FAMILY & CHURCH ECOSYSTEM

A ministry resembles very much like a family ecosystem where there are children and parents living together as a unit that makes up this ecosystem.

The children in the ministry would be represented by the members, elders, leaders and the parents being the Shepard of the house or senior Pastor.

The little children in a family ecosystem do not have a good grasp of who they are and they do not understand their environment or their place in the family as they have not developed all their mental and physical facilities at an early age, they are dependent wholly on their parents for provisions, guidance, love and care.

When the children grow older they begin to walk and develop their vocabulary and begin to recognise their environment in their home and their siblings who are their playmates.

As the children mature, they are now given instructions as guidance to manage their time for study, play, eating and other matters of their early childhood.

Parents lovingly groom their children so they would be able to comprehend better their role in the family and how they are to play their role in the household and share their responsibilities in the family unit.

As the children mature further, they now comprehend their environment better and they know that they belong to a family with other siblings and they learn their place in the family unit be it a younger or an older sibling in the family ecosystem.

In the growing process the children bond with their parents as they are shown love and care and in this respect they learn to understand that they matter to their parents and they are heirs to all that belong to their parents. The children learn to trust and love their parents and this bond grows with time.

In the process of time the children mature to young adults, they grow to understand their parents better and gain a thorough understanding about them and their past, their childhood and about their plans and visions and hopes for themselves and for their children. They also learn what their parents like and dislikes are and what hurts them or what makes them glad. They are tuned in to their parents hearts.

When the parents are older and their children have grown to be mature adults, they learn to respect, honor and care for one another.

This ecosystem that is called family is no different from a Church or a ministry, it's a God designed system for how things must function in a family of God called the Church/Ministry.

As Christians in the setting of the Church/Ministry ecosystem, we as the body of Christ cannot afford to remain as children and be stunted in our growth as this will definitely adversely affect the ecosystem and cause it to not function or grow as God intended it to.

All of God's children must mature in the faith and understand our position in the body of Christ and be responsible in the callings and gifting of the Holy Spirit of God in order for the Church family ecosystem to function in the intended design God proposed it to be, in order for the Kingdom of God on earth to be productive and fruitful for the glory of God.

In summary

1. Christians must be committed to a spirit filled ministry/church where they can be loving nurtured, taught, and disciplined in the things of God.

2. Christians must mature in the faith and position themselves in serving in the Church/Ministry.

3. Christians being nurtured in the faith in the Church/Ministry must also support the work of God financially the biblical way (Proverbs 3: 9-10, Malachi 3:10, Luke 6:38, 1 Timothy 5:17-18)

4. Christians must learn to honour their leaders in the faith who have nurtured them in the faith (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

5. Pastors, leaders you are to love and protect your flock unconditionally as Christ loves His church.

6. Pastors, leaders must be accountable and must never abuse their authority by

Intimidating, shame or compel your members to serve if they do not wish to.

7. Both members and Pastors must show each other honour and respect as the Bible dictates (Hebrews 13:17) and work hand in hand to expand the Kingdom of God on earth.

Do not take the grace of God given to you for granted for it is an honour to be selected for the eternal purpose of God and His Kingdom, please remember that great is our reward in heaven, work while it's day for night is soon coming when no man can work.

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people. You know that you will receive an inheritance as a reward. You serve the Lord Christ.”

(Colossians 3:23-24)

“Do everything without grumbling and arguing so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world.”

(Philippians 2:14-15)

Be blessed in the Lord.

By: Ps. Victor Sidhu