SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT: "R" is for Resourceful

“R” is for Resourceful

      We are MISSIONARY Baptists — that’s who we are, and we cannot escape our identity. We need to be true to it. Otherwise, we are selling defective merchandise to our people and the world. In previous articles, we have examined how we should be Motivated, Impactful, Servant-hearted, Strategic, Intentionally Indigenous, Observant, Nurturing and Adventurous. With this article, we see we are to be Resourceful. The question is, “Are we?”

      Resourceful is being creative, but maybe more so, being able to identify and use resources wisely. When we read Resourceful, we immediately think of the ability to secure funds to support the ministry. Although money is a very important resource, it is not the most important — people are! The greatest resource is sitting before us in the pew. We are happy when these people are generous ATM machines for the church, but that’s the extent of their role. We are happy when they provide good food for potluck events, pat us on the back and say, “Good sermon, preacher.” We are happy we got a passing grade that Sunday.

      We fail to see that our first missionary task, to be true to our middle name, is to invest in our people. The Bible clearly tells us that the Holy Spirit has endowed God’s children with diverse gifts to be used in the church for the edification of its people and the salvation of the lost. Once these gifts are discovered and made manifest, they need to be cultivated and used, not repressed and ignored. Put the shoe on the other foot. How would you feel if God had endowed you with a ministry gift that your church or pastor is repressing? Unfortunately, many pastors are scared of others in the church showing superior gifts and abilities. As pastors, we worry that a younger, more energetic, eloquent man might be vying for our job, so repressing such gifts becomes an issue of job security. I am reminded of the words of Moses in Num. 11:29 (NKJV): “Then Moses said to him, ‘Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!’” These words put me to shame. Being resourceful, as Missionary Baptists, has to start with seeking out the gifts among our people, cultivating and using them. When we invest in the best resource we have, dividends will surely come. The more the investment, the greater the dividend.

      Another resource is ideas. You might say, “But ideas come from people.” True! But how many great ideas have been lost or wasted, only to see someone else develop a similar idea and excel? Again, do we welcome new ideas, or do we fear them? It goes back to our last discussion about handling and being open to change. After all, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance (or idea) of his friend.” (Prov. 27:17). The more we challenge our people to share ideas, discuss them, develop them and then implement them, the richer, more vibrant and more missionary our churches are. Remember, people reach and touch people. Allow people to do that through their simple home-grown ideas. As a pastor, never stand in the way unless it is unbiblical or harmful.

      Most of you would agree that learning is another important resource. Notice that I didn’t say education. There is a big difference. How many people are well-educated but have learned nothing? Think about that for a moment. Education may be for a season, but learning is a lifelong endeavor. You start learning every morning at the feet of the Master to understand, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). As a Christian, and even a pastor, one might have the highest academic degrees, but never have the mind of Christ. We need to be examples to the flock in continued humble learning.

      How can we be missionaries without learning about and understanding the world around us — local, national and international? We must understand its needs, problems and possible remedies.

      Again, being resourceful will end up having to do with money. What encourages our people to give, and do so generously, is their involvement in the giving and implementation. One major mantra in my missionary work is telling people, “Come and see.” Trust me, seeing is believing. Resourcefulness is setting the right priorities for using church funds. I have no doubt our churches have excellent financial management and accountability, but that is not what I am talking about. My concern is the list of ministry priorities we have in our budgets. For example, many small churches who can barely fill their current sanctuary have a building fund! Explain that, please. Many considering new church buildings spend lavishly on a structure that will be swallowed up by fire when the Lord returns instead of going a cheaper and more reasonable route to divert more funds to evangelism and missions.

      A medium-sized church (500 members) in Sarasota, Fla., opted for a prefab structure that can be expanded with minimal expense should they need more space. The money saved was invested in developing a discipleship curriculum that is being used in multiple languages in many countries around the world. That’s what I am talking about. That is being resourceful and creative in the use of money, not only in generating it.

      Putting the shoe on the other foot can be painful when confronted with these realities. It would be interesting to see every church work through a list of ministry priorities. It would be a telltale sign if they truly embrace their middle name — missionary.