We in Christ are servants of the LIVING God who is the creator of all. We are also stewards of Kingdom affairs as they pertain to the Body of Christ. Most of us can recall the stories in the Word of bad and good stewardship. Matthew 25:26 tells us of the lazy steward, Luke 16 of the shrewd and dishonest steward and Matthew 20:1-16 is the story of the grumbling workers hired by the rich land owner.
Usually when speaking to people who are in the Church on the subject of stewardship… we hear this,
“I am a good steward over all that God has blessed me to OWN. I take care of MY house, MY belongings and I give back to the Church from MY income I receive from the job He has blessed me to have.” This in my view can not be deemed as stewardship and I do not say this in any negative connotation. After all it is good that we acknowledge that these blessings come from our God.
Yet each time we take ownership we cancel out stewardship. Stewards are not ones who manage anything that belongs to themselves, but they oversee and manage what belongs to another.
*Stew·ard: a person who administers the property, house, finances, etc, of another
Therefore we are performing in the capacity of servant when we are stewards of our Father’s business. The greater gifts are not the material things that God has blessed us with. The gifts of our spiritual stewardship are those that exemplify and magnify God for the building up of the Church. It is our spiritual gifts that are used as tools of stewardship in ministry.
Okay, I am laying the ground work for this subject *TAKING OWNERSHIP OF GOD’S BUSINESS*:
The ministry is the Father’s business WE ARE NOT THE CEO of the firm. We do not own the ministry that we may be the administrator of. Whatever work that we have been equipped to do in our local church is for the building up of the Body of Christ and the furthering of God’s Kingdom.
Often times when we are asked to head up a ministry by the congregation elders and or the Pastor, we start off with a zealous energy, taking on the task with much LOVE and joy. Yet many of us find ourselves over time having dug into the position so deeply we lose sight of the vision: *the building up of the Body of Christ and the furthering of God’s Kingdom.* We jealously hold on to our positions with a pride in ownership of that which is not and can never be ours to OWN. We must realize that the honor is not in the title or the position… the honor comes from having the privilege to be in the Master’s employ or His use. Our hearts should cry out at ALL TIMES, “LORD You can use anything… OH Master please use ME!!!”
Closing point: When we take ownership of that which belongs to the King we indeed are attempting usurp His authority. This is truly walking on dangerous ground.
*U·surp: commit forcible or illegal seizure of an office, power, etc.; encroach.
When we behave in this manner we tear down the Body we do not build-up. We are no longer contributing to the furthering of God’s Kingdom. My prayer is that each of us who are working in ministry keep in mind, ALL that we have, ALL that we are and our work in the ministry …Belongs to our Father in Heaven Who has equipped us to do all that He has set before us to accomplish… for the Body of Christ and His good pleasure.
Seated in Heavenly Realms 
Reblogged this on Seated in High Places and commented:
Was talking about this with a friend and brother today …so I decided to re-blog. It is still a valid lesson for the Church I b elieve
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This is really good and was needed for me. I think I had taken ownership over a ministry and it resulted in greater pride, stress, disappointment when things did not go my way, and hurt. I think when we can understand that what we are called to is not ours, but His there is release and freedom in that. God spoke to me and said when I release the ownership I took on, then there is freedom for me. I truly believe it and receive it! Thanks for sharing!
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