Why Orphan Care Fails: Pt 3

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might  no longer live for themselves , but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." 2Cor5:14-15nasb

" 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God , you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.' " Acts 4:20 nasb

Peter has always been my favorite bible dude. Gotta love that guy's unbridled passion. I always picture him drawing his sword brashly or standing up to those stuffy Sadducees with his unmatched and spirit-filled sermons. Nothing - not men in authority, threats, jail, pain - nothing could make Peter stop speaking about the truth of the gospel.

And Paul knew the key to Peter's passionate pursuit of the ministry of the gospel.

It was the controlling, compelling love of Christ.

Nothing, nothing, nothing else will ever produce a healthy, lasting ministry than lay people and volunteers that have hearts motivated by this controlling, compelling love.

However, people can not have this motivation if they are not intimately acquainted with the cross.

If you don't know what you lost and gained, then you can not find this love.

If you don't come to terms with how much sin has cost you, and how much Christ on the cross has gained for you, then the overpowering grace of God can not move you to action.

Guilt might move you to serve. Wanting to serve, wanting to please, wanting to look good, those all might motivate you. But they won't sustain you through the seventh inning stretch.

3. Orphan care ministries fail when churches are filled with people unacquainted with the compelling love of Christ and attempt to accomplish ministry with anything but people motivated by grace.

Tomorrow will be the concluding installment of this series in which I will discuss the journey of Israel in the OT.