This is an introduction to our new series on how we can stamp the character of God onto our work in the church office. Come and marvel with us at the character of our God over the next few weeks.
This is an introduction to our new series on how we can stamp the character of God onto our work in the church office. Come and marvel with us at the character of our God over the next few weeks.
To be fair we still have a good stationery cupboard but back in the day, there was one particular favourite item which has now been made redundant. This item was probably used daily for all sorts of administrative jobs. The good old ink stamp! Who didn’t love an ink stamp?! Besides the mess and stains that inevitably end up everywhere, there was something quite satisfying about using an ink stamp. We had an array of ink stamps; stamps for addressing envelopes, date stamps, various finance related stamps. My personal favourite was stamping as a mark of completion, especially after paying the monthly bills. The need for stamping may have significantly declined in our church offices but the art of stamping is still a vital practice in our roles behind the scenes in church life. What do I mean by this?
When we fulfil our role behind the scenes in the church office, we are placing God’s stamp, the stamp of God’s character, on the functioning, operations, and administration of the church. The work we complete behind the scenes in our church office is helping to build the structure, identity and in many ways the expression of the church. We want our churches to reflect the nature and character of God. Therefore, the art of stamping God’s character on the practical tasks is a vital, daily activity. The church is called to testify to the world the person and character of God, the Grace of God, and the Gospel itself. We get the privilege to stamp the character of God in all the different aspects of work. This mindset has transformed the way I perceive some of the most mundane tasks. When I remember who God is and that I can play a part in enabling his character to be glorified within the church, it gives a newfound significance to the purpose behind each and every administrative task. All the glory goes to him!
Over the next few weeks we will look at how and where we can place God’s stamp in our roles within the church.
Notes
1. This series has been inspired by A.W. Tozer’s ‘The Attributes of God Volume 1: A journey to the Father’s Heart’.
