M.G.R.

(Managing God's Resources)

God has provided everything we need for life itself. We have a responsibility to manage it all for God's purposes. Because we know what God has done for us in Christ we want to be faithful managers. All people have their own special talents or abilities to give them a niche in this world. What do we mean by this? Think about this! No matter what kind of occupation you have, you need some kind of special ability to do your job well. Some of these skills are learned, but how many people do you see doing a job they are not very good at? Some are better than others at doing the same job. What is the difference? We believe the difference is that God has given everyone an ability to do some things very well. Some people discover what God has given them, and some don't. It's true in the workplace and it is true in the church, too. For this reason we at Good Shepherd uses a tool that helps people discover what gifts and abilities God has given them to help them do something well and be happy doing it. This tool is called "Network" which was developed by Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill. This program helps us to discover our Passion (what God has put in our heart), your Spiritual Gifts (what tools God has given us to do the things our heart desires), and our working styles (Are you structured or unstructured, people orientated or task orientated?) Our goal is to have all of our member's go through this program. Some members have discovered they are in the wrong ministry and have changed to something else. Others have been affirmed they ARE in the right ministry. Still others have found where God is calling them to serve and have either joined a ministry or have started a new one. One of our members has changed some policies in his business using some of the principals of "Network". Our Assimilation Committee (part of MGR) has adopted this as their theme verse. "Each one, as a manager of God's different gifts, MUST use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God." I Peter 4:10 God asks us to be good stewards of our resources (Time, Talents and Treasurers) and to return a part of them to do the works of His church. Leviticus 27:30 states "A tenth of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is Holy to the Lord." 2 Corinthians 9:7 states} "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Although we do not require that our members give a tenth of their income to the Lord, we do encourage our members to work toward that goal. We encourage every member to commit to the Lord a percentage of their choosing to start and thereafter increase their giving on a regular basis as they see God continues to provide for us out of His love, His undeserved love.

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