MOVING FORWARD: BUILDING A GREAT CHURCH THROUGH EFFECTIVE FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP  1 Peter 4:10-11

The foundation of a great Church is embedded in the faithfulness of Christians stewardship.  Christian life is a life of stewardship.  It is a life given by Christ Jesus which requires and demands accountability.  It is also a life being built by Christ which gate of hell cannot prevail against it (Matt. 16:18).  Therefore the concept of stewardship is deeply rooted and fundamental to Christian life and living.  You must be a good manager of the entire life of Jesus Christ which you are carrying about on daily basis.  No Christian should arrogate the ownership of the life and gifts he has to himself.  He is a caretaker and manager and not the owner of self and all he has in Christ Jesus.

The understanding of Christian life as a steward will propel us to position the church on the path of greatness.  The church will attain full size of God’s greatness if Christians will invest Christ’s given life, talents, position, influence and resources to build her for God’s glory.  The size of God in the mind of church members will go a long way on how big and great the church of God will be in our time.  Our God is great in all things both in power, attributes, glory, love, mercy and in provision.

Building a great church requires a great service for the glory of God.  Church is the people who are redeemed and called out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus.  They are the ones who are freed from the power of sin, self and Satan.  They are the people that have been baptized into the life of Christ and voluntarily surrendered themselves to the teachings and the following of Christ forever.

THE DEMAND FOR BUILDING A GREAT CHURCH IS COSTLY

(1)  It demands a total love.  Loving God with all your heart, loving God with all your mind, loving God

with all your might (Mark 12:30-31).

(2)  It demands our social and acquired skills.  Our position, influence, profession etc.

(3)  It demands our physical and spiritual gifts (Acts 2:42-47; Luke 3:2-14; 1Chro. 22:2-5; Romans

12:3-8)

(4)  It demands our faithfulness (Matthew 25:21,23).

–   Faithfulness is a major and core subject in the service and the Church of God.

–   In the school of faith, faithfulness is key in building a great Church

–   There is a great reward for being faithful in the use of your gifts and talents for God.

The Church of God will be spiritually, physically and materially great if we determine to be a faithful steward unto the Lordship of the Owner of the Church and our total being.