Resources for growth

In our churches there is a proper searching for the best and right resources to help Christians grow to maturity.

This is a proper and right search because God saves people from all sorts of backgrounds, conditions and issues, but he is also moving each person to the same goal: to be just like Jesus when He returns (1 John 3:2).

So I ask congregation members how they determine which resources to use and what resources they employ. The responses have fallen into three camps. Firstly there are those who do not trust any resources produced by others and so their church develops resources from the ground up. The second group look at what is available in the marketplace and decide by what looks best. The third group don’t have any plan and just use whatever comes their way.

My response to those who always develop their own resources is that it is a great blessing to be able to do so, but the choice to do this costs other ministries that may be done. That said, the decision to do this is a valid one. However occasionally I see a problem in our churches where it is assumed that we must always create our own resources because we don’t trust others, or that the ministry team consider it sub Christian or poor pastoring to not produce everything. These ways of thinking need to be challenged.

I have problems with the third method. Those responsible for shepherding the flock do have a responsibility to help others by ensuring right ways of thinking are used when it comes to helping others to maturity. To not do this stunts Christian growth. To read more, click here.