Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Shrewdness (03/07/05)
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TITLE: If You Build it, They Will Come? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Michael Moore
03/13/05 -
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"Absolutely," smiled Pastor Sid. "Jake, the guy can juggle FOUR watermelons! The Amazing Alvin can only do three."
"So he'll be a bigger draw?"
"Count on it. The more watermelons, the bigger the crowd."
"Then why didn't First United book him instead of Alvin?"
"Guess they weren't as sharp as us."
Pastor Jake smiled to himself. Sure, there was a rivalry between his own church and First United Community Church. But it was a holy rivalry. It was all for the Kingdom. Not that he didn't find it gratifying that his own church was growing much faster than First United…
Of course, they wouldn't have had to be worrying about jugglers at all if their original speaker for next Sunday--winning Super Bowl quarterback Dan McFoote--hadn't cancelled. And because of a sprained toe, of all things! That really galled Pastor Jake. On the football field the guy could lose both arms and he'd be right back out there playing, but he sprains a toe and he has to cancel a speaking engagement?
Oh well. They had recovered. Hearing that First United had juggling evangelist The Amazing Alvin booked for next Sunday, Pastor Jake and his team had vaulted into action. They had found an even better juggling evangelist. At least, that's what Pastor Sid was promising.
Pastor Jake had to congratulate himself on his team's shrewdness. But it was shrewdness for the Kingdom. There was nothing personal in this rivalry. Yes, it's true First United had begun as a split from his own church (which made it ironic that they called themselves First United). And yes, there had been a lot of bitterness at the time. But that was the past. Now the rivalry was purely a matter of spurring both churches on toward greater growth. And that benefited the Kingdom. It was all about God's Kingdom.
Pastor Sid left, and Pastor Jake found that he had some time free on his schedule for working on his next sermon. Let's see, the passage was Luke 12:16-21…
The phone rang. Pastor Jake answered. It was Joe Stone, the head of the building committee.
"Pastor, Leggo Construction is still demanding a price that's too high."
Pastor Jake sighed. These negotiations for the construction of the new wing were killing him. But then inspiration hit. "Joe, tell them that my brother owns Consolidated Algae. And I happen to know that Leggo is bidding on the expansion of their plant. And it is big! They're dying for that job. But tell them if they don't play ball with us… well, they just might not get Consolidated either."
Pastor Jake chuckled to himself as he hung up the phone. Talk about shrewd! But again, it was for the Kingdom. According to Tommy Rot, the renowned church-growth consultant, building bigger and more lavish churches drew people into the church, just by virtue of the building's attractiveness. "Attractiveness attracts," was his catchy motto.
Pastor Jake's thoughts went back to his brother, the billionaire businessman. How he had been so successful was a wonder, what with some of the loony ventures he got into. Like Consolidated Algae, which was formed in order to raise algae and sell it as a health food. The guy was basically trying to get people to eat pond scum. Well, the market for pond scum was rather…stagnant. But Pastor Jake's brother had this idea that if he expanded his plant, the market would magically grow as a result. Weird.
Then again, something about his brother's scheme rang a bell. Something about the idea that the way to growth was to offer people real, nourishing food instead of pond scum…
Pastor Jake shook his head and turned again to the passage for his sermon. Luke 12:16-21. About a guy who wanted to build bigger barns… Wait--that was it! His church could build a barn, maybe host a barn dance… That hadn't been done by any other church around here. It might be a big draw…
But wait. The passage went on to say that the guy was a fool, and his life would be demanded of him that very night. Then what does that say about me? thought Pastor Jake. Hmm…
He started thinking.
That very day Pastor Jake's life was demanded of him. But it wasn't taken from him. He repented and willingly rededicated it to God.
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The names are great! I love The Leggo Construction Co. I think they have done quite a lot of building at my house :0)~L~