Faithfulness

I often receive updates from other church planters here in Vegas and around the country. This includes stories from planters who start with teams of as many as 20 adults who all move to a city solely for the purpose of helping plant a church. That’s awesome! It opens up so many opportunities for a church plant. But … it can also be difficult to hear stories of people doing things we’d like to be doing, but simply don’t have the manpower or resources to do yet.

Church plant “success” is often measured in “nickels and noses” – the more the better. Yet a while ago a pastor friend shared a very different perspective. Biblical success is measured in faithfulness. As a result he often asks himself, “Am I being faithful to God’s call on my life, and am I faithfully using my gifts?” So where’s he getting that from? 

Well, in Matthew 25 Jesus tells a parable of 3 servants, each entrusted with a different amount of resources from their master. While none of them are given the same as the others, the same thing is expected of all of them: faithfulness. Faithfulness with what they’ve been given.

The trap I was falling into was comparing results and resources, rather than asking God what he’d have me do with what he’s entrusted to me. When faithfulness is the goal, I’m free to rejoice over what God has given others, even if he hasn’t given it to us.

Please pray for my own faithfulness with what God has given while trusting him to continue to provide for the work he’s doing here in Las Vegas.