7/40 Avoiding Burnout in True Stewardship Christian Foundations
So far in our discussion on the growth from Slave to Steward, we have discussed the basics on who and what the Holy Spirit does in our walk with God and the importance of learning to hear His voice. These are two of the very basic foundations for being a Steward. All of these topics are very important when we start the progression into true Stewardship.
Next we looked at one of the biggest blocks to growth and health in following Jesus – the Occult. Then we ventured into Personal Spiritual Warfare and Curses and blessings.
However, what is Stewardship? … and what areas of Personal growth do we need to achieve to be a Godly Steward?
There comes a point in being a Jesus Follower when just being a servant in the system church isn’t satisfying anymore. Somewhere along the journey, you begin to see that it’s a ‘religion’ versus life, programs versus relationship living Jesus. It is so easy to get into this style of church life and think this is wht is expected and normal.
Many churches are great at doing programs, rituals or set ways of doing things … but where is Jesus? Obedience to authority – yes a Godly principle – but sometimes this is just that – obedience, rather than from the rights and privileges of the child of God? We are told what to do. Obedience is necessary in the ‘church system’ where you don’t need to understanding ‘the boss’.
If we are set in ‘a group box’ called whatever – Baptist, Anglican, Lutheran or even Catholic – that ‘feeds’ on the service of its members, it is so easy to step into disillusionment and burnout with a church service. Here is a publically shared story from a dear from of ours.
“Now 75 and a half years of age from when I can remember church was something you attended along with others in a church building and the gatherings and buildings seemed to separate the people into 2 distinctive groups one called Catholics, the other anyone who was not a catholic and those not catholic were dived into many separate groups and the inference that church was a building where you conducted church.
“The day came when I had a living encounter with the voice of Jesus John 10:27 that made it clear the human body is his dwelling place and I was anointed [ordained John 15:16] to go and bear fruit as I obeyed Jesus voice.
“The first people to come into the same relationship I did met together in homes mostly around a meal Acts 20:7 and as you read many of the letters written to churches it was addressed to the church in your home or the church in a locality.
“The church was only divided by which home you gathered in, or the city or the 
country. In this time, there were no such names as we read about today. What divides is what man has created, namely a name, a bank account and a constitution or what is known as a mission statement.
“All the leadership of the early church was a function not an office and it was the anointing people submitted to and there was respect, not one above the other.
“We read that the greatest among was to serve, not rule over.
“To Rule means to bring joy, peace and contentment; it has nothing to do with control. We are told to go into the entire world and be salt to flavour and light to see by, not to invite people into a building called a church.
“Revelation 3:20 is an interesting verse where we find Jesus outside the church door knocking and inviting people to come out to him and he is on the outside. Today so easy to play church and have no inner relationship with The Lord Jesus by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
“For 11 years my wife and I were full time ministering to young people about what we understood how to become a Christian and live as a Christian and one day my wife prayed, ‘Lord your pay is lousy we are doing all this work for you and you do not pay a decent wage.’
He replied as a loud thought in her mind ‘I did not ask you to do what you are doing.’
She replied, ‘You are right and I quit’.
“To know is to be in an intimate relationship, to be in communication, to have fellowship, to expose ones inner most being. This can only take place in a relationship where there is no judgment and no unforgiveness, the only one who can do that is Jesus.”
Susanne Fengler, Blog Author
www.christianfoundations.jesus-treeoflife.info
Tags: burnout, church burnout
Filed under: From Slave to Sonship
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