Church Depth Chart

Oscar Pimentel, General Overseer

The Church of God

"…for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of God"

(Luke 16:8).

WHAT AN INDICTMENT! These are the words of Jesus as He considered the efficiency of the children of this world in their labors and dealings. I do not believe Jesus was praising this man’s dishonesty; rather it was a commendation of his planning and prudence. Jesus would only have us notice the sharpness and foresight of the children of this world; how they tend to the interests of this life. They are wise to provide for their earthly prosperity and are prudent about their particular business. They demonstrate talent, study more plans, prepare themselves and those around them, and even make sure they leave behind an inheritance and a legacy for their children. Considering the aforementioned statement it would do us well to ponder the questions, "Are we planning and promoting the interest of The Church of God? Do we have foresight and look before us? Are we providing and doing what we can to secure an incessant and prosperous ministry for The Church of God? Are we seizing the occasion, are we active and industrious, exerting ourselves as much as is within our power to advance the interests of the Church?"

The steward in the verses prior to verse eight was planning ahead and looking to the future. Of course, our eternal future is not here, but in heaven above; nevertheless, the Church has a mission to fulfill, and it will take planning, preparation and foresight. I don’t like to think that these are the words of our Lord, but the reality is that they are. Is it possible that we were placed on the balance of wisdom and foresight and were found wanting? Jesus shares these words about the children of this world being wiser in their generation (generation sometimes denotes the manner of life), not so that we become earthly minded like them and occupy ourselves with earthly things or devote ourselves to the cares of this world alone. Neither was His intent that we should only concern ourselves with obtaining earthly possessions and live for this world. It is His challenge to us to strive to be wiser than the children of this world! Our minds must be fixed on heavenly and spiritual things, and doing our work while here on earth.

"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:1, 2).

WHAT A CHALLENGE!

  

The challenge is that the Church must commit unto faithful men the "all things" message we have heard among many witnesses—those things which we ourselves have heard and have believed and know to be true. Why must we rise to it without hesitation? The answer is because no one is around forever and, if the Lord tarries, some of us shall go by way of the grave. Some may be put in prison or to death for the gospel’s sake.

Paul had to depart to Macedonia, but thanks be to God that Paul found in Timothy a faithful individual unto whom he committed the doctrine of Jesus Christ! Paul didn’t just consider Timothy a faithful man, but one who was able to teach others. Paul asked him to step in and abide in Ephesus that he might defend the gospel of Christ. It was Paul who taught Timothy, took him under his wing, and committed unto him the entire counsel of God. He instructed Timothy to hold to faith and a good conscience. He instructed him to, "…continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them" (2 Tim. 3:14).

Both Paul and Timothy were looking out at a distance to the horizon and wanted the Church to flourish. Paul wasn’t concerned with the rise of his own kingdom or empire. Paul’s interest was in the Church having a relentless and thriving life in spiritual matters. Just as Paul, Timothy labored to advance the interest of the Church because he, too, desired to see souls saved, rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Paul was aware, as was Timothy, that he would not be around forever. Therefore, he labored arduously preparing and instructing those who had entered into the ranks of the Church.

 

I feel as though we presently have faithful men and women in the Church who have been taught and are ready to step up at a moment’s notice. At times I have heard the cry from our Overseers due to the need of laborers— church builders—(pastors especially) in their areas of labor. Could it be that the Church has run short on laborers? I don’t feel that we are short on laborers. Perhaps the actual question we should consider is, "Are laborers hesitant or not making themselves available?" If so, the question is, "Why?" We may never truly know the reasons, but I’m fully convinced that God knows the reasons why.

Jesus said, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:38). No doubt, if we pray, He will prick the hearts of God-called ministers and they will come forth. Surely He will provide soldiers He can trust! Even so, the Church has the great responsibility of consistently teaching and preparing those whom God calls or brings into our midst. Some will be sent out promptly to fields of labor, while others God will call to work later in life. However, preparations must be made to equip all, so that they are ready to go out to the field when called upon.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

 

There are soldiers termed "reserves" in the military force who are retained or held over for a future time, and they are set aside for a particular purpose. These are forces not on the field, but available (stored up) for future or present use or need. I see them now in The Church of God—a ready supply of laborers in "reserve" ready to be called upon!

 

The story is told of a captain who, with awareness, observed his drill instructor train young soldiers and did not like what he saw. Though the young soldiers where learning well and every platoon respected and obeyed their platoon leader’s command, the captain noticed something he did not like. It troubled him so much that during a training drill in which a Huey Helicopter full of soldiers was landing under heavy enemy fire, the captain surprised the platoon leader who was first and ready to come off of the helicopter. Immediately when the helicopter landed and before the platoon leader could get one foot off, the captain caught him by his uniform and shouted out, "BANG! YOU’RE DEAD!" Pointing to the next soldier in line the captain rapidly shouted, "WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU DO?" The soldier having never been in this predicament was likewise caught off guard and in the confusion he hesitated. "BANG, YOU’RE DEAD!" shouted out the captain. He proceeded to inquire of the next man in line, "WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU DO?" Immediately the next man responded by taking action and shouted out to those that remained alive, "GO, GO, GO!" as he led them into battle. The captain then looked at the drill instructor and the platoon leader and said to them, "Teach the man behind you!"

Oh, God, help us teach the man behind us and commit unto him the same biblical teachings and principles that we love so dearly, that he may know what to do when the fiery darts of the devil are hurled against him! The men and women behind us need to know what they are to do when persecutions, tribulations and afflictions come. The whole counsel of God must be declared to all who have espoused this great work of fighting for the souls of men. Not only will the unsaved remain lost and perish forever if we don’t, but we run the risk of losing those already in the Church if every effort isn’t made to engulf our people with the Bible truths the Church upholds.

 

Israel’s history declares, "And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel... And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD..." (Judges 2:7, 10, 11). Let it never be the story of God’s people that when we go on to our reward the man behind you and me does not know the Lord, nor what He has done for The great Church of God. I feel that it’s high time the man behind us comes out from behind and steps forward to the front lines and into the battle! What a wonderful sound to hear the beautiful battle cry of, "Go, Go, Go!" We don’t ever know if something unexpected will occur, but we should have the foresight of having "at the ready" men and women who are "throughly furnished." A ready supply that when one is taken on to glory or some sickness takes a hold of us, others will step into that field of labor. My prayer is for uncompromising ministers and laborers guided by God’s Spirit, who will not be confounded nor hesitate to move up, step in, and lead in the battle.

WAITING TO BE CALLED

AND READY TO GO AT ANY TIME!

 

Is it true that "the children of this world" have people who are waiting to be called on for service? Yes, but they have had their training and are equipped. Even in sports it seems that high schools prepare their sports players for college sports and, in turn, the colleges prepare the same individuals for professional sports.

In professional sports in the United States, football to be more specific, there is something they refer to as a "depth chart." This chart indicates who on the list is ready to step up in another person’s place if the person on the field gets hurt or is not healthy enough to carry on with his duties. Certainly those in charge are glad to know that the individuals whose names appear on the depth chart are present at every event, fully suited up and ready to go at anytime.

 

The responsibility of those waiting on their opportunity is to study the same playbook that all the starters study, memorizing the plays, and knowing their routes. They wear the same equipment, perform the same exercises, and learn everything just as though they themselves will be on the field of play, all along knowing full well that they may or may not be called upon! That does not deter them nor discourage them one bit from doing all they know to do to be ready to go.

Lord, continue to provide the Church with laborers, both men and women whom our leaders in the Church can call upon when that need arises! Such people must be found in The Church of God at all times. People listed on the "Church Depth Chart," so to speak, who when called upon are readily available, and the Church will not have to wait for them to go through training because they are already trained—"throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:17)—men and women who have been with the Lord, studying the blessed old Book, memorizing Scripture and learning the route that will lead them and others on to glory!

Wouldn’t it be marvelous if when one of our laborers goes on to be with the Lord, or is weak in body and can no longer carry on with the duties of the Church work in his or her area, there would be some "reserves" stored up on our Church Depth Chart for present or future use in the Church? Could it be you, dear brother or sister? Yes, you!? Perhaps you have been waiting patiently on the Lord, praying, studying, fasting, and working where you presently find yourself. Do you hear the call from the front lines, "Come up and help us!"? Some are able today to go out into the field and not miss a step because they know Bible doctrine, they have a Divine Revelation of who and

what the Body of Christ is, they believe in Her practices and teachings and are full of the love of God. What a wonderful thought!

To be wiser than the children of this world we must encourage the interest of The Church of God—striving not to establish a doctrine, but striving rather to establish in the doctrine! We want The Church of God to continue having an uninterrupted and prosperous ministry, and for that we must seize the occasion.

Speaking of the natural and human things, every year there comes a "draft day" where people who have been in training and working are chosen and picked out. These have proven they are capable on the field and willing to take on certain responsibilities. They have been tested and tried on those fields and now are being called to another level. Surely we have people who have proven themselves in our local churches whose names are ready to be called into a new field of labor to be church builders.

What kind of Church building could be accomplished if every year, once a year, our State/National Overseers could come to our BTI graduation ceremony and pastors, teachers and other workers could be chosen from the BTI crop that we have every year?

I can almost see it now—

CATEGORIES: EVANGELISTS/ PASTORS/TEACHERS.

QUALIFICATIONS: SAVED, SANCTIFIED, HOLY GHOST FILLED, MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, LICENSED AND ORDAINED BY THE CHURCH, HAS A DIVINE REVELATION OF THE CHURCH AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL IN THEIR LIVES.

God has always supplied past generations with laborers at every level of the Church (local, regional, general). Dear brother and sister, is your name on that depth chart? Whether you are called today or somewhere down the line, will you remain ready, listening for the Master to give the call—"Come step forward, you’re up!"

Bridge of No Return

Prisoners of War from both sides were brought to this bridge at the close of the Korean War and could choose to return home or stay on the side that captured them, but once they had crossed they could never return.

I recently had the opportunity to accompany World Mission Coordinator, Bishop Robert Hawkins, on a trip to the South Korea. While there, Brother Hawkins and I had a day to spend learning about the tumultuous relationship between the two Koreas, North and South. We visited some areas close to the border of the two countries and the Joint Security Area (JSA). The JSA is the location where talks occurred to end the Korean War and where conference rooms still exist that sit on the border. The day held many surreal moments for both Brother Hawkins and myself as we learned more about a people held behind one of Satan’s gates, disguised as a national government. The thoughts of the many millions of souls who are entrapped behind these gates affected me in a great way.

As we looked over into a village in North Korea, I could not help but think about this huge, seemingly impenetrable gate that stood before us. It is not a gate of wood, steel or rock, but it is certainly present and one that must be gone through by the Church. My heart was broken, and continues to be, for the many young people in this country who are forced to worship earthly leaders in place of God the Father and God the Son. Even as I write this many months after my trip, I have a resolve in my heart that cries, "I want to go there—I want to get to the other side of that gate and preach the full message of Jesus Christ and The Church of God to those lost souls."

The political world says it can’t be done, but the Word of God says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14). Also we are instructed by the Head of the Church to,

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations... Teaching them to observe all

things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:19, 20). I do not know how we will get through this gate but the promise of Christ, on which our theme is built, echoes through my being: "the gates of hell shall not prevail against [The Church of God]" (Matt. 16:18).

North Korea is certainly not the only place where Satan has set up gates to keep large numbers of people from hearing about Christ and the Church, and we must get through every one of these gates so the captives can hear the liberating message of the gospel. Whether it is one soul or millions of souls, the gates must come down under the power of God when we march upon them—but we must march! We have been sent on a mission to go "Through the Gates" and we must fulfill that mission. How can we rest easily on this side of the gate while there are so many souls in pain and dying, crying out for deliverance on the other side!

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14).

This gospel—the one and only true gospel. It is the only thing that will save the souls of men. We must love it, we must live it, and we must teach it and preach it to every creature in every culture. As I have traveled around the world and the United States of America, I have observed a dark and disturbing trend in different societies. I have noticed an increasing number of young men wearing make-up on their bodies. The most common form of this is fingernail polish and eyeliner (Jer. 4:30; 2 Kings 9:30). As I thought about this, the Lord began to speak to me. Unfortunately, some who would be shocked if they saw a man wearing make-up would have no problem with a woman doing so. This is because it is highly esteemed in the eyes of society and some have become desensitized to it (Luke 16:15; Matt. 24:12).

But the Bible tells us in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." In God’s eyes it is all the same—no matter who does it. Society’s ways do not influence God’s thinking. We will have to choose—to make allowance for these worldly trends, or for all to "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (Psa. 96:9). God’s commands are the same for everybody, everywhere. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1). This is the only way anyone is going to make it to heaven! Yes, this gospel is for every man, woman, and child in every country and culture!

FORGIVEN AND FORGIVING

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:14, 15). God’s forgiveness is the essential ingredient for receiving salvation through Jesus Christ. Mankind is blessed because God does not care how evil or unrighteous our lives have been; He will forgive us. We may have in our past lives taken the Lord’s name in vain and committed all types of evil aimed at dishonoring God, however God holds no grudges. We ask, and He forgives us and wipes our slate clean. God returns us to a relationship with Him similar to that which Adam had before he sinned; we become sin free and holy through the blood of Jesus Christ. As the children of God, we are commanded by the Word to forgive all those who do evil and offend us. We must forgive as we have been forgiven. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:19-21). It does not matter how often someone offends us or persecutes us, we must forgive them, not with our mouths only; it must be from the heart. The true witness of our forgiveness is whether we have the capacity to have the same fellowship and relationship that we had with them before the offense. We must show love through our actions rather than our words. "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you" (Luke 6:27, 28). As you forgive and do good to all of your offenders, vengeance is in the hands of the Almighty—WAIT ON THE LORD.

Winning the Lost, Keeping the Found

The theme scripture for the General ABM this year is Matthew 18:14, "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." As I have prayed and thought about this year’s theme, I keep going back to what Jesus said in Luke chapter 15, "And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (vv. 3-7).

The United States Army has a military Soldier’s Creed. In that creed, there is a statement that says, "I will never leave a fallen comrade." It is taught to every United States soldier from the beginning of their service time in basic training. This is not just taught, it is drilled into them. It is ingrained into them. This is not a request or a suggestion. There will be NO soldier left behind. No matter what it takes! The United States Army Ranger statement goes even further. It says "I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy."

How about you? Has it been ingrained in you that there will be no soul left behind in The Church of God? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that no soul is left behind? Are you willing to leave a fallen comrade in the hands of the enemy of their soul? Do you feel a commitment and a burden for those who are lost or those who are struggling? Jesus taught and understood "Leave no man behind" long before the United States Army did.

Keeping the found—I want to have the same commitment and burden for those who are found so that they will never be lost. At any given time, we have members who are struggling and on the brink of dying spiritually to become another one of the lost. Are we praying for discernment to know and see those who are dying before our very eyes? Do we care? The enemy of our souls has a tactic he has used for years and unfortunately he has been successful with it. It is very simple—divide and conquer.

If a tiger fights a lion, the tiger will win every time. If 10 tigers fight 10 lions, the lions will win every time. WHY? Because tigers fight as individuals and lions will battle together as a pride. How are you fighting? Are you fighting as an individual with individual goals and selfish ambitions, or as the lions—together? Satan wants to divide and conquer us. Can you think of someone who is lost? It didn’t take very long, did it? Now, can you think of someone who is "found" but is in current danger of being lost? We are in a war!

During the 50^{th anniversary of D-Day in 1994, one documentary featured a very unique sequence of interviews. The commentators spoke with two men who were a part of the Normandy Invasion in 1944. One was a soldier who fought on the ground. Reflecting back on that time he said, "I was convinced there was no way we could possibly win." The other interview involved a pilot who saw things much differently from his vantage point in the air. He said, "I was convinced there was no way we could possibly lose." It is very easy for us to become discouraged and tempted. We have a limited perception.}

We need each other, and we need to fight as the lions fight—together. It is time to stop allowing our enemy to divide and conquer. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34, 35). Will we win the lost and keep the found, doing ALL that is necessary to accomplish that?

I was thinking about what happens when a soldier falls into the hands of the enemy. I have a husband and 3 sons who have served in the United States Army. This has been a very real question and concern for me. What happens when someone is lost or taken? There is a group called SAR. Search and Rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. There are military Search and Rescue teams as well as civilian teams. There are also spiritual Search and Rescue teams. "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19, 20).

Are you part of God’s Search and Rescue Team? It’s always an anxious moment, especially for families and friends, when someone is reported missing. Whether it’s a loved soldier or someone lost in the wilderness while hiking, Search and Rescue Teams spring into action. We wait expectantly for any word of locating the missing person. It’s a moment of great joy if they find the person alive and well, but a time of great sorrow when they’re too late.

Are YOU a member of God’s Search and Rescue Team? It is sad to know that many never respond to the call to go out into the storm and look for the lost. I am afraid that many are not concerned if a soul is left behind. Can you imagine being lost in the woods or in some desolate place, but no one came looking for you? When you finally find your way out to civilization, you will ask why no one came looking.

One member of the Search and Rescue Team may say, "It was really cold and stormy outside and there was a really good show on TV. So I just prayed for you to be okay." Another Team member may say, "I wanted to be sensitive to your feelings. I thought you might be embarrassed if we came looking for you." Another may say, "I wasn’t sure you were really lost. I thought it would be judgmental of me to imply that you actually were lost. Besides, it would be arrogant of me to say that I’m not lost. After all, we all have our own paths on the journey." That’s not the kind of Search and Rescue Team I would want if I were lost! If we are going to ensure that no soul is left behind, we must be the kind of Search and Rescue Team that will love souls enough to do whatever it takes!

No soul left behind! Winning the lost and keeping the found!

Loss Prevention

Loss prevention is the overall plan of action taken to prevent losses in inventory. It requires diligence and well executed programs that are designed to prevent losses and not just react when they occur. Successful retail companies will develop programs to prevent such losses because they know it affects their overall profits. Our Commander-in-Chief knew a little about loss prevention. "And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6:39).

What is the loss prevention program of The Church of God? In short, it is the Assembly Band Movement when it is put into practice the proper way. Sometimes we experience losses of souls more often than we experience gains. This is a definite blow to our overall purpose. We, like the retail markets, are losing our inventory through three means: internal theft, external theft and human error.

INTERNAL THEFT

Internal theft is the largest contributor to loss for most retailing companies, regardless of size. Many have wondered why this would be the biggest category of loss, but surveys and studies have proven it to be true. Employee theft occurs through many different methods. It can be merchandise theft/misuse or even taking from open registers at cash sales.

The Scripture warns us about internal theft:"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:4). "For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it" (1 Cor. 11:18). When it comes to internal theft of the spiritual nature, there is no way to insure potential theft doesn’t happen other than to keep diligent watch on the sheep in your care and do everything possible to encourage healthy relationships between each of them and the Lord. When we can disciple our people to love the Lord first and do everything He wants of them, the relationships with one another will always work and no discord will remain. Disagreements may form from time to time, but when both parties love the Lord first, a resolution is just around the corner. Forgiveness and reconciliation are the two best forms of preventative measure regarding internal theft. The enemy has always known this and he has devised means by which pride can easily take root in this brother or that sister. When this happens, they can destroy others.

The inventory will suffer its greatest lost in The Church of God when we haphazardly leave people to work things out on their own—or worse, require no accountability. This is not only a sign of poor discipleship, but also the characteristic which most represents lazy and uncaring leadership.

If you have problems within the local body of believers, it is time to take all involved to the Lord. Don’t try to use the world’s methods of conflict resolution. Let God’s Word be your only source of resolution. Teaching people to pray and study the Word of God and be faithful in fellowship will cause them to be close enough to the Lord that no conflict could push them from the Body of Christ. They will desire to please the Lord so much that careless words from a brother will not cause them to be lost or to run elsewhere. There should never be internal theft in a body of believers that loves with God’s love. There should never be losses when people are in love with the Lord more than themselves, their own ideologies or preferences. Loving God means more than shallow compliments or empty words; it means dedication to God’s ways in living and loving others. Teaching our people to be disciples and to love God above all else will always equip them to handle the divisions that can plague our families and churches.

EXTERNAL THEFT

External theft is often caused by shoplifting, robberies or other acts by outside sources. This may even include natural acts like floods or strong winds. Although


it does not cause as much loss overall compared to internal theft, shoplifting and external theft most certainly cause a

substantial amount of loss every year to the retail industry. This is the same with The Church of God. Often, the appeal of the outside world and what it packages seems stronger than the appeal of what God offers us within the Body of Christ.

 

Controlling external theft requires a commitment to keeping the membership spiritual as with internal theft, but it also requires awareness to the signs of a potential loss and how to best protect the individuals and entire church against external loss. In the retail world, this requires the establishment of procedures and training in areas such as shoplifting prevention, robbery awareness, safety, and how to handle various situations dealing with people. What security measures you have in place within your retail location can also greatly assist you in your efforts against external loss (although not always). This is where theocratic government is most effective in the Body of Christ. It is designed to stop this hemorrhage of souls. Many may hear "government" and be repulsed since so many associate it with regulations or unnecessary restrictions. Some may even equate it to one group lording over another. But, with theocratic government, there is only one LORD. No man or group of men makes laws or restrictions that are not already ordained of God. The beauty of the structure of The Church of God is her ability to allow God to use others to keep them secure and to watch for their souls. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you" (Heb 13:17).

It is often necessary to approach someone about their choices or with a warning about the effects these choices can have on their souls. It is not an easy

job to have, and it is also not easy to receive correction or instruction from time to time. It is profitable for the soul in danger, however, and it is very well what can prevent external theft. Storms of life can often bend us, but let it only bend our knees and not break us. When we break under the weight of the cares of life, we become a loss to the Body of Christ and therefore to our Lord. His grace is sufficient for every need, and He will help us not to be counted as a loss.

ERRORS

The last major area of loss in the retail environment is caused through errors. Sometimes these errors are in paperwork only, but have been calculated to equal up to 20% of the losses. In the retail world, this may be errors in shipping and receiving, errors in register sales, or in misinterpreting reports.

When we consider the whole package of The Church of God and her mission, it is necessary to truly take every action we make into account. Failure of members to report their needs to the band leader trickles down to the pastor. Failure of band leaders to report problems to the pastor is a good example of error that causes loss of precious souls. It is equally important that the pastor maintain clear and open communication with band leaders and all his appointed leaders to ensure there are no reporting errors. How much more the importance from pastor to the State/Regional Overseer and from the Overseer to General Headquarters? Why is reporting so important? It is not just unnecessary paperwork. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Rom. 12:10, 11).

The discussions of the General Assembly in Acts 15 didn’t reach the business meeting because someone wanted to call Peter and Paul out to argue it out. I believe the reports came from the field and the need had arisen to address it in a godly manner that would benefit the
whole Body. Documentation of various situations and occurrences helped the early Church address issues that aided

in keeping as many people as possible. Nothing less will be required of us today. Keeping the paperwork and the details in check will help keep our numbers high and more importantly, our membership’s spiritual health high and productive.

Brother Roberto Jovel pastors two churches in California and one in Nevada and uses the ABM to assist him in keeping up with his members. The band leaders have weekly meetings and report to Brother Jovel who was in attendance and who wasn’t, and how the meeting went. He isn’t willing to lose one soul and if they are sick, he is there to minister to them. This is not because he wishes to be highly honored by them or you, the reader of this method he is using, but it is because he wants to keep every soul the Lord gives The Church of God. He is working to win new converts and keep the ones we already have.

What do you do on a regular basis to ensure the inventory of souls in your care is kept with minimal or no losses? Maybe you aren’t pastoring and your flock is your Sunday School class. What are you doing to keep their souls safe in the fold? "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?" (Luke 15:4). Maybe your inventory is your home. Exactly what programs are you implementing to be able to present your inventory of sheep to the Lord? "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deut. 6:7). Maybe you are completely alone, but your soul is your responsibility too. What steps are you currently taking to be sure you can be presented wholly and holy to our Lord? "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). The ABM Department of The Church of God has the keys that help us secure the precious souls who belong to our Lord. Let us use these keys and not haphazardly lose the inventory of God.

Love One Another

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (Phil. 1:9-11).

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 John 4:7-11).

In these passages of Scripture we do not find any indication of an effort being made to provide a written definition for the word love. Love is a powerful word though it is used so loosely by people today. Multiple scholars and philosophers have tried to define it for ages. Musicians sing about love. Poets write about it. Valentine makers try to capture it in art, and merchants recommend we say it with chocolate candies and flowers. As it stands, nothing has ever nor will ever communicate the meaning of love better than God’s own Word and actions.

Love is one of the greatest factors in the life of a child of God. The love the Bible speaks of gives without expecting anything in return. It was God’s love for His creation that prompted Him to give His Son as the price for our redemption. It was the Son’s love that made it possible for Him to fulfill His part of the divine program which included His death on the Cross. Bible love is the demonstration of an intense feeling of deep affection clearly seen in a willingness to sacrifice. In the Bible, love is unconditional; love was GIVEN, 

love DIED FOR US, love LAID DOWN for you and I and did not stand with its hand outstretched expecting something in return. This same unrestrained love must be expressed in the life of a Christian. It must be evidenced in our actions toward our fellow man.

What consequence will loving one another have? Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35). This verse points out the importance of love and the impact it will have upon those around us—the message of God’s love to the world by a living demonstration, not by verbal proclamation. Someone said, "Your talk walks and your walk talks, but your walk talks further than your talk walks." It is necessary that love—the love of God, loving one another—be allowed to speak by our actions and not so much by our words. Nothing else will speak so loudly to the lost as our love for one another.

Where does love have its beginning? If we are to love we must go to the Fountain from which love springs forth. The Scriptures declare: "God is love" (1 John 4:8). The inquisitive lawyer asked Jesus, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment"
(Matt. 22:36- 38). This is considered the command of highest priority—to love God with the emotions, determination, intention, spiritual faculties, and the intellect. In other words, above everything else in this world, man is to love God with his entire being. Obedience, genuine obedience, begins with love. To obey without love is not to obey at all. If we obey just for the sake of saying we obeyed, but do it not in true love, then we are not much better than that little child who did what he was asked to do when his mother kept insisting he sit down in

his chair. When he finally unlocked his knees and plopped down into his seat, his glare told the real story, "I may be sitting down on the outside—but on the inside I’m still standing up!"

In the sight of God, what is not done in love is not accepted. When our love is first and foremost anchored in God, it is then that our entire lives are put into focus. Loyalty to God puts everything else in its right place. It has been said that genuine love is not something we put on and off as the situation may dictate, like politeness. Love is woven into the very fabric of the Christian man or woman and determines what and who we are.

Jesus continued with His response to the lawyer. "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). A person is capable of loving his or her neighbor when their love is directly connected to the Source and Fountain of true love. When Jesus said "is like unto it," He was saying it is "almost the same as" loving God. No person declaring to be Christian can rightfully and truthfully love God if they love not their brother. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" (1 John 4:20). What significant and noteworthy words! One might even consider them harsh, but we didn’t pronounce them— they are found in your Bible! Doesn’t it seem like—nay, is it not clear that love to God is directly linked to our love for one another!? We can say we love God all we want, but if we don’t love our brother, then we lie.

None of us are exempt from obeying His following command, "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also"
(1 John 4:21). We are to love one another in spite of offences, faults, or misunderstandings. In cases of offences and

misunderstandings, it is better to pray as one precious saint, "Lord, help me to bear a misunderstanding rightly, and to receive an unkind judgment in holy sweetness."

In God’s Word, we find the extent to which our love for one another must reach. It is a length of love, it is a breadth of love, it is a depth of love that Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated, established, and transmitted: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34). The command was not given as such without God first demonstrating the manner and degree in which this can and must be done. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). "...I lay down my life for the sheep... Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself... This commandment have I received of my Father" (John 10:15, 17, 18). Special attention is here called to not only perceive through sight, but also to make an attempt to comprehend with our finite minds the way Christ loved us. Jesus expressed His love—which we did not deserve—and granted it to us through His sacrifice on the Cross. What we find in the gospel writings is Christ’s marvelous display of divine love; and by loving us in such a way, He became the model and standard for the love that was and is to be manifested among us. He said, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:15-17).

We find one of the most powerful (and challenging) statements ever made of the Christian faith in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." We can give it all, believe it all, speak it all, have it all, and know it all, yet without love, nothing else in the Christian experience has any legitimacy. Why? Because what is done must be done in love—first love God, secondly love thy neighbor—"On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:40). Paul informs us that love is the foundation upon which our lives must be built. Love is so crucial that no matter what we say, do or give, if it is not rooted in love then it profits us nothing—it’s all in vain! The inconsistency of some folks failing to demonstrate the love of God, while at the same time seemingly manifesting the gifts of the Spirit in power and purpose, will someday ultimately be settled in heaven. According to the above mentioned Scripture, one can speak the tongues of men and angels, have the gift of prophecy, understand mysteries, have all knowledge, faith, remove mountains; nevertheless, in the eyes of God, he is nothing!

Some may find out far too late that the most important part of our Christian life is not the exercising of spiritual gifts but the authenticity of the love of God in us. In John’s first letter, he points out that love is not about what you receive, but what you give—it isn’t something that happens to a person, love is something that a person does! "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:16-18). Again, love is the demonstration of an intense feeling of deep affection and it is needful that it should "abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment" (Phil. 1:9).

Read 1 John 4:9-11 again in the text Scripture of this article. This is agape love. It is the love God gives and keeps on giving. He sends it out upon the deserving and undeserving and on the responsive and unresponsive. While we were yet sinners, God loved us and sent His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Has anything more virtuous and glorious ever been written or done?

Dear reader, have you ever had a similar experience in your Christian walk where love spilled from your heart upon someone and they did not respond? Is there a person you considered undeserving? What did you do? Look to the example God has given you and ask yourself: "Is it too much for Him to require me to love the unresponsive and unlovely? Is it too much for Him to require me to have genuine love for my brother?" We are privileged to be a part of such a great family, it behooves us to remember that it is made up of people of different personalities and dispositions, nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ loves us, and we ought to be able to love one another.

Have we asked ourselves lately, "How much time do I spend in prayer for that brother or sister? Do I know about what troubles he or she has so I can effectively pray for them?" Are we truly loving one another and bearing one another’s burdens? If the answer to these questions is negative, we may be in need of reevaluating our spirit and compare it to the Spirit of Christ and making some changes.

Clement wrote to the Corinthian Church near the end of the first century: "Let him who has love in Christ perform the commandments of Christ. Who is able to explain the bond of love of God? Who is sufficient to tell the greatness of its beauty? The height to which love lifts us is not to be expressed. Love unites us to God. Love covereth a multitude of sins. Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing haughty in love; love admits no schism, love makes no sedition, love does all things in concord…In love did the Master receive us; for the sake of the love which He had toward us did Jesus Christ our Lord give His blood by the will of God for us, and His flesh for our flesh, and His soul for our souls."

"LOVE NEVER ASKS HOW MUCH MUST I DO, BUT HOW MUCH CAN I DO."—Frederick A. Agar