Stewardship | Paula Wiseman

Second Corinthians is the most underrated, underappreciated book in the New Testament, maybe the whole Bible. In it, Paul is passionately personal in his defense of his ministry and his authority, but he also exhorts and encourages the believers in Corinth in a touching heartfelt way. It is packed with tremendous truth. (I could do several posts on my favorite verses…)

One thing worth noticing, even keeping a list of, is everything Paul says about God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit.

For example in 1:3-4, Paul says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

The Father of mercies
The God of all comfort
He comforts us in our tribulation

Some major topics Paul covers include:

What does it mean to be a minister (and we are)? What are our responsibilities? What should we be doing? (You'll find these answers mostly in chapters 2-6)

What are our responsibilities when it comes to giving? (Look at chapters 8-9)

How a leader should conduct himself and how should we in the body respond? (Try chapters 10-13)

But the guts of the book are found in chapter 5:17-20. It is perhaps the most succinct statement of what God did for us and what our job is as a result. Love these verses!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Is Second Corinthians the most underrated book? If not, which one would you say?

The ‘Gift Zone’

Vacation Bible School in this week, so that’s at the front of my brain, and will likely be the subject of the posts. Several j0305743 years ago, I got put in as director. While I love VBS, love leading the music, love being around the kids, I hate being in charge of things. Hate it. Leadership is not my gift. Administration, I can do. I’m a great assistant director, but our church is small and we don’t have that luxury, so here I am in my fifth year as director.

My point is God often takes us outside our comfort zone to stretch and grow our faith. However, He’s not going to take us outside our ‘gift zone’. How can you tell the difference? Ask God to show you your heart as you pray and study. Ask yourself these questions as a guide.

Am I passionate about what I’m doing? Does it bring me joy or dread?
Does it cause unhealthy stress?
Do I procrastinate (more than usual) with this task?
How do I respond to others when I am in this role? Am I irritable, or defensive?
If I stop doing it, do I miss it?
Do I have ideas for ‘next year’?
Does it help or hurt the cause of Christ to be miserable in His service?
Is this ministry for Him or for me?

Tough questions, I know, and the answers aren’t any easier. Several years ago, I stopped doing youth ministry with my husband after more than ten years. My stress level dropped, but the tip-off to me that I had made the right decision was that I didn’t miss it. I still cared deeply for the kids, but I wasn’t visualizing new program ideas or study topics or outings.

As a body, we tend to suffer from “Institutional Ministry Inertia” where we get stuck doing the same thing forever. We’re sure the roof will fall in if we stop doing it or worse, that somebody will think we’re unspiritual or unfaithful. If we’re in ministries that God didn’t call us to, and didn’t gift us for, then we are unfaithful stewards of His gifts.

STT: Second Corinthians

The ‘Gift Zone’