Picking up from where I left off last week, we are examining how we do church.
Very often, people put Church in a box and do the same old same old. Again, we need to remember that people are not knocking down the doors of the church like they used to. We really need to examine what we need to do different.
Some will set off into ministry and attract people with a show. Shows in of themselves do attract people. But are they effective? Are they drawing people to Christ and to the experience they need to have change come in?
In examining this approach, unless there is some sort of follow up and as long as the show is not the main emphasis, people will have an emotional, “Feel Good” experience. When talking to people who commit their lives to Christ after one of these shows, they usually say something like it felt good.
Shows are not necessarily bad. They can be, like my pastor describes them, “The Fish Net” approach. They can be used to reach more people than we would have otherwise. They help get The Word out about Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. They can also help get the word out about a particular ministry that maybe working in different areas. Where they become a problem is when a church uses them to attract people to “church” every week.
If a church uses this approach for their services, The True Work of The Spirit becomes diminished. People need to hear The Truth and not something that is going to make them feel good. The Church has lost it’s effectiveness because of the focus. And, the shows take a lot of work, you have to do something bigger and better every week to attract people.
Instead, we should be about doing The Work of Our Father. Henry Blackaby, in his book, “Experiencing God”, suggests that we should wait on Our Father and see where He is Working. Once we discover where He is Working, then we join Him in The Work. This means to be in prayer and listening for Him to Lead.
I will continue more with this later. In the meantime, take a look at your ministry/church. Pray and ask Our Father if it is in line with where He is working. Pray for a Revival in The Church. You may even need to pray for a revival in you.
Until next time:
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NKJV): The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”
