Maintain His House
A Message for the Church
My husband and I have a basic understanding. He provides for the needs/wants of our household as the breadwinner, the supplier, the head of the house. He goes outside of the home for work to supply for those needs, while I stay at home with the kids.
This doesn't mean that I sit at home and spend the money he provides indiscriminately. I, in turn, manage our household. With the money and resources, my husband provides I go out into the world meeting the needs of others and supplying for the needs of our own house. I, in consultation with him, determine where the money should be spent outside of meeting the basic needs and obligations of the house ie. giving, extra or discretionary spending, etc...
I cook the meals, maintain the cleanliness of our home, teach our children and maintain the overall order of the home. I make sure that each need is met through what my husband provides. I as his wife manage more than just our finances, but my other roles and responsibilities don't diminish the important fact that I do manage the finances. If I were to decide to not take my role seriously, or forsake it all together because say, I do enough in other areas such as cooking, cleaning, or teaching, then we would quickly find ourselves without a house to call home.
If you will track with me for a moment, I'm bringing this thought to your attention now for a reason. The bible tells us that we, being the church, are Christ's bride. If you consider yourself a Christian, then you are required as His bride to manage His house through His provision. If we, as the church, are the bride of Christ, then it is our responsibility to maintain the home. We do this in many ways just as I maintain my personal home in many ways. All are important, all are necessary, and each responsibility is a calling to be fulfilled by each individual that considers themselves a member of Christ's church. The responsibility of managing and maintaining the house of God isn't a role given solely to the pastor, secretary or worship leader of a church. It belongs to each of us, and we must take ownership of it.
We've said it and heard it said numerous times; “we are in unprecedented times, navigating uncharted waters”. Many are feeling the financial strain caused by the shelter in place orders, or as I affectionately call it, the lockdown of 2020. The church is no stranger to this strain felt across the nation and even the world. Many church doors will have opened for the last time unbeknownst to the members of that house because giving across the board has all but ceased. As individual members of the body or members of individual households of Christ, if you will, it is our duty and responsibility to ensure that the doors of our church house do NOT close.
Yes, we've discussed the fact that we the people are the church. I agree. I believe as one of our pastors recently touched on, that this lockdown has been an opportunity for the western church to remember some of the forgotten things and yes even neglected things. It's an opportunity to stand and act as members of God's house outside of the four walls of isolation inside the church house.
With that said, during these moments of uncertainty if we forsake our fiscal responsibility of maintaining the church house then many of us will find ourselves without a church house to gather in when all of this is said and done. I'm not negating that God can make a way, but I am asking you to consider the possibility that you are the way that God has made. Although there are some who are experiencing great financial strain in this crisis moment, there are others of us who have been greatly blessed to maintain our budget throughout this mess. As most of you know, the government has provided relief programs for many businesses both small and large, as well as released a stimulus package that is helping many Americans, whether employed or unemployed.
My challenge to each of us is this: as you receive your stimulus check, if you are one of the fortunate few that have not been affected financially by this virus and the subsequent lockdown, please consider your local church outside of your regular tithe and offering (if you follow that biblical principle). Seek God on how to manage the unexpected surplus and posture your heart in a seat of willingness to let a financial blessing flow through you to the church house and to those that may be found in need during this time rather than becoming a retention pond of God's goodness in your life.
Just as my husband releases his funds that he provides to me to manage, God releases His provisions for the church (us) to manage as well.
Maintain His house.
Signed,
A Pastor’s Wife
Kara is the church secretary, co-leads the youth ministry (Chosen), sings on the worship team and serves wherever she can. She resides in Burnet, TX with her husband Breydon and their four kids.