This past year we have been a part of a church plant. This plant started with the desire to be a church that treasures the teaching of God’s Word. There are not many churches in our area that actually live out this conviction in practice. Of course, every church ‘says’ that it reveres God’s Word, but how many actually practice that truth?
Many churches today make the mistake of comparing a church to a company or a business, thinking with the CEO mentality. In The Deliberate Church Dever teaches that ‘a church is not a Fortune 500 company … a healthy church is unlike any organization that man has ever devised, because man didn’t devise it. It only makes sense, then, for us to revisit God’s Word to figure out exactly what He want us to be building.”
God wants us to ‘build’ a church that teaches the Word, reveres the Word, and lives it – no matter the cost. Many people today are saying that we have to make the message attractive – that we have to do certain things to bring people in – but in reality that compromises the Message. “God’s Word has always been His chosen instrument to create, convict, convert, and conform His people … Preaching the content and intent of God’s Word is what unleashes the power of God on the people of God, because God’s power for building His people is in His Word.” (The Deliberate Church)
We don’t have to change the message or make it more relevant to people. We need to go back to the Bible to see how He wants us to build up His body. “God’s Word builds His church. So preaching His Gospel is primary.” (The Deliberate Church) May we be faithful to protect the preaching ministry of our church!
5 comments:
Amen! How exciting! I wish I lived near-by to visit your church.
Less *us*
More *Him*
I love our church and the teaching is so rich. It's amazing to me the concerns that we had for our kids for so many years! "-Does it have a good children's program? -How many kids do you have that are Emma's age?- Is there a good youth program?-How many do you run in Sunday School?" These were such man-centered concerns. God is so much bigger than this. It is so incredible to see my girls love to be at church and love to receive the teaching of God's word even when there isn't someone their age to "lean on". He has provided!
Christina - I wish you could visit too.
Kim - I know what you mean. It's easy to enjoy all of those things and they aren't necessarily bad but often times we have to give up what is most important in order to have those things.
I agree that God's Word must be revered and central to the church. His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit are what change lives.
I do think though that the way we communicate the Message of Christ can be relevant without being watered down. Jesus always communicated in a style that the masses understood, such as using parables about farming. They knew what a mustard seed looked like!
God's Word can never be sacrificed though to bring in people.
I wish I could visit. Somehow I don't think my hubs would enjoy a 12 hour ride to visit a church.
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