ECCU Blog

“One measure for whether or not you’re rested enough—besides falling asleep in board meetings—is to ask yourself this: How much do I care about the things I care about? When we lose concern for people, …for friendship, …when we cease to laugh when our children laugh, …or weep when our spouses weep…—when we stop caring about the things we care about—that’s a signal we’re too busy. We have let ourselves be consumed by the things that feed the ego but starve the soul.” – Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God

What is it about rest that makes some of us resist it? To push it aside, find any reason not to succumb to it, like a four-year-old asking for his third glass of water at bedtime while eyelids droop low.

We fight the need for rest, yet Sabbath is a biblical mandate. God set aside an entire day to cease from our busyness, reflect on His goodness and take stock of all He’s allowed us to accomplish. We can practice Sabbath as a day, and as an attitude. In it we find rest for our body and rest for our souls.

At ECCU, we try to be intentional about rest—right in the middle of our work. For us, that means caring for employees’ physical and spiritual well-being even in the midst of our busy work life. We do this with weekly chapel services, and the opportunity for staff to participate in a day-long refresher called Soul Care. Twice a year for the past four years, Steve Macchia and Rick Anderson of Leadership Transformations facilitate this day of reflective Bible reading, journaling, worship, and prayer for our staff.

Work is busy. Life is busy. But we can—and should—be intentional about rest. Does your ministry take time to rest, to refocus, to ensure you still care about the things you care about? Leave a comment and give our readers more ideas for how to embrace rest in the work of ministry.

The existence of evil and suffering are, without question, the most common reason people claim not to believe in God, or at least in a loving, just, and personal God. As one commentator says, “It is not merely a problem, it is the problem.” And John Stott reported, “The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith…”

We sure see enough evil and suffering. Tornadoes, floods and fires in recent weeks alone have caused—and are still causing—untold grief and misery. And we all know someone, perhaps it’s even you, whose personal world is broken, shattered.

How we view God, especially in times of great trials and disappointment, is central to our faith and enables our endurance. It is our view of God that determines how we respond to suffering. Do we believe He is loving, just, faithful, merciful, caring, engaged, and in control?  Most importantly, does He really work all things for good?

So, how do we walk worthy when our world is broken?

1. It’s okay to cry out to the Lord.  The psalmist says in Psalm 10:1 “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
2. We can still choose to trust Him. Even in the worst of suffering Job could say, “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him.” As her dear husband was losing his battle with cancer, my sister Ginny would whisper to him, “Remember, we are broken, God is not.”
3. Choose to believe God; He works all things for good. Genesis 50:20 says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

My encouragement to you today: Whatever your circumstances, fix your eyes on Him. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (fixed) on thee.” (Isaiah 26:3 NASB)

What does it mean to “hurt” another believer? I’m not talking about hurting someone’s feelings, or even causing physical pain. 

If you look at Romans 14, specifically verse 15 (“For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love.”), you see a definition for “hurt” that means causing people to be spiritually weakened by your example. Tempting them to violate their conscience. Causing them to stumble. 

Even among Bible-believing Jesus-followers, there are distinctions in personal convictions. And, clearly, not all convictions are absolute. Some seemingly important issues are “non-essential.” In fact, it is possible that we might actually be wrong on some things that seem really important to us. This passage is not talking about vital non-negotiables of the faith (such as the virgin birth, salvation by grace through faith, or clear commands of Scripture). 

While Romans 14 speaks of close personal relationships, especially in the family and in the church, the passage also applies in a Christian workplace. So, how can we protect the convictions of fellow believers in our work environment? 

• Recognize that sincere, faithful Christians will differ on some important issues. No matter how strongly you may feel, be careful not to judge. Be as fully convinced as you can based on clear scriptural principles and wise counsel. Don’t let your emotions run away, and allow room for differing opinions. (Again, this is in regard to non-essential issues.)
• Seek to be sensitive to the convictions and feelings of one another. Even be willing to give up your right to engage in some activities that you are fully convinced are acceptable before the Lord for the sake of fellow believers. Do not let Satan use such an issue as a wedge.
• Be especially careful to set aside your Christian liberty when there is a possibility that others may choose to engage in the behavior you model, and in the process violate their own conscience. In the Bible, this applied to eating meat offered to idols. Today, we could liken this to abstaining from alcohol around those whose convictions keep them from drinking.
• Avoid asking anyone to violate his conscience. Do not ask any employee to engage in a business activity that violates a sincerely held, biblically based conviction. If a faithful volunteer believes Christian rock isn’t, well, Christian, maybe you don’t ask him to help out with your next concert. 
• Finally, recognize that there is a limit to this responsibility. We cannot modify our behavior for every conceivable situation, nor can we please everyone or avoid every potential offense.  

Have you ever laid aside your Christian liberties to protect the conscience and convictions of a fellow believer? We’d love to hear about it.

Has it ever occurred to you that we need to be patient about learning patience? In terms of challenges and disappointments, no other season of my life has been as difficult as the past couple of years. But God, in his goodness, is faithful to strengthen our faith and deepen our knowledge of Him even in times of trial—especially in times of trial.

So, it is in this season of difficulty that I am—by God’s grace—growing more patient. Leader to leader, I’d like to share with you what I’m learning.

Deep patience comes only through trials. James 1:2-4 tells us to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance (perseverance). And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Through our trials we are sanctified, becoming more like Christ. There is joy in that! God uses life’s challenges to refine us, producing patience as we wait upon the Lord.

Deep patience sees God’s perfect timing in all things. Do you believe the Lord works all things for His purposes, and in His perfect time?  

Ecclesiastes 3 talks about how there is a season and time for everything:

• A time to seek: There are times when we eagerly build and gather (like building, growing, and expanding our ministry).
• A time to lose: In our earthly experience, nothing lasts forever. There is a time when God makes it clear that He has taught us all He intends in good times. Now a few years of famine and testing will be required.
• A time to keep: There are times when we need to hang on, to get everything we can out of a situation; to make the best of it. Times to do all we can to work through challenges. 
• A time to cast away: Then there are times when we just need to let go, to quit trying to hang on to every dime. This is the time to cut losses and move on, trusting God to restore, provide, and renew.

A time of difficulty is a time for patience. For waiting upon the Lord. Yes, we need to be busy in our labors, diligent in our efforts, and innovative in seeking godly, wise solutions. Yet our peace comes from patiently waiting and trusting in God’s perfect timing.

Deep patience sees God’s hand in everything. Nothing is outside of God’s power and control. Not even evil. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.”

Even if we are shocked by behavior, or wrongs done against us, we can be confident that God has not forsaken us. He is greater and higher than any earthly power.

God will make all things beautiful in his perfect time. I’ve been ready for this season of difficulty to be over for a long time now. But God reminds me, “Be patient. In due time, you will see my timing is perfect.” I believe God brings us through the trials in His time, not ours. But He does bring us through. Psalm 40 tells us, “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.”

Are you learning to be patient about learning patience? What is God teaching you?

I’d like to add to Mark Jones’ last post on the importance of transparency in your ministry. If you dig a little deeper into the practicalities of transparency, you find an important discipline: Accountability. And accountability is what U.S. Senate Finance Committee member Charles Grassley is after.

After peering into the finances of some of the nation’s largest media-driven ministries, Senator Grassley has requested that a commission be formed to tackle the issues of concern. The cool part? Senator Grassley requested the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) to spearhead this effort. 

The senator could have asked for a number of organizations to form a commission and make recommendations to him. That he asked ECFA to take the lead is a tribute to ECFA’s long standing reputation as an organization representing the highest levels of integrity and accountability among evangelical ministries members. ECFA has also set the standard for financial accountability even for non-ECFA members and other religious groups. 

In a January 5, 2011, letter to ECFA, Grassley asked ECFA for “input on how to address these issues and to help facilitate discussion on whether these issues can be addressed without legislation.” He said, “ECFA has a proven track record of accountability with its member organizations and is uniquely situated to work with representatives from the religious and broader nonprofit community.”

ECFA accepted the challenge and created the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations (ECFA.org/commission)  The commission will address some of the most challenging tax and policy issues involving religious organizations—issues that could potentially affect every house of worship and every member of the clergy in America. They include:

• Whether churches should file the same highly-detailed annual information return that other nonprofits must file (Form 990)
• Whether legislation is needed to curb reported abuses of the clergy housing allowance exclusion
• Whether the current prohibition against political campaign intervention by churches and other nonprofits should be repealed or modified

I’m privileged to be one of several ECFA-appointed commission members and am grateful for the opportunity. Personal and professional accountability and integrity are essential in ministry. I hope and expect that the work of the commission will raise the accountability bar for all religious organizations and further demonstrate why Congress and government agencies do not need to seek additional legislation or regulation that could hinder the freedoms we now enjoy. 

Are you an ECFA member? Post a comment and tell our readers how this relationship has bolstered your ministry’s accountability and integrity.