What a Church Must Be

 October 6, 2024

Sunday

A church is a gathering of Christians who agree to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Their efforts are focused on reaching people with the Gospel, teaching them the whole of the God’s Word and obeying what they have learned. Each church is unique in the methods employed to achieve their goal of making disciples. That is because each church has a unique collection of members, different environments in each church’s community and a particular history in which the church has existed. Thus, each church must be carefully attuned to hearing God’s call for that church. Simply copying what another church has done may bring what the world calls success, but it does not require a church to be on her knees to hear God’s call. We must be a church on our knees.

I have a quote from C. H. Spurgeon in my office. It says: “Most of us are far to great for God to use us; we can preach as well as anybody, make a sermon with anybody—so we fail! Take care, brethren, for if we think we can do anything of ourselves, all we shall get from God will be the opportunity to try.” Yes, we can copy what others do and see our church grow in size, but we will never see what God truly has for us using this method. We must be a church that hears and obeys God.

Some churches build excitement with their antics. They have superior music and a very motivational preacher. That excitement attracts people. Jesus told His disciples: “You are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” The excitement in the early church came from the works of the Spirit among them. We must be a church full of the Holy Spirit.

This is not the way of many churches. Our responsibility is to be what we need to be rather than telling others why other churches are wrong. Our responsibility is to walk with God regardless of who walks with us. Our hope is that our church is not unique. Revival often spreads to many churches across denominational lines. Churches that walk with God rejoice in His work in other churches. We must be a church that walks with God.

The Bible says that: “All scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” The properly received scripture will make a receptive person equipped for every good work. We must be a church of the Bible.