Having talked about the Generational Chasm Strategies and the Doctrinal Strategies, let’s talk about the Welfare Strategies. Ephesians 6:11 says “put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil”. So obviously there are strategies against your (helmet of) salvation, (shield of) faith, (belt of) truth, (breastplate of) righteousness, (shoes of) peace and many more. As aforementioned, it will take a lifetime to ascertain all the strategies but all of them are generally summarised under the 3D Strategies as captured in John 10:10. The Welfare Strategies are very dicey and are geared towards the soul and all its emotions.
One of the departments that suffer the most in a true church is welfare. That is very tactical of the enemy. Good messages, Spirit-filled songs, God-ordained church but welfare is suffering. Some spiritual people don’t even know why someone should leave the church because of welfare reasons but we are all human. Not everyone is at the same maturity level. In fact, I’ve never heard anyone leave a church because the messages don’t bless them but someone can leave because the pastor is not friendly. After the spirit is fed, the soul is next. After all, about 50% or even more of pastoral duties is mainly around welfare. So these are aspects we shouldn’t trivialise. Let’s delve in quickly!
Tolerance (Widows of Ephesus)
The church as a support system can easily be treated as a fan club by many. Just like the young widows of Ephesus, they joined the Church because the Church is obliged to help widows and orphans. These women, because their breadwinner was dead, were not working, always idle, wandering from house to house to gossip; busybodies (1 Timothy 5:13). They are doing absolutely nothing but want the church to tolerate them because they wear “widow” like a badge of honour. Paul told Timothy that if a widow is under 60 years, they shouldn’t be added to the number the church is supposed to take care of (1 Timothy 6:9). Some people love their misery because of the privileges it comes with. Don’t tolerate such people. It sounds harsh? Not at all! It rather deters the right people who truly have a need. Give because you are moved in your spirit, not your soul.
There were real widows who had no relatives, always trusting in God for the next meal and had given themselves to prayer for the rest of their lives (1 Timothy 6:5). As a church and even as a person, you ought to put godly boundaries around your generosity. Otherwise, you will begin to tolerate entitled people and fabricated liars. The church should not be burdened with welfare. Yes, we are supposed to take care of each other but not to the detriment of the divine mandate God has given the Church. It’s not a fun club. God intended that the family system should be the first go-to point to solve certain welfare problems. The church as a body can’t pay everyone’s child’s school fees. That is secondary to the main reasons why God established the Body of Christ. That is why Paul said that if anyone does not provide for his household (but expects the church to), that person is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8).
Distraction (the Early Church)
In line with what we are discussing, the early church faced a similar situation. The church had multiplied and some factions began to complain because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution of welfare. This is the story of Acts 6. Jesus had told His disciples to go into the world and make disciples. He didn’t add that they should serve tables. Don’t get me wrong; breaking bread and fellowshipping is a very important aspect of Christian living. However, we ought to resist the temptation of not making the main thing the main thing. If, as a church, you use welfare strategies to win souls for Christ, you have to use welfare strategies to keep them. You can’t dazzle me with entertainment and now you want to bore me with Bible reading.
The apostles passed the test. We are not going to leave the Word of God and serve tables. We are waiters, not in restaurants, but on God. We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:2,4). The divine mandate cannot be delegated so we choose to delegate the welfare. The ministry of the Word and prayer are non-negotiable. In these last days, the devil will plant churches where they don’t pray but eat. A church that satisfies the soul and flesh but leaves out the spirit. After the main things have been done, we can break bread and have fun. Christ ought to be the centre, not the church member.
Self-Righteousness (Ananias & Sapphira)
As we grow in the Lord within our communities, there will be a lot of temptation to look more spiritual than you really are. The supernatural is now replaced in the spectacular as holders of the microphone dazzle the crowd with their soulish gimmicks. Oh my God, a lot of “highly spiritual” people find themselves in this situation. Their prayer life is dead. They don’t read the Bible much. They are still operating under an old unction but their congregation does not notice. They have no sacrifice of righteousness before God anymore but men hold them in a limelight because they appear super-spiritual. No wonder Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites. The messages they preach to others are messages they should preach to themselves. They are different from the message that they carry. Self-righteously, they give in public so all can see. Their welfare is rotten inside but appealing on the outside. That’s the lifestyle Ananias and Sapphira were about to start in the church so that men (instead of God) will be pleased with them. Self-Righteousness is basically doing the right things with the wrong motives.
“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be a good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘play actors’ I call them—treating prayer meetings and street corners alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out. And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people make a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for fifteen minutes of fame! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. (Matthew 6:1-8 MSG version).
There is more; pity, burnout, offence, pleasure and celebrity Gospel. We will discuss them in the coming weeks by God’s Grace. Of course, God has welfare strategies. The devil’s counterfeit is to ensure that we place the soul’s influence above the inner witness of the spirit. Selah!
