The Little Letters - Day 30

5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

It seems we are let in on the workings of the early church and how teachers/pastors were treated by their communities. It also shows that those who were traveling and doing ministry were dependent on those who were willing to support their ministries. This is still true today.
I mean, it is a little bit different. I do not have to worry about where I am going to sleep tonight, because I am not as itinerant as they were. However, my salary and the working of the church does depend on the kindness of those who are blessed by the ministry and the meaning it creates in their lives. I work for a larger organization than the local church, but it all still depends on the commitment of the congregation to the furtherance of the gospel ministry.

Now, this is not a plea for giving. More so, it is a thank you for all that you have done to further the gospel by committing to giving to Crosswalk and its ministries. From the earliest time of the church, the gospel has always been in the hands of the generous. Without your commitment and without the willingness to give of yourself and your finances, the gospel simply cannot go forward in the fashion to which we have become accustomed to working. (hmmm, what does that mean?)

I wrote that sentence and then thought it needed some explanation. So here it is: I think that no church would need support if we all took on the responsibility of sharing the gospel amongst our friends and families and co-workers. We would just grow the kingdom organically, the gospel would be shared, and we would pray with one another in house churches, in restaurants, in coffee shops, and really, everywhere.

However, we have created an economy of experience and community that requires things like; buildings, and lights, and air-conditioning, and organs, keyboards, drums, and more. Of course, the list goes on and on. I don’t think this was part of it in the first century. It is simply what the church has become. It is expensive at times, and it is also effective when done with intention, thought, care, prayer, and great execution.
 
But even in the first century, they were needing income to help take care of those who were preaching the gospel. They didn’t spend money on lights, but they did spend money on feeding the preachers and teachers and housing them as well.

So there has always been a bit of a cost, because truly, it is a gift to be able to focus my life and career on preaching, studying, and building community.
So I guess in all of that, I just want to say thank you for all you do, all you give, and all that you mean to the church and kingdom.

Blessings today, no questions, just a thank you.