Let My People Serve!

The Church, adopting the 80/20 rule, is not operating or functioning as God planned it. And look what God has accomplished! One of the reasons for Spiritual Gifts is to share the workload! Don't you think it is time that we take more of the workload off of God and function as He designed? One Body under the Headship of Jesus Christ, His Son, empowered through the Holy Spirit, using the provisions for victory He has given us! HE is coming quickly and we are truly not prepared for what is coming! Too many pew warmers, not near enough players!

It is up to you, the leaders, to implement the 100/100 rule! Everyone in your flock participating, functioning in giftedness, sharing the entire workload, not tithing, but giving all they can, facing the Adversary with all God has given us, never giving up, never lapsing into apathy, supernaturally empowered, and persevering unto victory!

How can we work together to accomplish this goal? First, we have to lay aside all encumbrances. Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"

Let me share with you some of my encumbrances and try to relate them to this discussion. If I don't concentrate on walking, sometimes I just stumble, I sometimes end up either in someone's lap or on the floor or in the swimming pool! I can't let my thoughts wander while I'm walking. I always have to look down because just a little pebble or uneven place for my foot will result in a crash! I wish I had a video camera during some of my more spectacular events! For most people, walking is basic. For others of us, it is a blessing as well as challenge!

When we, as Christ-followers, get away from the basics and the foundation and get our concentration distracted, we are in for a fall! Sometimes just a little trip or stumble; sometimes a spectacular event! Perhaps what is needed is a "back to the basics" teaching: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and the Adversary, Satan! Someone once said that the greatest deception Satan has ever propagated was he doesn't exist! According to recent research, it seems to be working! The Barna Group says in an article, "Barna Survey Examines Changes in Worldview Among Christians over the Past 13 Years," that "Just one-quarter of adults (27%) are convinced that Satan is a real force. Even a minority of born again adults (40%) adopt that perspective. Also, "A minority of American adults (40%) are persuaded that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life while He was on earth. Slightly less than two-thirds of the born again segment (62%) strongly believes that He was sinless.

Something has to change, and that change has to be now! If just "38 percent of born-again Christians" believe we are at war with Satan, that spiritual warfare is real, then what about the other 62 percent? I had received a phone call from church asking me if I could meet someone at a local hospital to pray for a young man in ICU.

Arrangements were made and I met this woman in front of the hospital. She told me she had done house keeping for this man's family. She had to quit because of his satanic involvement. He was in a comma due to a drug overdose. We went into his room and as I started praying for him, his fingers started moving, twitching, and a sort of clawing motion! His mouth opened, then his eyes! I have never seen such hatred in anyone's eyes before. It did catch me off guard, since he was in a comma! I kept on praying, in the authority of Jesus Christ, and his eyes closed and as far as I know, he never opened them again! It is real!!! Satan is real! I've had other run-ins with him over the past few years, and I know that when this ministry gets up and going, it will be a constant battle. Just as long as we don't do anything to hinder his goals, he'll leave us alone. I don't want him to leave me alone; I want to hinder him as much as I can! Scary? In a way. But no weapon formed against us shall prosper! We need to claim that! This is why we have the full armor of God. If He is for us, who can be against us, and win?

People are stumbling, tripping, and falling all around us. We need to understand that time is running out quickly and each day is so important to not only expand the Kingdom but also to teach God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Satan to those who are already believers, but are uninformed. We need to teach gifts and the Judgment Seat of Christ without fail! Proverbs 3:20-23: "By His knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drip with dew. My son, let them not depart from your sight; keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul, and adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely, and your foot will not stumble."

My toes don't work! Due to all the nerve damage, my toes don't move or I guess I should say that only a couple on my left foot move, but not enough to make any difference. Because of this, my balance is really something to behold when I am standing still, like in a check out line! I have to either lean against or hold on to something to steady me. Most people don't notice. It may be just a finger or a knee up against the check out counter. Taking a shower is something else altogether! For almost 25 years now, when I wash my hair with my eyes closed, I have to have my elbow up against the shower wall or I'll fall over! It is not a big deal; I just know if I'm not to go through the glass shower doors, I need to brace myself, that's all.

Churches that have the 80/20 rule in place are just as imbalanced as I am! Those twenty percent that are doing eighty percent of the work and giving are being worn out. They can only do and give so much until they quit! Gifts help prevent burnout and the workload gets shared. Your workload can be shared! We are supposed to be "jointly fitted together" and we're not! We need to be jointly fitted together to get the Kingdom work done and everyone needs to do their part. It is up to you, the leadership, to provide everything to ensure your flock's success. That includes teaching, training, giving permission to serve, and allowing everyone to participate. That is the Plan.