My background is in business and industry. As a result, I’ve been also a student of leadership and how a manager may be able to motivate and encourage the workforce in order to gain commitment to an organization.
Now as a pastor, I continue to be a student of leadership but more importantly, my task and continuing challenge is to help people understand and commit to the Cause of Christ. While the process and some of the methods are similar, the cause is not, as our passion and focus is on Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Craig recently reminded us of the “Three levels of Commitment” for those that are church-goers. Possibly many of the people here at LifeChurch.tv, or one of the other churches in one of the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee can relate to their position in one of these three levels of commitment.
Craig said that those in the first level of commitment "believe in the gospel enough to benefit from it." They're happy to be involved in the church when it’s convenient for them. They may have children that like the kids’ area and they attend because they like the music and some of the people.
The second level includes the people that “believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ enough to contribute to a point that is comfortable." These are church goers who will contribute a modest of amount of money and may volunteer but only around their schedules and nothing sacrificial. As long as church doesn’t interfere in their lifestyle, you can count on them.
Ultimately, the third level of commitment is for those who "believe in the gospel enough to sacrifice their lives for it." They understand that the local church is literally the hope of the world as it provides the good news of the gospel, the opportunity for life change and access to God through Jesus Christ.
If you are ready for level three, you can say with me and the countless others that have come before us that “our lives are not our own, we belong to Jesus.” Through us, God can doimmeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us(Eph. 3:20).
