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Our Christian Perspective




Are You Doing Your Fair Share of Work in God’s Vineyard?

By Brother James

                 Statistical surveys produced by research organizations such as the Pew Research Center’s (Pew Report) study of Religion and Public Life, clearly indicate there is a frighteningly downward spiraling trend in church attendance nationwide. This trend appears to indicate an irreversible decline in church attendance that could ultimately close the doors of many houses of God in this land. This fact was evidenced in a Money magazine article written by Tim Reid published on March 8, 2012, where Mr. Reid wrote, “Banks are foreclosing on America’s churches in record numbers as lenders increasingly lose patience with religious facilities that have defaulted on their mortgages, according to new data.” While the baby boomers persist in going to church regularly these recent surveys suggest that the millennials are shying away from attending church regularly and more importantly any form of religious practices especially those related to cheerful giving. The Pew report also suggests that “Muslims May Become America’s Second-Largest Religious Group By 2040.” This trend of a devastating decline in Christianity was predicted multiple times in the New Testament but, we know any trends adversely impacting God’s people are reversible because God is always in control.

The small, folksy, congregation based churches are going the way of the small Mom and Pop businesses that are now forced to compete with the megastores such as Target and Walmart for customers. The small, comfortable, family oriented churches where everyone knows everyone else are losing congregants at an alarming rate and many of these churches are at the gate of foreclosure. At the root of this troubling trend of small churches losing congregants is the emergence of going to church via technology and the advent of megachurches. These mega-churches, who in my mind are the Target’s and Walmart’s of contemporary churches, provide their congregants with a sense of anonymity, and with anonymity the multitude of congregants do not interact on a regular basis one with the other to build the Body of Christ. This anonymity also breeds a consistent lack of accountability amongst its members because the mega-churches, given their large number of congregants and corresponding financial contributions can pay people to use their God-given gifts to do the Lord’s work while in the smaller church people use their spiritual gifts for the betterment of building their respective church voluntarily. In essence, the megachurches while having massive crowds lack the family orientation and fellow-ship of the small churches. The mega-churches also rely on the advent of technology which makes it easy for one to have a sense of worshiping alone on their own personal island, their living room or bedroom. Attendance at movie theaters is down due to live streaming, downloading movies from the Internet, and such television and movie facilities as HULU and Netflix. Sales at brick and mortars stores such as Sears, K-Mart, JC Penney’s, Macy’s, etc. are down due to folks buying products and services on-line in the privacy of their home.  The Wall Street projection is that we will witness many more shopping malls across this country close within the next five years due to the use of technology and online shopping. The millennials will tell you, “Why should I get up, get dressed, drive to my House of Worship and spend two or more hours in church when I could watch the sermon ONLY portion of the service on my laptop or phone in my own bed in my pajamas?” Does this argument have merit? Hmm, I can see how it might make sense to some who may want to avoid the egoism, hypocrisy, and the chicanery found in too many churches of today.

The desire to fellowship in a small church again, is going the way of the brick-and-mortar stores because the mega-churches services are streamlined so they might fit within a 30-50 minute television format. Therefore, the mega-church services appear to be better organized than traditional church services making them more appealing to those people who still want to praise God in a sanctuary albeit briefly. Think about it for a moment; in a televised, or, computer format church service there are no announcements, no multiple selections from the choir(s), no self-aggrandizing and lengthy devotions led by long-winded deacons, and in many people’s mind most importantly no multiple passing’s of the collection plate during the service. So, can you see why the advent of technology is more appealing to those who we hope will replace us in the future in terms of worshiping God and supporting His ministries? The question now arises, are we doing our fair share of work in terms of working in God’s Vineyard and what are we doing to turn this negative trend around? I’m reminded of the old saying, “If you can’t beat them join them!” Are you as tired as I am of all the hypocrisy in today’s churches that you’re considering attending the mega-church or use technology to worship the Lord? What part are we playing in the decline of church attendance through our desire and commitment or lack of same to come together and fellowship in a community-based house of worship?

This new mode of worshiping whether in the mega-church or via one’s computer or through their cable TV network should be alarming to true Christians. The alarm that needs to be sounded is that mega-church and computerized religious environments allow many congregants to be anonymous in the Body of Christ. This anonymity whether at home in one’s pajamas or in a massive throng at a mega-church leads to some folks to not be held accountable for supporting any church related activities including financial support. But, why are the megachurches gaining in popularity? I respectfully submit to you that too many professed Christians do not want to do their fair share of work in God’s Vineyard. Going to a mega-church via cable TV, or live streaming on my computer permits me to boast, “I still love the Lord and attend church regularly but, in the privacy of my own home.” But the undeniable problem is that those who adhere to this doctrine of or, way of thinking are not doing their fair share of work in God’s House of worship! Sadly, technology and mega-churches basically guarantee a “fast” worship service experience on Sunday’s. This less than an hour religious experience allows the congregants to avoid any semblance of doing any work or their fair share of work for the Lord. These new wave congregants boast about being able to go home and watch a game, or cut the grass, or perform any other activity that they cannot accomplish during the week! The same folks boast about having ample time to enjoy doing nonreligious things but, at the same time having spent minimal time punching their proverbial ticket to Heaven watching a church service on their phone, or on their computer or, on the television. To put other things before worshiping the Lord is both foolhardy and dangerous! We are commanded to find a way to use our spiritual gifts to serve God. The apostle James, in James 1:22-25 NIV, informs us that we should be doers of the word and not just hearers of the word, “22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” This Scripture in and of itself should encourage the reader to understand that he or she must be more than just a pew member in their house of God. Otherwise, they are not doing their fair share of work to build the Body of Christ!

As I alluded to earlier, the use of technology or being a member of the mega-church provides you the opportunity of virtually being an invisible congregant who cannot be held accountable for anything in the church other than showing up on Sundays. Being freed from not having to do any work in your particular house of worship will allow you then to use your spiritual gifts in other venues such as singing in nightclub for a salary instead of the church choir for free, or being a leader in a social club, fraternity or sorority as opposed to being a ministry head in your house of worship, or, even being the leader of your neighborhood Block Club. These and other nonreligious activities require many of the same skills that God needs in his houses of worship. But, typically in the smaller churches the skill sets previously mentioned go wanting because people “just don’t have the time for God” and therefore are not doing their fair share of work in God’s Vineyard. The apostle Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8, to be wary of those who would suggest that “less is best” in terms of our time spent working for and worshiping God when he wrote, “8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ (NIV).”

As a Preacher’s Kid (PK), I have always had a disdain for those professed Christians who maintain regular church attendance but, make no notable contributions to their respective houses of God. I’ve always referred to these individuals as “pew members” because all they do in the church is occupy the same seat every Sunday with no other contribution to the church than their regular/weekly appearance. These pew members then are not and do not understand their role of discipleship. Disciples go out of their way to recruit new members. Some individuals don’t feel compelled to do anything that spiritually, physically, or mentally stretches them to participate in any church ministries as Jesus told his disciples to go out and preach, meaning teach all nations. Whether we realize it or not, we are teaching everyone we encounter just how much we try to live like Christ through their witnessing the things we say and the things we do. Therefore, we can do our fair share of working for the Lord by always presenting a Christian example every time we step out of our homes and interact with other Christians or non-Christians alike. What type of a Christian example do you display for Christ when you are out in public amongst friends or strangers? Are you using your spiritual gifts to do your fair share and carry your fair share of the work load for the Lord? Do you only occupy the same seat every Sunday in your house of worship while contributing a minimum amount of finances to support for the maintenance of the church and to support your pastor?

When it comes to Christian giving, God wants us to give Him our time as well as making financial contributions to our church! Are you the type of Christian who feels it easier to contribute money than to work with others in your respective Body of Christ? What function(s) do you perform for the Lord to expand the church’s selfless contributions in your community? Or, do you simply insert a few dollars in the collection plate when it’s passed to you thinking you have done your fair share of work for the Lord? So, I am now compelled to ask the question, “Are You Doing Your Fair Share of Work in God’s Vineyard?”

I recently had a discussion surrounding the issue of how does God view the pew member versus those irregular attendance members who make infrequent contributions to the Body of Christ. Folks on one side of the argument felt that in some instances people’s regular church attendance should not be considered if the congregant with irregular attendance always show up when they are needed. How does God view those who attend church regularly but are not engaged in any ministries as opposed to those who are always there when the church truly needs them spiritually, financially, or physically? People in the camp of those who felt meaningful but periodic contributions should be viewed higher in God’s eyes than those who can only claim they have regular church attendance presented a persuasive argument. These folks suggested that if every time the church has a fund raising event such as the selling of dinners, carwashes, working on annual days such as church and pastor’s anniversary, then these folks are doing just as much or more than those people who come to church every Sunday but do absolutely nothing but listen to some musical selections and a sermon. The other camp suggested while they may not do much financially for the church or work on any church ministries they are doing what the word of God commands which is to fellowship with the other members. They hold these beliefs albeit their lack of spiritual, physical, or financial contributions. I suggested to both groups that even if one’s contributions are periodic, I believe in the eyes of God those who contribute in some small way although infrequent, their contributions are greater than those whose only contribution is their presence in their house of worship. To attend church on Sunday, almost every Sunday and not seek a role in your Body of Christ is shameful. To attend church almost every Sunday and have someone else who is already working diligently in the church pick up your proverbial slack in terms of working for the Lord is beyond sinful! It is also sinful in my mind to go to church almost every Sunday without any zeal to want to increase God’s flock in your respective church. I suggest that not working in God’s houses is equivalent to having a job where you are known to be the least industrious person on your work environment. Throughout my professional careers in both blue-collar and white-collar jobs, I always knew of and worked with individuals who did not do their fair share of work in the workplace. These individuals made the same hourly wage as I and other industrious people in the plants or in the office setting, but, they did the least amount of work. These less than industrious individuals did however do a tremendous amount of talking to the point of being the center of entertainment in the workplace. To go into the workplace and put forth the maximum effort but to realize that someone else was not putting forth the minimal work effort but was receiving equal pay was very disconcerting. So, when I’m asked if the people who do not come to church on a regular basis but do make some form of contribution are viewed by God equally with those who only come to church to hear the word, I sadly admit to them that it is the confession of our faith in Jesus Christ that is found in Romans 10:9-10 that grants each of us our entrance into heaven.” 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” But, is this basis for salvation and eternal life, for us to just believe that Jesus lived, was crucified, died on the cross, and arose from the dead make the diligent worker and the lazy worker in the Body of Christ equal in God’s eyes? Is that fair? Going back to my work scenarios, is it fair for one individual to come into the workplace and be extremely industrious and receive the same amount of pay as someone who doesn’t even meet the minimal requirements? Once I retired from the working world, I endeavored that in any and all situations that I had control over, I would not be found in the midst of anyone who was not doing their fair share of work and who would try to place their workload on me alleging that I was more gifted than they, unless I was being financially compensated. I endeavored that I would find a way or ways to contribute to the Body of Christ, but to be absent from these “do nothing” Christians presence. My rationale being that were I in the mist of lazy people this fact alone will only make me lazy or overworked for having to pick up the slack of the slackers! I remember two well-worn adages in this context, the first being “Birds of a feather flock together,” and “A man is known by the company he keeps. “ I for one will NOT keep company with professed Christians who are not attempting to do their fair share of work in the Lords vineyard.

But, Brother James you might ask, “What are some of the things one must do to do their fair share in the Lords vineyard?”   Well, let me address the obvious first. All churches, irrespective of their size, need financial support to maintain the facilities and to have operating funds for whatever ministries they might operate such as feeding the homeless, back to school programs for the needy where school supplies are given to needy children, and assistance to such ministries as the nursing home ministry and the jail ministry. In this regard of financial support to the church we find in the New Testament mention of the drachma, or Temple Tax. In Matthew 17:24-27 (NIV) we find, “24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” 26 “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”” We must understand the purpose of my illustration regarding the drachma. The drachma was a pervasive Greek coin used in the ancient world and the first century AD. All Jewish males 20 years of age or older in both the Old and New Testament eras paid the drachma as their “Temple Tax” which was a fee or tax used to maintain the Tabernacles and Synagogues. So we may logically conclude that there is still a need for a virtual Temple Tax in today’s setting to maintain God’s sanctuaries. We must financially support our houses of worship and stop focusing on making the under-shepherd (pastor) wealthy which seems to be a serious failing in the contemporary churches today.

I have previously alluded to the fact that it is incumbent upon all Christians to find a way to work in God’s Vineyard in order that we might build the Body of Christ. The advent of social media such as the well-used Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. clearly illustrates that all one need do is use these technological social media conduits as a means to not only reach out to friends and family but to reach out to acquaintances and to invite them into the house of God. It dismays me to an extreme to know of people in small churches who only invite their friends and family when the church is having a program where a meal is being served afterwards. I feel these individuals are missing the point of the required nourishment one should find in a House of God. It is not the physical meal but the spiritual mail being served by the pastor that God cares most about. Yes, I understand it is easy to get people to come out when there’s going to be a sumptuous buffet of meats, vegetable and potato salads, macaroni and cheese, desserts, etc. because most people love to eat nourishing food. But, I respectfully admit to you once again that our focus should be on feeding people spiritually much more than to attempt to try to feed them physically. Without a continual diet of spiritual nourishment that we assist in providing other believers and nonbelievers alike we are not doing our fair share of work in God’s Vineyard.

In a previous article, I mentioned that the word disciple has two distinct meanings. The word disciple means one who is a student of a qualified teacher and a recruiter to the cause and mission of their qualified teacher. If you were to ask your doctor or any other professional how he or she entered into their field of endeavor, they would undoubtedly suggest to you that they were inspired by someone in their early life and were formally or informally recruited to enter that profession. For example, some people have told me that they went into medicine because as a child they watched a lot of Dr. TV shows, or, they be went into Law Enforcement because they knew a well-respected police officer or watched a lot of detective crime shows on TV. Whether we would like to believe it or not they were recruited by someone or the image of a profession that they thought would be rewarding. I believe this to be true of all professions. If we were to view working in the Lords vineyard as a Christian profession, our job then would be to build the Body of Christ by seizing every opportunity to show others the God within us leading to their eternal life and salvation. As Christians, we should have an inspirational and motivational impact on the lives of others that would make them want to work diligently for the Lord. Let me stop at this point and explain the term I have used frequently thus far, the Body of Christ. The wonderful website gotquestions.com defines the Body of Christ thusly, “The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved).” The question now arises, “ARE YOU TRULY SAVED?”

If you are truly saved then you should be striving in the Body of Christ to use your God-given gifts for the betterment of the church and by increasing its numbers through dedicated and earnest work to recruit others to the fold. I stress this point, it is not enough to just come to church, enjoy the music and sermon without making significant contributions that will increase your House of Worship’s membership. So, how might we accomplish this feat of recruitment? The apostle Paul in his epistle/letter to Timothy speaks volumes on this issue where in II Timothy 1:8-12 (NIV) he/Paul speaks of witnessing to others, “8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” May I respectfully ask a question? When was the last time you witnessed to someone about God’s grace, mercy, and goodness to you in a public setting outside of your particular Body of Christ? When I was working, I remember going to lunch with coworkers who profess to be Christians, but, these folks would start eating without one person saying “let’s bless the food we are about to receive for our nourishment!” The words of Jesus are so profound here when in Luke 9:26 the New Living Translation reads,” If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.” We can do our fair share of Christian work by recognizing before others how good God is to us with the simple gesture of blessing our food in public.

Another way to do our fair share of work in the Lords vineyard is through the sharing of our gift of song, or by teaching, or simply spending time with others in prayer. While these tasks may seem mundane they will satisfy one’s discipleship which again is to be a student of the word, a doer of the word, and a recruiter for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter eloquently informs us on this issue when he wrote in I Peter 4:10 (NIV), “10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

I sincerely pray that as you read this article you will be blessed and at the very least take a retrospective look at yourself and your commitment to the Lord. During this retrospective look at yourself, I also pray that you will determine whether or not you are using your gifts to build the Body of Christ, or, are you just a shameful and shameless believer who does absolutely nothing in terms of doing your part, your fair share of work in God’s Vineyard. The apostle Paul brilliantly informs us of our much needed work ethic in the Body of Christ when he wrote,  in Colossians 3:23-24 “23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Now that you have been enlightened on what it takes to do your fair share working for the Lord,”What say you?”

Unpublished Materials
ECO Copyright 2018
Brother James



Resurrection Mission Baptist Church
Meeting at Restoration Ministries
1728 Stanford Road, Berkley, MI 48072-3060
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship 11:00 AM
Cell: (248) 225-3876
Residence: (248) 356-2537

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