Master's Men has five stated ministry purposes...

Expanding Our Focus

by Ken Akers

Master’s Men has five stated ministry purposes: soul winning, fellowship, edification, discipleship, and stewardship. While we believe all five are important, let’s focus for a moment on stewardship. Webster defines stewardship as: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.

Financial Aspect

When you mention stewardship, most people immediately think of money and how it is handled. It’s true that finances are a very important part of ministry. Financial support is necessary to operate any ministry. And ministries must be very careful about how they handle what God and their supporters have given them.

Money (or the lack of money) has been a major challenge for Master’s Men from the beginning. While God has always provided, the department has experienced some struggles. We look constantly for ways to save money and ease our financial situation.

Recently, Master’s Men moved from our office suite in the National Office Building to share office space with Women Nationally Active for Christ. Not only do we share space, we also share an employee. This move has proven to be a great financial help to both departments, enabling us to spend more on ministry needs and less on administration.

Beyond Bucks

But stewardship goes far beyond money. In addition to being good stewards of our treasure, we need to be good stewards of our time. We all have 168 hours in a week. Most people think that by giving God an hour or two a week, they fulfill their obligation to Him. But the Christian life should encompass all 168 hours of the week. Every waking moment belongs to God, and we must live it to the best of our abilities.

Sometimes, working for God requires us to go above and beyond. It takes time to run an effective ministry. I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that working 9-to-5 simply does not cut it. If you drop by the National Office Building, you will find cars in the parking lot from very early in the morning to very late at night. Most pastors work far more a 40-hour week. Yet God wants more than quantity time. I think God expects us to use our time wisely and productively.

We should also be good stewards of our talents. I have worked with young people most of my life. Few things are more frustrating than a young person who wastes the talent God has given him. Even more disheartening is an older adult who never used his or her talent for God and looks back over a life wasted with deep regret.

Many people think they do not have a talent because they can’t sing or preach, or do any of the things that receive major attention. But I constantly remind people that their talent is doing what God has gifted them to do. Use your skills as a carpenter for God. Use your talent as a truck driver for God. We all can do something! Whatever it is, use it for God.

Finally, we all have a testimony. Sure, the testimonies we hear and remember most are the exciting ones when a person was saved out of a great sin—the town drunk, a drug addict, or a hardened criminal. But the testimonies I like to hear most are those people who say, “I was raised in a Christian home by Christian parents. I never tasted alcohol. I never did drugs. And to God’s glory, I never had sex before marriage.” What a great testimony! What a great example to those that may be struggling.

So the next time you hear someone talk about stewardship, expand your focus, and remember that it includes everything.

About the Writer: Ken Akers is director of Master’s Men. Learn more about his ministry at www.fwbmastersmen.org.