A Newsletter of Biblically Balanced Ministries, Inc.
First
Considerations: Relationships (February 1998)
Encouraging churches to discover "Mission &
Vision" is a major objective of Biblically Balanced Ministries. However, developing a mission statement can become an exercise in meaningless futility. The Mission Statement is only part of the balance needed.
Effectiveness in the ministry of the local church like the family is dependent on relationships.
My life verse has been Romans 12:1,
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which] [is] your reasonable
service." Recently the Lord has brought me back to this text in relation to encouraging churches to discover a balanced mission. This is where relationships in the family and church need to start. We can define our direction in solid biblical terms but unless the relationships of the individuals involved is one of a "sacrifice" to the Lord the mission will be hindered.
Presenting ourselves as "living sacrifices" removes the biggest obstacle to balanced living. The obstacle is "self." Intimacy in our relationship to the Lord is directly related our surrender to Him. When self is sacrificed to the Lord the then we are ready to be "transformed" by the Lord.
When the obstacle of self is removed and the transformation process is working in our lives relationships to one another can become what God desires. Our relationships with one another begins with understanding our dependency on one another. The realization of dependency begins with understanding "through the grace given to me." Recognizing God grace in our lives encourages a humility which is the basis on which the diversity in the body being demonstrated in unity (Romans 12:3-5).
Ministering with your spiritual gifts is a vital part biblical balance. But, Romans 12, indicates that
the attitude in which you use the gifts is more important of greater concern then what or where the gifts are
exercised. Note Romans 12:6-8 encourages how the gifts are to ministered with
"grace...faith...liberality...diligence...mercy...cheerfulness..." I Corinthians 13 is placed strategically between chapters 12 and 14 teaches a similar truth as in Romans. "Love" is to be the controlling attitude in the ministry of gifts.
Paul exhorts first to establish a sacrificial relationship to God and a devotion in our relationships with one another. These two dimensions of relationship are foundational to biblical balance in life and ministry.
by Gary R. Becker, President
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