…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
The church that Christ builds is a work that has been ongoing for 2,000 years. Do you know of a work that has lasted non-stop 24/7 for that long? She has been beaten, battered, and at times badly bruised, but she lives under the mandate from God. There is nothing that will stop her until she is caught up the meet the Lord in the air. The best thing that has ever happened in this sin-cursed world is the church that Christ builds. She is the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If you think this world is going to hell in a hand basket, just wait until the Saints go marching in (Louis Armstrong). She will roll and stagger like a drunk man.
Is the church you attend a successful church? Is she strong enough to withstand the powerful forces of hell? What causes some churches to thrive and stay very much alive while others strive to survive? Out of some 40 plus years as an experienced pastor, churches are successful if they remain faithful to the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a church is more concerned about timbers, members, and numbers; it is not the church that Christ builds. The church that Christ builds is a church of worship; a church where the Word of God is taught. She exists because there is fellowship of believers, a servanthood ministry, and where global mission is the main focus.
Note Christ’s five simple words: I will build my church. He is the founder of the church. He will finish what He started. He will build it with precious stones. My church is His church. His church will never fail.
A church with vision. Ezekiel says he sought for a man to stand in the gap and found none (Ezekiel 22:30), Proverbs says: Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18). There are 200 million un-churched people in America. There are enough non-going church people to fill every church in the United States. I bet you know a few of them!
A church of volunteers: “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). The harvest is great/plentiful, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2). I double–dog dare you to raise your hand for a church job.
A church of visitation. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled (Luke 14:23). You will not win all of them if you go, but if you do not go, you will not win any of them.
A church that is vocal. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Go unto all the world and preach the gospel…they must hear the gospel.
A church of victory. Thanks be to God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:57). Christ will conquer anything which attacks the church.
It seems to me…Christ is not the builder of a dead and dying church.
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