How Jesus Builds a Church
I am sure if I could provide a formula for how Jesus builds a church I could sell it and become very wealthy! Every Pastor looks for a quick way to have church growth and success. Unfortunately I have to announce that Jesus gives no formula to build a church because He builds it! If a man builds a church with a formula it is a religious club and not a true church.
In Matthew 16:18, 19 Jesus announced that He will build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. In other words the gates of hell will try to prevail anything Jesus builds! But they will not succeed.
In the Old Testament God looked for a man He could trust and found Abraham. He tested him and tried his faith until He was sure Abraham would not hold back anything He asked. Then he blessed him and blessed his children and made a nation out of him. He turned one man into an assembly of people.
God still works the same way. He looks for a man, a couple or a family that He can work through to build a church.
In Coron Island, Palawan, in the Philippines a lady prayed for many years for a church and then God sent a man to plant a church. That church is now part of Harvester International. I preached there with Hilton.
Once a church is started certain people gravitate towards it to help to get it off the ground. They seldom stay on once the work is established. They tend to move from church plant to church plant. It is their choice though.
A core of believers is established that operate in unity of faith, united in heart and purpose. New converts are added to the core of the church as they come into agreement with the basic tenets of faith.
The believers support the work of God with tithes and offerings so that there is food in the storehouse of God. The five-fold ministry begins to develop so that believers are equipped for the work of the ministry so that each one finds a function. Eventually the full measure of the stature of Christ will be experienced in the church. As each believer does their share it causes the growth of the church: in other words: each believer reaches out to other people outside the church, ministers to them and brings them into the church. (Ephesians 4:16)
The Lord adds believers to the Church and eventually multiplies the number of believers. There is no set strategy: He does it the way He wants to. In the book of Acts the church grew because of various different things. One of those things was when Ananias & Sapphira lied against the Holy Spirit and both fell down dead. Then the church grew! It is not a formula to follow!
On another occasion Peter & John healed a cripple man and were arrested and put into prison. They were severely beaten. When they were set free the church grew! Who would like to follow that pattern?
Modern church growth patterns are based on multi-level selling pyramid schemes that follow a strict pattern to make a church grow. But it is not Christ centered. Yes it grows like a business or a club would grow but it is not Christ building His church. Either Christ or a man is building the church. Which one do you prefer?
The Lord continually purifies and cleanses the Church with His blood as they walk in the truth and have fellowship with God and each other. (I John 1:7,8) He sanctifies them and gives gifts to men. The Holy Spirit hands out the spiritual gifts as He sees fit so that everyone may benefit. God is in charge of the operation.
As a church obeys the great commandment to love and fulfill the great commission to go to other nations to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God is enlarged and God’s plan of redemption is complete.
The believers care for each other in the household of faith and then reach out to the community. They keep the command to have communion when they meet together to remember the death of Christ by breaking bread and drinking wine together.
Through prayer they stay in contact with God and learn to obey His Word. Life completely changes for them and they come to have a completely different perspective on life, things and people.
Jesus is Lord over the Church, the Head of the Church. He is in charge. The leadership is under-shepherds doing the work among the people. They are not to lord it over the people as some Pastors do, but be servants to them.
Humility and meekness are earmarks of a church that Jesus builds. It is His nature. But there is also spiritual authority to heal the sick and cast out demons in His Name.
All the glory and honor belongs to God. People come to church to give thanks to the Lord and to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The Holy Spirit shows them things to come and leads and guides them into all truth and reminds them of the words of Jesus.
The Kingdom values emanate throughout the church and righteousness is by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross; peace and joy in believing are permanent values under all circumstances.
The Church that Jesus builds is full of glory and unspeakable joy! It is the portal of heaven on earth. We connect with the eternal church and preach the eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ.
