[241 words]
While on a trip to Switzerland, an American businessman was watching a Swiss clockmaker carving the case of an ornate cuckoo clock. As the businessman watched the clockmaker carve out the case, he was astounded at his slow rate of progress.
The businessman finally said, ”My good man, you’ll never make much money that way.” “Sir,” the clockmaker replied, “I’m not making money; I’m making cuckoo clocks.”
It is easy at times to forget what our real task is. The world is so interested in the bottom line and efficiency, they forget the real value of workmanship and quality.
I am amazed at times with people’s desire for “church growth.” Some will compromise almost everything they believe if they can “reach” one more person. Some have replaced worship with entertainment, preaching with skits, and evangelism with testimonials.
There is really no substitute for genuine New Testament Christianity. You can swell any group, but church growth takes love, truth, hard work, and patience.
Paul said, “But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does it’s share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:15, 16, NKJV).
Let’s keep inviting, keep praying, keep teaching, and keep loving. That’s how the church grows.
Phil Sanders
via Central church of Christ
Bastrop, LA