hen you drive the church's van, you can come to think after a while that the vehicle belongs to you--after all, other people have to come to you for permission to use it. When you're the treasurer of a church entity, it's easy to believe that the funds you're handling are yours, sort of--after all, you're always at the center of its allocation and disbursement, with heads of departments (and even presidents) paying attention to whether the signal you're sending is red, yellow, or green.

When you're the president, it's easy to consider the church your property--after all, you chair the most powerful committees, wield the greatest influence, and the buck stops at your desk. And in the interest of fairness, even editors of the Review (and here I include myself) can come to think after a while that they own the publication--after all, they decide what gets in print from week to week.

Sometimes certain ethnic groups, more affluent than others, can come to think they own the church, that they have a higher stake in it, a bigger entitlement, a more honored place at the table. After all, who owns the larger share of something--the "little guy" who gives $1 to support it, or the "big thrower" who gives $100? Some of us, our heads swollen by the responsibility entrusted to us, lose the common touch in our interaction with "ordinary Adventist citizens," becoming arrogant toward fellow members seeking access to the services of the church that we control. People leave our offices feeling small, diminished--with the sense they'd bothered us, intruded upon our time when we had more pressing things to do.

Don't get me wrong--someone has to be in charge. And being in charge means the church will hold you responsible (as it should) for what happens under your watch. The treasurer who parcels out money without question to every official or department or cause would be acting irresponsibly. The van driver who gives the key to everyone requesting it or indiscriminately takes everyone wherever they want to go would be delinquent. The editor who puts into publication every well-meaning article that crosses their desk would be doing a disservice to the church. You get the drift. But all who're entrusted with responsibility over persons or property in the church should vigorously police their attitude, seeking always to handle people with deference, dignity, and respect; always aiming to make them feel they belong. And they do--they're "shareholders!"

The entire mood in the church will shift to a higher positive when all members recognize that whether local or worldwide, "the church is the property of God"1 and "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa. 56:7, NIV).

In a few months Adventists will gather in St. Louis, Missouri, from all around the world for the General Conference session. Some will go as delegates, others as special guests, but most as visitors. We contribute to amity within the church when we all understand that those who will be holding delegate or other special badges are not, somehow, more important than those who won't. Delegates, nondelegates, and the millions who will stay at home--we're all in this thing together. One of Jesus' final admonitions for His disciples before His death had to do with pride of place and service (Matt. 20:25-28). How keen He was that we all regard ourselves as on equal terms before the throne of God!

The positions we occupy today won't be ours forever. Sooner or later, we will be replaced, we will retire, we will move on. Someone else will hold the keys we now call ours; someone else will occupy our chair. That's reality. So why don't we just recognize we're only pilgrims passing through God's earthly property, and not take ourselves too seriously?

"The Lord in His wisdom has arranged that by means of the close relationship that should be maintained by all believers, Christian shall be united to Christian and church to church. Thus the human instrumentality will be enabled to cooperate with the divine. Every agency will be subordinate to the Holy Spirit, and all the believers will be united in an organized and well-directed effort to give to the world the glad tidings of the grace of God."2

Isn't that what it's all about?

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1 Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 284.
2 White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 164.