A Lesson On Stewardship

The role of stewards in the ministry is:

• To be faithful and loyal servants of Christ
• To be responsible for dispensing the mysteries of God

Stewards are not just storage bins for the mysteries of the gospel, but rather they are charged with actively dispensing and sharing the gospel with others, especially the lost and those who are out of the way.

Faithfulness is the first qualification for ministry, and stewards must remain true to the truth and loyal to godliness and their leaders (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).

Stewards must also exemplify stability in the faith, consistency in character, and integrity in ministry (Luke 20:20).

It is important for stewards to be on one accord with God and His plan for the ministry (Proverbs 22:10).

Those who oppose the leadership and direction of the ministry should not be allowed to remain, as they can hinder the progress of the ministry (Matthew 12:30).

Stewards must also demonstrate love for one another, as the love of God and one another is the test of any ministry (John 13:35).

EMULATING CHRIST

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is in a season of revelation. It is a time of revealing that which is Christ and that which is not. The Lord has invested much in us, but He wants to make sure that we are not deceived in any way concerning that which is the disposition of Christ in any situation or circumstance.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

The Lord promised to reveal to us any mindset that is not like Christ. He has been faithful in this ministry. Trials have come and will continue to come to reveal the mind that the new creature chooses to walk in, he can choose to walk in the mind of the Spirit within, who is only impressed with things pertaining to God and godliness. Nevertheless, there are those who choose to walk after the flesh, even knowing the consequences of such a decision.

Perfection is a state of being. It is not a rehearsed role that we play when the part is called for. It is the life of Christ being lived through these earthen vessels. That life cannot be emulated. If I were to coin a layman’s definition of the term “emulate” it would be the attempt to be like another, due to ungodly jealousy.

Most ministers desire to experience a free hand in ministry. They desire to have the liberty to exercise their gifts freely and continuously. However, the overseer might discern that some are not spiritual enough to take on the responsibility of leadership. Their disposition could be very damaging to the congregation. Therefore, in order to maintain a position in ministry, they may attempt to impress some other ministers with a spiritual posture. However, they only take on this posture when spiritual activities are approaching. It is at that point they become what might seem to be spiritual. However, that posture was not led by the Holy Ghost, the purpose was for the individual to appear spiritual. It is thought that these displays of spiritual posture are enough to certify and solidify a place to be a minister in the Reformation. However the Reformation is purposed to present Christ, not a counterfeit. The world and the Church have seen too many false Christs. It is time for the true manifested Sons of God to come forth.

God’s coming is at hand; so let us govern ourselves as ministers of Christ, that we might win the souls of the lost.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Brethren, we must reconcile in ourselves that we are the instruments that God has elected to use to reveal Himself to the church and to the world. Unfortunately, many leaders have accepted their responsibility to reveal Christ to the world, but not to the church. This brings us back to verse 2; Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Leaders, a great deal of our people’s spiritual growth is dependent upon our faithfulness. If we are not examples of Christ we cannot expect our people to be Christ.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For

even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Apostle Paul is dealing with or addressing a mindset in the leaders of the Corinthian Church. This mindset will allow the church to come short of being spiritual, if it only appears to be so. Paul is also saying that the sin they are excusing is changing the face of their ministry. Leaders, those things about ourselves that are contrary to Christ have changed the face of our individual ministries, but we continue to excuse certain flaws in our character that have caused our people to lose spiritual respect for us. As Paul expressed to the leader at Corinth, the same thing is addressed to us today. A little leaven, leavens the whole lump. If you are a leader who is ninety percent spiritual, then your people are damaged by the ten percent of carnality you walk in.. When your people begin to evaluate you as a leader, the thing they see the most is your ten percent of unrighteousness, therefore, your lump is leavened.

Let us identify the operations of the ten percent. The ten percent is not usually seen in a ministerial setting, such as at church or while we are up ministering. No, in those settings we are “spiritually postured” to come across as spiritual. The ten percent could be at our home, at the dinner table or talking on the phone discussing things in a carnal manner. This is why people usually have more respect for us as leaders when they first meet us, but as they get to know us their level of respect for us diminishes when they observe any level of carnality.

Having a reputation of occasionally walking after the flesh, whether it is ten percent or ninety percent is not good, and it causes those who follow us to lose confidence in our ministry. I speak from experiential

knowledge, and not as an accuser, for I have seen the effect that this has had on a leader’s relationship with his people.

2 Corinthians 10:2

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

The people may have confidence in your preaching and your counsel because they recognize when you operate in your spiritual posture. However, because they have observed you for a while, they know when you are not after the Spirit. These same people would trust and respect you more if they were able to walk in the Spirit. Leaders, now is the time to take inventory. You must assess your close relationships and determine whether or not these people have confidence in your fellowship with God. They have seen you walk in lust, pride, and wantonness year after year, only being content for a season, and never consistently walking in the Spirit. When a situation arises in the church you may then seek to assert your authority as the leader, but you must discern why you would need to do that. Paul was respected as an apostle even in long-distance situations, because he had one confession with no weakness in it, and that was:

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Leaders, we must flee our former lives with such abandonment. No longer can we live in the past, making excuses for our carnality, knowing that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

LEADERSHIP DISCIPLESHIP

Philippians 2:12-14

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Murmuring: complaining, to babble: Whisperings

To babble: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

Get rid of the babblers. They have no place in leadership.

1. These are people who prefer to do a lot of negative talking about leadership and church functions; instead of constructive criticisms with the intent to make things better.
2. They are weights and distractors, used by satan to hinder the work.
3. They are whisperers (gossipers), who start rumors that cause division and stir up malice among the saints.
4. Their babbling is not confined to your location, it sometimes spreads throughout the ministry.

Disputings: argumentative, combative, turning everything into a debate; to compete for or striving to win, to resist.

With this mindset present on our leadership boards, our locations will be stagnated and fall short of- coming to the unity of the faith. These dispositions are not displays of the love and unity needed to grow the local church, both spiritually or naturally. These behaviors only serve to undermine instituted authority.

Philippians 2:15-16

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

It is better for us to have purity in leadership if it means having only two members on the leadership staff in the local churches.

WOLVES IN THE CHURCH

Carnal people are wolves in the church. The best way to handle the presence of wolves in the church is to identify and remove them. These individuals are described as those who:

1. Distract and hinder the move of the Spirit
2. Pollute the church with their actions
3. Are full of evil devices
4. They are to be warned against
5. The congregation should be encouraged to depart from them

Leaders are called to clean the house, starting with the leadership staff. If individuals are convicted of their disposition, they are encouraged to repent and serve the Lord. In dealing with sin, especially by leaders, it is important to purge such sins out of the Body to prevent destruction.

FINALLY

And the Lord said...

It is the anointing that will be as the wings of eagles to carry my holy word to the nations. It is my Spirit that will destroy the works of the devil in this world. It is my Spirit that will exalt my kingdom in the earth.

Sanctify yourself to my Spirit and I will do as I did in days of old. I will manifest myself in and through you. I will break the power of the enemy at your word. I will do more abundantly above all that you may think. I am God and I change not. I will do as I have said.