Are you an owner or a renter at church?


By Brian Malison
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
A friend of mine opened my eyes to a new understanding of being the church. 
He asked me, “Have you ever rented a car?”
Sure I have; lots of times when I travel. 
“OK,” he said, “do you ever rotate the tires of the car you rent?”
Never.
”Have you ever washed the car?”
Not once. 
“Have you ever changed the oil?”
I’ve never given it a thought. 
“But have you done any of those things with the car sitting in your garage?”
Sure I have; many times. 
“Why?”
Because one I’m just using. The other I have an investment in.
My friend wasn’t done with me yet.
“Does your church have mostly ‘renters’ or ‘owners’?”
I looked at him real hard. I was trying to make the connection. He saw the blank look in my eyes.
“You know, do you mostly have people who use the church for their convenience, or do you have mostly people who are committed to the church?”
Tough question to ask; harder question to answer. Are you a renter or an owner?
A renter goes to church (when convenient); an owner is in the church always. A renter worships (occasionally) Sunday mornings; an owner worships every day. 
Renters have ministry done to them; owners do ministry for others. A renter quits when he or she gets tired; an owner never gives up. 
Renters complain when things aren’t going their way; owners pray to have God change their hearts. Renters (occasionally) give their money; owners give their life.
The point is God is inviting us, through Jesus, to be owners—to own the faith that he gives us, to own the cross we are to carry and to own the ministry we have been made to do.