More Manpower

When you help support your pastor, you are helping support the Lord’s work.

To highlight its annual picnic one year, a company rented two racing shells and challenged a rival company to a boat race. The rival company accepted. On the day of the picnic, everyone entered into the spirit of the event. Women wore colorful summer dresses and big, floppy hats. Men wore straw skimmers and white pants. Bands played and banners waved. Finally the race began. To the consternation of the host company, the rival team immediately moved to the front and was never headed. It won by eleven lengths.

The management of the host company was embarrassed by its showing and promptly appointed a committee to place responsibility for the failure and make recommendations to improve the host team's chances in a rematch the following year. The committee appointed several task forces to study various aspects of the race. They met for three months and issued a preliminary report. In essence, the report said that the rival crew had been unfair. “They had eight people rowing and one coxswain steering and shouting out the beat,” the report said. “We had one person rowing and eight coxswains.” The chairman of the board thanked the committee and sent it away to study the matter further and make recommendations for the rematch. Four months later the committee came back with a recommendation: “Our guy has to row faster.”

The solution for their rowers’ lack of effort was to encourage the one rower to row harder. How absurd does that seem! Yet, many times we as Christians can be accused of the same thing.

If you are involved in a good church, who would you say does all the work around the church? Many times the pastor has the privilege of preaching each week but is also responsible for other areas of ministry! The Bible commands us as believers to help the pastor and enter into his labor with him.

How can you help your pastor? One way is through prayer. Our verse today says, “Ye also helping together by prayer for us…” Prayer is the most powerful way you can help support your pastor. You may not be able to mow a lawn, visit the elderly, or clean a bathroom; but you can pray for God’s blessing on your pastor.

You can also help by getting involved in the church ministries. Sign up for soulwinning and be faithful each week. Volunteer to work a nursery once a month. Ask if there is any handyman work that needs done around the church. Write letters to the widows. Think of a way you could be a blessing to your pastor and volunteer to be involved in whatever needs to be done.

Source: DITW, January 19, 2009