Jumping on Beds

One of the great family vacation traditions in America is allowing young children to jump on the beds in a hotel. Why do we do this? From a kid’s perspective, it’s pure fun. Plus there’s the thrill of doing something that is normally not permitted. And why do parents allow this normally impermissible behavior? Aside from any safety concerns, they’re not worried about any damage to a bed that they don’t own. Perhaps this explains some of the challenges faced by church and ministry leaders. Too many church “members” behave in ways that indicate a lack of ownership. They just want to have fun or not have any responsibilities, like the kids who jump on hotel bed and their parents. A church may be considering a significant programming change in order to better reach people in the community. Consider these differences between those who have an owner’s mindset and those who think like non-owners:

• What is best for the church versus what do I personally prefer?
• How will this decision advance the mission versus how will this decision affect me?
• My contributions (time and money) are given out of a sense of calling versus my contributions give me influence and power.

If you’re frustrated with the non-owners in your church, you’re not alone. But you’re not powerless. The owner’s mindset is a matter of discipleship. Is discipleship a clear priority in your church? Is spiritual maturity a primary criteria in choosing people for leadership roles? Are you modeling the behavior of an owner? Of course, Scripture is clear that God is the true owner of our churches. But we are called to be devoted stewards, making decisions that will please and honor the owner. That generally doesn’t mean jumping on the beds. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>