BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Commit to Faithfulness When Sarah and I began to talk to our ministry team about building a church that could not fail, we fully intended to dive deep into the subject, starting with the topic of faithfulness. But we never moved past that topic. Why? Because we soon realized that faithfulness is the job description. Heaven is hiring and faithfulness is the required qualification. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?” Can you hear the frustration in his voice? It’s as though he’s a manager who’s tired of self-congratulatory résumés coming across his desk. He’s tired of everyone telling him what they can do, how good they are at it and spouting off about all their experience. Solomon’s response to all that grandstanding is, “I’m done buying in to mere words. I simply want faithfulness.” That spills over into every area of life, doesn’t it? Want a business that cannot fail? It requires faithfulness. Want a family that cannot fail? Faithfulness. A marriage that cannot fail? It comes down to faithfulness. We are to be stewards who are found faithful. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” In the last 20 years or so, “leadership culture” has become big, even in the Church. Those advocating and teaching on leadership say things like, “You’ve got to take hold of this like you own it! You need to act like you own that.” I understand why someone would say it that way, but we must remember that, as pastors or church leaders, we are not owners. We are stewards. A steward is not an owner but rather a manager of what belongs to someone else. In my heart, Legacy Church doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to Jesus. He’s the Owner and has trusted Sarah and me to steward this thing that is of great value to Him. Good stewards don’t do what they want or what they think is best. Good and faithful managers will do exactly what the owner wants done, exactly the way the owner wants it done. I am convinced that what He wants in our church is what He wants in The Church—an atmosphere filled with faith in Jesus and love for each other. When people come into a place and breathe that kind of rarified air, you can be assured they will keep coming back again and again. A High Calling While building the Church that cannot fail is a high calling that belongs to every pastor and every church leader, it relies on the members, too. We must all measure success like He does. Our aim must be to create sanctuaries filled with faith and love, and to be His stewards, faithful until the end. That’s when we’ll be equipped to fulfill the high calling the Lord has given to us. That’s when we’ll build churches that cannot fail. V Jeremy Pearsons and his wife, Sarah, are founders of Pearsons Ministries International and pastors of Legacy Church in Green Mountain Falls, Colo. For more information, visit them online at pearsonsministries.com or legacychurch.family. Watch Jeremy & Sarah on Legacy Television VICTORY Channel® Sun. 2:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m.; Wed. 11:30 p.m.; Thu. 8:30 a.m.; Sat. 4:30 p.m., 11 p.m. ET ************************************ ************************************ ************************************ WORDS OF FAITH FOR A GOOD FUTURE ● The degree to which you give your body to God and resist the influence of the world is the degree to which God’s perfect will can be manifested in you. Rom. 12:1-2 ● The devil is the author of sin, and when you yield to it, you open the door for him to bring destruction into your life. Rom. 6:23 ● God wants you to enjoy THE BLESSING of His abundant life so He has called you to separate yourself from sin and walk with Him. 2 Cor. 6:17-18 ● All you have to do to be holy is to cooperate with Him and give outward expression to who you really are on the inside. Heb. 12:1-2 ● In your spirit, God has already made you as holy as He is. 1 Cor. 1:30 BVOV : 11

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