'Pillars': The Invisible Support Team of the Local Church

By Paul L. Staack

When we enter a building, we owe our sense of well-being to parts of the building that we do not see or recognize. It is the same with the local church. Pillars stand faithfully behind the walls apart from the eyes of human admiration to hold up the weight of the building. PILLARS is a book that will prepare you to take your place behind the walls to support the local church on the solid footing of maturity. Paul Staack has written this book to call the body of Christ to responsible action. It is a manual for putting away childish things. The words in this work are not idle words. They are backed by 35 years of ministry experience in the same church. These chapters will give you a glimpse of a mature believer. Will you allow yourself to be poured into the mold of a pillar? If so, you will assume the mind and attitude of Christ. You will spend your life pouring yourself out in acts of love and service. You will taste the fruit of changed lives on the table of your influence and you will live the life you really want. The voice of a pillar in the church continues to speak to ensuing generations. This book will equip you to take your place as:

PILLARS

THE INVISIBLE SUPPORT TEAM OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512738858

Paul L. Staack

Paul L. Staack started his adventure with God on his waterbed. He kneeled on that bed before Almighty God and gave his empty life to Christ. He came out of that bedroom with new thoughts and desires. He followed those thoughts and desires into a life of service. Paul has served in the Ministry of Helps at Speak the Word Church International since May of 1980. He has been in full time ministry as an assistant pastor since May of 1994. During a time of worship, Paul heard the call to write books with a passion and a vision to help the body of Christ to come into maturity. This book is a mirror reflecting Paul’s life of loyalty as a believer.

Book preview

'PILLARS'

The Invisible Support Team of the Local Church

Paul L. Staack

37406.png

Copyright © 2016 Paul L. Staack.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3887-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3886-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3885-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016906325

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/29/2016

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1

What Is a Pillar?

Chapter 2

The Characteristics of Pillars

Chapter 3

Pillars are not movable, shakable, or bendable. No one or nothing can get them to leave their place.

Chapter 4

Pillars Are Flexible and Bendable. They Embrace Change.

Chapter 5

Pillars Live the Team Dream

Chapter 6

Pillars---The Growth Connection

Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Heart of Paul ......

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (public domain).

Scripture quotations marked (LB) are taken from The Living Bible. Copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Luke and John---An Interpretive Paraphrase ......

Scripture quotations marked (MSG) are taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NCV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (Phillips) are taken from The New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips. Copyright 1960, 1972 by J.B. Phillips. Administered by The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my Pastor- Randy Morrison---who has loved me unconditionally and modeled the life of a believer for me. He has spent himself to help me to discover and fulfill my God-given purpose. He provided a pattern from which I have tailored my life as a believer and as a minister of the gospel. I trust that this book will represent him as I have spent half of my life representing him in the local church.

PREFACE

The Local Church Series

This is one in a series of books about the local church. I have been active in the same local church for thirty-five years at this writing, and I know how important it is to stay connected with and involved in the local church.

My vision for this series is simple and profound:

To cultivate informed, responsible, and effective church members to increase the effectiveness and the influence of local churches around the world.

This series of books will serve the following purposes:

1. Educate: People can rise up in life propelled by the fuel of relevant information. Much of my study has focused on this area of life. I am honored to share what I have learned for your benefit.

2. Untie the knots and sort out the tangles: A rope in knots and tangles is ineffective. Our perspective in this area needs to be clear and accurate. According to Mark 4:33--34 in The Message Bible, With many stories like these, He presented His message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity. He was never without a story when He spoke. When He was alone with His disciples, He went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots. The local church can be the rope that God uses to pull lost and hurting people to safety.

3. Clarify the purpose of the local church: If we don't understand the purpose of something, we will tend to abuse it.

4. Establish order in the local church.

5. Transform the local church from a group of individuals to an unbeatable team---a dynasty. A dynasty is a family that establishes and maintains predominance in a particular field of endeavor for generations.

6. Cultivate unity in the local church by nurturing the team mentality.

7. Teach each individual how to relate to his or her pastor.

Your understanding of the local church is vital to your future as a believer. The local church helps fit and equip you for your purpose. I trust that this book will inspire you to take your place among the many pillars---the invisible support team of the local church.

INTRODUCTION

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.

---1 Corinthians 3:9

This Scripture evokes many images as we think about a building and its composition. If we are God's building, then each of us is a part of that building. We are constructed together as a habitation for God.

My brother recently built his own office building. He took up residence in that building, and out of that building he conducts the business of his law firm.

God is building His building. This building is the center, hub, and location of the network for His activities in the earth. It is the place where His kind of business is transacted.

Buildings are comprised of many different facets. When I taught this in the local church, I invited three children up on the platform, and I asked them a question: If you could be a part of this building, what part would you be?

One said the flags that hang from the ceiling in the sanctuary. These are banners of beauty and purpose. They rally the people to loyalty and allegiance to their country and cause.

One child liked the drums. The drums are a rudimentary and captivating instrument. They inspire and move people in praise and worship. They are also in public view, inducing admiration and praise from the people. The drummer's seat is a glamorous seat.

The third child liked the balcony. This is the highest spot in the sanctuary. It raises you above the people and gives you a vantage point. It is the place in the building from which you can observe people undetected and unnoticed.

I asked the three children what part of the building they would like to be. All three children wanted to be something beautiful, captivating, glamorous, elevated, and public. All three desired a place in the building that people could see and admire.

That same weekend, we had a wedding at the church, and many of those in attendance were strangers to the building. As they came in, they were in awe of the beauty and excellence of the building itself. Their comments were focused on the visible aspects of the building.

As I listened to the children and the newcomers to our facility, I realized that their attention was firmly fixed on the décor and the surface aspects of the building. None of the participants in this survey mentioned anything about the subtle parts of the building. Not one person said, What a great foundation this building has! No one came in and requested a chance to see the rafters of the building. I wasn't approached by anyone who desired a guided tour of the building's pillars. Yet if the pillars were not in place, carrying out their responsibilities, the entire building with all its beauty and décor would come crumbling down. The very parts of the building that appealed to the children and the newcomers would lie in a heap of rubbish without the pillars.

This book is being written to the body of Christ to reveal a life hidden behind the scenes. It is about the life that you really want; it is not about the life you think you want. It is not about being a star in the church. It is about a life of responsible action being lived out behind the walls and scenes of life. It is not lived out of the perspective of a child. It is the destination of everyone who stays on the road to maturity.

You are God's building. Will you respond to the call to take your place of responsibility without the impetus of human admiration?

The church stands only upon the shoulders of the pillars.

This book is dedicated to teach you about pillars and to implore you to take your place as a pillar in God's building. The children and the newcomers may not recognize, notice, or admire you. However, you will catch the eye of God and leave an eternal legacy. You will stand strong and solid as pillars---the invisible support team of the local church.

CHAPTER 1

What Is a Pillar?

So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.

---1 Corinthians 15:58 (LB)

This chapter in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church addresses the thought-wave that was being transmitted at that time. This thought is still riding the wave of unbelief around the world today: there is no resurrection!

A life that is lived by this creed will be lived for the moment. If there is no resurrection, then we can eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. We are, of all people, most miserable.

However, the resurrection is not a myth or a figment of the imagination of an insane person. Jesus is living proof that the resurrection is a fact. According to Acts 1:3, Jesus presented Himself alive to His apostles by many infallible proofs.

His resurrection sealed the truth of the Word of God and filed all other belief systems in a file under the spirit of error. In light of this fact, we can and should live with eternal values in mind.

Paul is encouraging people to live the life that truly reflects those values. When our actions reflect eternal values, we will never regret those actions. We will continue to spend ourselves in the work of the Lord without the prospect of recognition, because we know something. We will not leave our assigned garden when we do not yet see the fruit of