a man be found faithful.The Restraint of a Steward – vs. 3 – I judge not mine own self…

1 Corinthians 4:1–5 (CSB): A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. 2 In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful. 3 It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even judge myself. 4 For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.

II. Transparency with the Money

This whole chapter is talking about giving, taking up offerings, handling money, etc.

2 Corinthians 8:21–22 (CSB): Indeed, we are giving careful thought to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people.

Paul was adamant that he did not want their money

2 Corinthians 12:14–15 (CSB): 14 Look, I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you., If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

Paul urged his young preachers not to pursue personal gain.

1 Timothy 6:6–11 (CSB): 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

11 But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

Transparency with the finances of the church is absolutely essential.

Budgeting, reporting, accounting, who handles the money, who enters the totals, etc.

III. Transparency with the Message

One thing the Apostle Paul couldn’t tolerate was liars in the pulpit.

Titus 1:10–13 (CSB): For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. 11 It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. 12 One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this reason, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith

2 Timothy 3:13 (CSB): Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Peter 2:1 (CSB): There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves.

2 Peter 2:13–14 (CSB): They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!

Paul didn’t hold anything back

Acts 20:20 (CSB): You know that I did not avoid proclaiming to you anything that was profitable or from teaching you publicly and from house to house.

That is the Church’s part of transparency- we have all seen it work well, better than it does in most churches. We also get to hear all of the time how it doesn’t work. Many of us have experienced this.

Let’s cover briefly how that works at SunRise.

SunRise, shares the exact same structure that we were familiar with at StoneWater, we are a Pastor Lead church

I as the lead pastor am accountable to an advisory board made up of 4 people at this time.

I am responsible for the vision of the church.

As we all know this is an unprecedented time in our nation, in our world where we have

multiple things in action and it is paramount that we stay focused on what WE were brought here to do which was to be a light to people as the church, to provide a path to know the HOPE that can only be found in Jesus. That is what brought us here, we weren’t brought here for an other reason.

So what does transparency look like as members of the church?

Our lives are constantly in a state of change.

The most important part of our lives is the process of sanctification, becoming more and more like Jesus, knowing full well that we can never be exactly like him.

We don’t want to be the stereotypical christian today according to what many worldly folks would say today, we don’t want to be out partying on Saturday and come to church on Sunday playing like it is all good and we never do anything wrong.

There are parts of that process that are not optional

transparency

honesty

openness

humility

Sometimes, the person I need to be the most honest with is myself. I can deceive myself easier than anyone else. If I can’t be honest with myself, then I’m incapable of being honest with others.

So many people stay tied to the last 20 percent of their struggles because they only offer 80 percent of the truth. We can never experience 100 percent freedom, 100 percent healing, 100 percent of the abundant life Jesus promises by offering 80 percent of the truth. Eighty percent of truth will always leave us 20 percent short of true healing.

Being transparent with God, your spouse, and others isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Jesus said it like this: “The truth will set you free.” Let’s choose to live in that life-giving freedom.

Prayer