Fewer Sharks in the Tank, More Fishers of Men
- Grace B-P Contributor
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By Erin Davis
The Original Start-Up
The church is the original start-up, launched in an upper room, led by co-founders Jesus and the Holy Spirit and a bunch of guys crazy enough to bet everything they had on the mission. The church is how the gospel went viral. The disciples set the world on fire with their message and a
simple mission statement:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:19–20)
More than 2,000 years later, the novelty may have worn off, but the mission hasn’t changed. We’re called to make disciples, teach the Word, and cheer each other on as we strive to be a source of light in a dark world.
And we’re called to do all these things primarily through the church. The local church may not be breaking news, but it’s uniquely designed to achieve its mission.
The Church Has Unique Authority
As Paul traveled through Europe and Asia planting churches, he implemented a specific and effective leadership structure. Titus 1:5–9 describes the appointment of elders. These overseers are to be godly, self-controlled, and dedicated to the welfare of the local church. Matthew 18 shows how to lead the flock to exercise discipline when needed. Ephesians 4:11–16 calls shepherds in a church to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” God has given church leaders authority in our individual and collective lives for the sake of spiritual health. Part of the allure of the start-up mentality is the ability to buck the system and forge our own path, but we never outpace our need for pastoral authority in our lives.
The Church Has Unique Funding
Not only is the church the original start-up, it’s also the original crowdsourcing forum. In the Old Testament, God instituted the tithe, calling his people to give a portion of their belongings to kingdom work (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:26; 2 Chron. 31:5). The early church upped the ante, sharing all of their belongings with each other (Acts 4:32). Either way, the big idea is this: Our resources are from the Lord and belong to the Lord. We gladly surrender them for kingdom gain.
By giving generously to the local church, we support activities that might not receive funding on their own.
The Church Has Unique Impact
When we minister in the local church, our impact on the surrounding world is cumulative. You use your gifts to serve others. I do the same, and our efforts add another layer of brick and mortar to the foundation laid by Christ and built on by the Christians who came before us. We’re building something together through the ages that Jesus promised will stand through eternity (Matt. 16:18).
Article excerpt taken from The Gospel Coalition (U.S. Edition). Read the full resource here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/fewer-sharks-in-the-tank-more-fishers-of-men/
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