Do Seeker-Sensitive Programs Win Cities for Christ?

Which of the following is found in the Bible?

A) “Whatever town or village you enter, search out the needs of the people with surveys and research, and then develop services, programs, and facilities to meet those needs.”

B) “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave....If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.”

C) “Whatever town or village you enter, win the city for Christ, boldly declaring your mission statement, getting involved in politics and civic groups, and trying to persuade everyone to live according to your moral code and to believe exactly the way you do.”

(For help, see Matt. 10:11-15)

Many modern-day church planters and church growth experts spend countless hours and millions of dollars on surveys, research, and ad campaigns to build churches that put on compelling performances and run programs that meet the felt needs of the community. But is that Biblical church? Is that what Jesus told his disciples to do when he sent them out to do ministry in His name? Is that what the Apostle Paul told Timothy, Titus, and the others to do? Is that the Biblical pattern for church planting and church growth?

The obvious answer is, “No, that is not what they did. Jesus told his followers to go out and proclaim the kingdom of God and make disciples. Paul and other New Testament writers say that we are to preach the Good News of Jesus, his sacrificial death and resurrection, and take the truths of Scripture and pass them on to good people who can then take them to others. The Biblical pattern is one of proclaiming Jesus through discipling relationships.”

Think about that for a minute or two. What is the emphasis of your local church? What are its goals and purposes? Is the proclamation of Jesus and the nurturing of discipling relationships foremost? Or is it more important to get people to attend certain services or support worthy programs? Is the focus upon adding people to the congregation through attracting them to services and programs or is it upon multiplying believers by teaching them to share their faith and build redemptive relationships?

As many other authors have pointed out, multiplication of believers is the path to true church growth. Adding people by attracting them to services and programs tends to boost numbers in the short-term but often falls short in bringing people to maturity. Think about these things and ask the Lord how to apply them to your life, church, and ministry.

And, while you are thinking about your life and ministry, don't feel bad if some people didn't respond positively to the Good News of Jesus. Many will reject Him and His message through you. Jesus told his disciples this several times and they were to simply move on and find some good people who would receive the Message with joy and thanksgiving. The disciples were to then spend time with them teaching them the things that they had learned from Jesus.

The plan and message were quite simple but somehow over the centuries we have gotten it wrong. We think that we should be able to go into a new area and “win the city for Christ.” We think everyone should accept the Good News and join our church and when they don't we are disappointed and feel like failures. We think everyone should adopt the moral code that we believe in and when people oppose us we can become judgmental and bitter.

The way to escape this trap is to avoid it in the first place. Understand that many people rejected Jesus and His message and many will reject you as well. Don't set lofty goals of winning everyone you meet to Jesus or establishing a Christian moral code that everyone must follow. Instead, be like Jesus and love everyone you meet regardless of their faith or morals. Invite people to follow Jesus, rejoicing when they do and crying for them when they don't.

Bringing it all together, then, don't let your ministry focus be upon numerical growth, finances, buildings, or programs. Focus instead on being like Jesus, loving people and loving God, and nurturing redemptive relationships that bring people to Christ and continued growth in Him. Don't set lofty goals or create expectations that will make you and others be driven to achieve in your own power. Instead, spend time drawing near to God and being led of the Spirit as to what you will do each day or accomplish in each season of life.

When God's agenda becomes your agenda instead of you trying to make it work the other way around, you will find great joy and satisfaction in serving God without carrying the baggage of your own unmet expectations and lofty aspirations. You will finally be content as you look forward to that day when Jesus looks you in the eye and says, “Well done, loyal and faithful servant.”

Let's Pray Together: Lord, I long for that day when you say to me, “Well done...” For now, though, and for as many days as you give me on this earth, help me to focus not on man-made goals but upon being like You and loving people like you did. Help me to focus on building relationships rather than building numbers, programs, or facilities. All that stuff is great, but it is just stuff. I want to focus on what is really important, on being like You and leading people to grow in You by spending time with them. Teach me how to be intentional and purposeful as I nurture redemptive discipling relationships. Show me who to spend time with and how I can make this work in my life. I love you, Lord, and want to please You and You alone. Lead me now as I pray...(continue praying as you are led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

How Do You Define "Church"?

Which of the following is the Biblical definition of “church,” or in other words, what did Jesus have in mind when he told Peter “On this rock I will build my church.”

A) A church is a building and Jesus was a carpenter so he was telling Peter that He would build a magnificent cathedral with towering steeples and awe-inspiring décor.

B) A church is a worship service and Jesus was telling Peter that He would establish a Sunday morning program where the multitudes could come and receive the blessings and wisdom of the clergy.

C) A church is an assembly of people called out from the general population so Jesus was telling Peter that He would build a body of people who would be called out to follow Him.

The well-educated among us will be quick to point out that the answer is “C” and that the Greek word for church is “ekklesia” and it refers to “an assembly; a gathering of people called out of their homes to meet in some public place.” (Thayer's Greek Lexicon) Greeks originally used it to refer to representatives coming together in a public place to debate the issues of the day. Christians began using the term as Jesus did, to refer to an assembly of Christ-followers who came together for worship, teaching, and mutual encouragement.

However, in today's culture, this original meaning has been overlooked and at times seems to be completely lost. People everywhere, whether well-educated to the original meaning or not, use the word “church” to refer to a worship service or a building: “Are you going with us to church this morning?” or “I left my casserole pan at the church.”

To many people it might seem as if I am splitting hairs here and it really doesn't make much difference how we use the word “church” and what the original meaning is. But take just a minute or two to think about it more. What are we losing when we begin to think about the church as a building rather than the people? What are we losing when we begin to think about the church as a worship service or performance that we attend rather than a group of people of which we are a valuable part?

When we routinely refer to the church as something outside of ourselves, whether it be a building constructed and maintained by others or a worship service dominated by others or even an organization led by others, we cheat ourselves out of our proper place as a valuable member of the body of Christ. We see ourselves as outsiders looking in instead of a valuable part of the body. We stand back and criticize instead of being part of a solution. Problems are seen as someone else's problems and not our own. We lose out on the joy and fulfillment of serving God and his people because we are standing on the outside looking at the church rather than being the church.

So try to change your thinking a bit and help others along the way by the calling the church building the church facility, campus, or building. Call the Sunday morning service a worship service or Sunday celebration or whatever is an appropriate name for the meeting. And when people ask you why you are making changes to your vocabulary, just tell them, “It is because the church is the people! And we need each and every member of the church to realize that he or she is a valuable part of what God is doing in us and in our community. The church is not a building, service, or organization. We are the church; we must come together and be the church!”

Let's Pray Together: Lord, help me to see Your church the way you see it, as people and relationships rather than buildings and services. Open my eyes so that I can see all that the church can be and should be. Reveal to me any mistakes I have made or misguided ideas that I might have about the church. Thank you that any mistakes I have made are covered by the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross provides forgiveness not only for me but all who call on Your name. Thank you that you see Your church as a radiant bride, pure and without blemish, perfect in every way through the cross of Christ. Help me to see people as you see them and help me to forgive my brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I have had disagreements and hard feelings. I forgive these people I bring before you now...(continue praying as you feel led...)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Qualities of a Church Leader

Which of the following statements reflect the values of your church? Which statement reflects the values described in the New Testament?

A) Prospective church leaders should be evaluated by their job experience and their ministry skills: proven ability to grow a church, excellent communication skills in preaching and writing, exceptional organizational leadership skills, and the people skills to provide pastoral care and persuade the church council to follow his or her vision for the church.

B) Prospective church leaders should be evaluated by their character: above reproach, trustworthy, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, upright, holy and disciplined. He must not be given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money nor pursuing dishonest gain. He must love what is good and hold firmly to the teachings of the Bible.

Most of us will recognize that the list in “B” is a compilation of qualifications for church leadership found in 1 Timothy and Titus. And in like manner, most of us can likely agree that when it comes time to search for a pastor, priest, or staff member the emphasis is on "A", on the kind of skills they have and what they can do for the congregation. The focus is upon what they can do for us rather than who they are. In fact, in many cases, the incoming church leader isn't even known by those selecting him. (Sure, we get resumes and references and the like. We can even go online and listen to their sermons and look at their Facebook page. But do we really know them?)

The New Testament paints a much different picture. Church leaders are raised up from within a local church body and everyone knows their character because they know them as people that they have loved and served alongside of for an extended period of time. There is no need to launch a nationwide search for someone they don't know; instead they recognize that there are qualified church leaders in their midst.

Granted, they might not be as skillful as the seasoned professional minister but is church supposed to be a performance by skilled professionals or is it supposed to be a meeting of the family of God who come together to encourage and care for one another? Do we really need the most skilled preachers and musicians or is it more important that we have leaders that we know and trust?

Honest contemplation to questions like these just might bring some change to our process for developing and selecting church leaders. We might find that the New Testament pattern of taking the things that we have learned and then imparting them to good men and women that we know and trust so that they too can become leaders might be the way to go after all. Maybe it's not such a great idea to send our best young people off to a distant Bible college or seminary and then try to recruit strangers to come and lead our church. Perhaps it is true that, as Paul writes in Ephesians, that God has given gifts of men and women church leaders to each church so that they can equip the rest of the body for the work of the ministry.

Every local church and situation is different so God might lead us different ways at different times. He is Lord of the Church and He does call people to go to various places to plant new churches or strengthen existing ones. But, in general, a healthy church ought to see people coming to Christ, growing in Him, and becoming leaders who then reproduce themselves. That is the goal. That is what we should strive to achieve – raising up and releasing church leaders of known character who can lead a church they know and love into everything that God has for that church.

Let's Pray Together:

Lord, help me to find the ministry or place in church leadership that you have for me. Help me to see the church as you do, as the family of God coming together for mutual edification and encouragement rather than a performance by a few for an applauding audience. Help me to recognize good people to whom I can impart what You have taught me. Raise up church leaders with character from within our local church so that we might have quality Spirit-led leaders whom we know and trust without doing extensive searches to bring in a stranger. Hear my prayers for my church and these leaders that I bring before you now....

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Church Leadership: Wisdom of Man or Wisdom of God

“I know the New Testament pattern for church leadership is a group of leaders made up of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, but it just will not work. We have a hard time getting two or three people to agree together, let alone five or even more!”

The denominational leader quoted above went on to say that because of our individualistic culture and lack of unity in the church we should ignore the plain instruction of Scripture. Of course, it wasn’t said in exactly those words, but it was clear that the wisdom of man took precedence over Biblical teaching. It was basically the same argument that is made for premarital sex – everyone does it and it makes good sense so why go through the hardship of following what the Bible says?

The reason we ought to follow the Bible (as if obedience to the Lord is not enough) is that God’s wisdom is far superior to man’s. He knows what He is talking about. He knows the way that church leadership ought to be structured. And if we have problems with His leadership model, the problem most likely lies with us rather than Him.

In other words, if the church is in such disunity that people can’t come to a consensus and work together, then perhaps there are serious issues in their relationship with God and with one another that have to be resolved. Leaders might have to do the hard work of forgiving one another and loving one another and being ministers of reconciliation. They would have to really know one another and share their lives and not just come together once a month for a 90-minute meeting controlled by agendas and Robert’s Rules of Order rather than the leading of the Holy Spirit and loving concern for others.

This is a call for a radical change in many churches where agendas are made by professional staff and decisions are made by democratic vote. What would happen if the average person in the pew were empowered to use their spiritual gifts on a regular basis in the same way that the paid clergy and staff do? What would happen if church leaders didn’t leave meetings with a bitter heart over a vote that didn’t go their way but instead were a part of a group of leaders that were committed to loving one another and sharing each other’s lives so that they would have strong enough relationships to work through divisive issues and come to a consensus? (Think of Acts 15, where a very divisive issue was worked through and the church leaders were able to voice their opinions and then come to a consensus where they could say, “It seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us that….”)

The heart of the matter, then, is that making these kinds of changes would be hard work, but it would be worth it. It would be taking the narrow road of following Biblical instruction when we are so used to taking the broad road of the wisdom of man. It would mean organizing our churches and ministries after the New Testament pattern rather than the organizational structures of corporations or businesses. It would mean putting love for God and others ahead of numerical growth, increased offerings, or building programs.

These kinds of changes are radical, but we serve a radical God. If we take Him at His word and pattern our church leadership structures the way He tells us to, then we will experience His power and blessing in ways that were not possible under the man-made hierarchical leadership model. For people will be empowered to minister, the weight of church leadership will be spread out across the shoulders of many people, and we who follow Christ will be known for our unity and for our love for one another, just as Jesus taught and prayed.

Let’s Pray Together: “Lord Jesus, you taught us to love one another. And when you prayed for us, you prayed that we would be in unity, that we would be one with you just as you and the Father are one. Help me to bring unity to the body of Christ within my sphere of influence. Lead me in my conversations with church leaders and use me to suggest changes and encourage others to follow the Biblical pattern of church leadership. Lead me as I lift before you these church leaders and situations that come to mind…”

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Which Title Is Right For You?

Which of the following was said by Jesus?

A) "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

B) "But you are to be called 'Rabbi,' for you are like your Master and you are to teach your brothers. And call your spiritual leader 'Father,' for he represents your Father in heaven. You can also be called 'Teacher,' for you follow the Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be served well if they hold to these titles. For whoever exalts himself will never be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will never be exalted.”

C) “"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. Instead, you should take proper titles for yourselves such as Pastor, Senior Pastor, Bishop, Minister, Reverend, Right Reverend or even Very Right Reverend. Those with the greatest titles will be greatly exalted.

(For help, see Matt 23:8-12)

Which one of the above was said by Jesus? Which one is followed in your church tradition? If you can honestly say that your church follows what Jesus actually said in “A” then you are truly blessed with Christ-like leaders.

Unfortunately, many if not most of us live in a church tradition where we act as if Jesus said “B” or “C” or some combination of the two. Church leaders are given titles that exalt them and place them above everyone else. It is assumed that since they went to seminary and have jumped through the appropriate hoops then they must have a better relationship with God than the rest of us and are holier than the average person in the pew.

Sadly, this is often not the case. Quite often the person up front has become good at leading meetings, preaching, and praying publicly but deep inside they haven't developed the vibrant relationship with God that we think they have nor do they have the Christ-like character that a church leader ought to have. In short, they are often just ordinary people like you and me. They have their strengths but they also have their faults. They might have extraordinary ministry skills like speaking and praying for people but still have character flaws like the rest of us.

That is why Jesus warns us against giving church leaders exalted titles and making them equal with God. For even though our local church pastor or priest might have every good intention, he or she is human and might make a mistake and misrepresent God. They might fall into unintentional sin or might even become deceived or weak and fall into some kind of intentional and willful behavior that causes a lot of hurt for their followers. Church leaders can even become so separated from God that they become manipulative, self-seeking, and abusive. When a self-exalting “spiritual leader” such as this is seen as being from God and representing Him, the result is toxic. It is pure poison to their followers' relationship with God and it brings spiritual wounds and even spiritual death to those who mistakenly trusted that their pastor/priest was a true representation of God.

This is why Jesus says that we have one Heavenly Father, one God in heaven, and his earthly representatives are to be humble and loving and self-sacrificing as Jesus was rather than being self-exalting lovers of titles and positions.

Thank God that there are many clergy today who do have a vibrant relationship with God and do have Christ-like humility and character. If you know someone like that, thank God for them and let him or her know how much you appreciate them. Encourage them and support them in prayer.

If, on the other hand, you have been hurt by a self-exalting clergy man or woman, take that person and situation to the Lord and pray for them. Ask the Lord to bring healing to those who have been hurt, including you, and pray for God's justice and healing for the clergy person who went astray from God's will.

And finally, if you recognize yourself in the description of a clergy person who has strayed from the will of God, ask God to forgive you and help you to get back into the center of His will. Repent of what needs to be repented of, change what needs to be changed, and do what you can to make it right with those you have hurt.

As for all those titles for church leaders that we all love to use, consider the words of Jesus and pray about simplifying things by simply calling each other by our first names or by “brother” or “sister.” For we are all on equal ground at the foot of the cross, we are all saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and to exalt one person above another goes against the clear teaching of Jesus.

Let's Pray Together: Lord, thank you that we are all on equal footing at the foot of the cross and that you don't see any one of us as more important or more valuable than another. Help me to see people just like you do. Lead me as I pray today... (pray as the Lord leads according to whatever situation you are in as described above)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Why Is Professional Ministry So Hard?

Heard by a fly on the wall in a meeting of denominational leaders: “Why is it so hard to find pastors these days? When we graduated back in the day young men were lining up to have their shot at being a pastor! And why are so many pastors burning out and quitting the ministry? Every day dozens if not hundreds of pastors call it quits and nearly as many churches are closing their doors. What is wrong, what has changed?”

The conversation that was birthed by the comments above ranged from the obvious pressures of church leadership – the responsibilities of being a leader, the weight of the church, the midnight calls for pastoral care, the conflicts with people, the countless hours of meetings and sermon preparation, the backseat pastors and the frontrow critics – the list of lamentations went on and on. But not one person brought out the unfortunate truth – God never intended the entire weight of the church to be on the shoulders of one man.

Nowhere in the New Testament does the Apostle Paul or anyone else describe the role of the senior pastor and how many hours he should put in and how much he and his professional staff should get paid to take care of the laypeople. Instead, Paul draws a picture of a church body where everyone plays a part and everyone grows in the Lord and everyone is a servant of God. The weight of the church and the responsibilities of leading meetings, teaching the Word, and shepherding people is not laid upon one person but upon a group of Spirit-led leaders who get their direction from the Head of the body and then carry out His instructions to the members of the body. Unity among the church leadership comes from staying connected to the Head so that they can then move together in unity to direct the affairs of the church, teach the Word, and care for the people.

And yes, those that teach the Word are worthy of double honor and those that put in many hours of service for the church and the Lord are worthy of compensation. However, college degrees and ministerial licenses are not required for a church leadership position and the lack of a degree or ministerial license does not disqualify a person from church leadership or being able to teach the Bible or lead a service or meeting. In fact, a healthy church body will grow its own church leaders on its own without the help of Bible colleges and seminaries. It will simply be what happens as the church represents Christ to the lost and invites newcomers to follow Jesus and grow in Him and become leaders in His body.

In a healthy expression of the Body of Christ the distinction between the clergy and the laity, between those who are “ministers” and those who are not, is not emphasized for if all the ministry is being done by one or two “ministers” while the rest of the members of the body become immobile, the body becomes dysfunctional and crippled as many if not most of the members cease to do the work of Christ simply for lack of exercising the gifts and callings that God placed within them.

In other words, the Body of Christ as expressed in many local churches today is quite literally crippled by a reliance on one or two professional ministers or a senior pastor and staff to do the work that ought to be done by a whole body of believers. Many sincere Christians today have become paralyzed by a belief that the work of the ministry is supposed to be done by only a handful of people who have a special calling on their lives.

We have totally ignored whole portions of Scripture like 1 Corinthians 12, where the church is described as a body, and Ephesians Chapter 4, where the church is described as being led by a group leaders made up of prophets, apostles, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. There are many other Scriptures that speak of this, especially about the church being a body and every member having spiritual gifts and diverse abilities, but for now we will leave those topics for another chapter.

Before we close for now, though, let's answer the question the denominational leaders were wrestling with: “Why is it hard to find pastors? Why are so many pastors leaving professional ministry?”

It's because God never intended the weight of the church to be on one person's shoulders. It was meant to be spread out over the whole body of Christ. He clearly shows us that in the Bible but we have chosen to ignore His instruction and we have done so at our own peril. We justify it by saying it's the way we have always done it but that does not make it right nor functional. The present-day hierarchial church structure is based upon traditions that syncretized into the church from pagan religions and are not Biblical. It is time for a change. It is time to discover what Biblical church looks like and make the changes necessary to become the church described in the New Testament.

Let's Pray Together:

Lord, give me a vision for the church as You want it to be. Show me what my place is in your church, as a leader, as a servant, or as both, or whatever it is you want me to be. Help me to rise up and be the person of God you want me to be and help me to encourage others to do the same. Speak to those in my local church who see themselves as spectators and help them to see that they are valuable members of your Body.... (continue praying along these lines as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Whose Yoke Are You Under?

Which of the following did Jesus say:

A) “Take my yoke upon you and burn bright for me, for even if you burn out you will have eternal rest for your soul. For my yoke is worthy of your best effort and my burden is yours to bear.”

B) “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

(See Matthew 11:29-30 if you are not sure.)

“Take my yoke and learn from me, you can bear the burden easily...” says the Lord. So why are so many of us, especially those of us who are “in the ministry,” struggle so much? Why are there so many former pastors and ministry leaders out there who have quit in discouragement and some who have even fallen away from the Lord? Why is being a pastor or church/ministry leader so hard? Could it be that we have taken on a yoke that was never ours to pull? Could it be that we have taken on burdens that were never ours to bear? Could it be that we are single-handedly carrying burdens that were meant to be shared with others or with God?

Absolutely! We have taken on the yokes of others – what other people want us to do and be – and confused them with the yoke the Lord has placed upon our shoulders. His yoke is easy and His burden is light but the expectations of council members, denominational leaders, and the average person in the pew weigh heavily upon us. We try to please everyone by running here, there, and everywhere and doing this, that, and the other thing while the Lord is patiently waiting saying, “Wait a minute, slow down, I didn't call you to do all that other stuff. I called you to be devoted to Me and to partner with Me in proclaiming the Good News and making disciples.”

Let's think about this together. Are you in danger of burning out and quitting because you can't meet all the expectations and carry all the burdens that people have placed upon you? Is your local church weak because it is overburdened with church stuff and people's expectations that have nothing to do with what the Lord wants the church to do and be? Have the things that were once your passion – sharing the Good News, making disciples, praying for people – become your profession?

In many churches in America today the work of the ministry is left for the paid professionals while the majority of believers form an approving audience that does it's part by putting money in the offering plate and standing up to applaud on Pastor's Appreciation Sunday. Sure, it makes the pastors feel good to be appreciated and supported financially while the audience gets good teaching and weekly encouragement, but is that God's best for everyone concerned? Is it Biblical?

The answer is obviously a resounding “NO!” It's not God's best nor is it Biblical. God's best for everyone in the church is for everyone to be in a passionate relationship with Him, not just a few. His best is that everyone would have the opportunity to discover their gifts and talents and then serve Him in ways that bring them joy and fulfillment. God's best is for the congregation to be an army of ambassadors that share the Good New with whomever they meet rather than audience that is unequipped to talk to an acquaintance about Jesus or pray for a co-worker.

Many churches today are weak and many church leaders are over-burdened because we have taken what should be a passion of all believers – serving God – and made it a profession for a few. The light and easy yoke of serving Jesus becomes a heavy burden of church stuff and people's expectations when we exalt ourselves as professionals and ignore the callings of those in our congregation.

As we get ready to go to prayer, let me ask you this, “Do you do what you do in church because you have to in order to get a paycheck or to please people or do you do it because you get to, because it is a joy and a privilege to serve God and His people?” Your answer to that question will guide your prayer time today. If you do it because you have to, confess that to the Lord and ask Him to help you sort out what He wants you to do and what burdens others are putting upon you so that you can make the necessary changes. If you consider it a great privilege and joy to serve, rejoice in the Lord, thanking Him that His burden is light and praying that others would be able to enter into that special place of serving the Lord with joy.

Let's Pray Together...

Lord, you know me better than I know myself. I need you to help me sort out which burdens are from you and which ones are from others..... Help me to know which burdens are mine to carry with your help and which ones I should share with other people..... Give me grace to be able to move into that special place where serving You is a joy and a privilege.....

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Brother Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

What Makes A Church Strong?

Which of the following is Biblical:

A) When you come together, make sure that only the most polished preachers and skilled musicians lead the service. There must be excellence in all aspects for the strengthening of the church.

B) When you come together, allow only those with a seminary degree to speak, lead a service, or celebrate communion. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

C) When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

(See 1 Cor 14:26-27 NIV)

Most students of the Bible will recognize that “C” is the correct answer. But how many of us believe it and put it into practice? Most churches in the U.S. today practice “A” or “B” or both. In other words, their weekly meetings are led by degree-holding polished professionals who do the teaching, praying, encouraging, etc. Week after week, meeting after meeting, the same handful of people minister to the same audience in the same way time after time without any regard to the Biblical instruction that the Holy Spirit will give one person a song, another a word, still another a prophecy or prayer, and that by everyone participating the church will be strengthened.

It's amazing, really, that in the U.S. today people talk about how the church has become weak but it seems that few people are searching the Scriptures to find out what it is that strengthens a church. The Apostle Paul lays it out pretty clearly in 1 Corinthians Chapters 12-14, where he describes the church as the Body of Christ and how each member must do its part out of love for each other and the Lord.

It seems pretty straight-forward – when we get together the emphasis should be upon the Holy Spirit empowering various people to impart spiritual gifts such as teaching, encouraging, giving words of knowledge and wisdom, prophesying, healing, speaking in tongues, etc. And it should all be done with love for if we don't have love it will just be a whole lot of worthless noise.

So then, if Scripture is so clear about what our meetings should be like, why don't we do it that way? Fear. Fear that someone will say something heretical or wrong. Fear that we might have to correct someone publicly. Fear that disorder might enter into the meeting. Fear that if we allow others to teach, pray, and lead the service then we might not be needed as much. Fear that someone else might teach, pray, or lead better than we do. Fear that if we change things people might not come. Fear that we might even lose our paycheck or position.

So fear plays a big part of it, if we think about it. But often we don't even think about it. We just continue holding services and meetings the way we always have simply because we have always done it that way and that was the way they taught us to do it in Bible college or seminary. We don't even think about shaping our services to fit the Biblical pattern or to fulfill Biblical aims like loving one another, encouraging one another, praying for one another, bearing one another's burdens, sharing spiritual gifts, etc. We simply focus on the teaching one another, with the teacher being the degree-holder and the students being the rest of the congregation.

With there being so much good teaching online and in the media these days, isn't it about time that we shift the emphasis of our services and meetings to doing all the other one-anothers that we are commanded to do in the New Testament? Isn't it time to structure things in a way that the whole Body can function and people can share their spiritual gifts? Isn't it time that we begin emphasizing loving one another and allowing time for people to develop real and redeeming relationships during our meeting times?

We must get away from a leader-centric meeting and move to a Spirit-led meeting where everyone is encouraged to participate. Yes, it might mean that we need many more smaller congregations and fewer huge congregations. Mega-churches might need to break up their main Sunday meetings into smaller congregations where everyone can participate. Some of us might have to swallow our pride and take a back seat sometimes. But it will all be worth it. For when the whole Body begins to function as it was designed to, the church of Christ as a whole will be much stronger for it.

Let's Pray Together....

Lord, show me your place in your plan for our local church meetings. Give me the courage to make whatever changes you are calling me to make. Give me the wisdom and the right words to speak to the leaders of my local church. Give me the boldness to speak forth your words and impart spiritual gifts whenever the time is right in our church meetings and in our community....(continue praying as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

What is Your Church Known For?

Jesus said which one of the following statements:

A) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you are sensitive to those seeking Me."

B) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if your preaching and worship singing get many hits on YouTube and Spotify."

C) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have excellency in your performances, programs, buildings, and clothing."

C) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

(For help, see John 13:35)

Most of us are quite aware that Jesus said we are to be known by our love for one another. But how much time do we give to loving people? How often do we go the extra mile or give the extra time to comfort someone or encourage the downcast soul? How many hours a week do we give to loving people? And how does that compare to the amount of hours we give to preparing for our Sunday morning performance? How does it compare to the number of hours we give to planning programs or making sure the facility is clean and ready?

If we are really going to be known by our love for one another, we had better spend more time doing the “one-anothers” of the New Testament: loving one another, caring for one another, carrying one another's burdens, praying for one another, encouraging one another, exhorting one another, teaching one another. On a typical Sunday morning in many churches the only one-another that gets done is the teaching one another, although that is usually always the same person teaching everyone else every Sunday. There isn't a whole lot of one-another to it. The same could be said of prayer – prayer happens but it is often the same leader praying for everyone else rather than people actually praying for one another.

Perhaps the Apostle Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

If Paul were writing today, perhaps it would have went like this:

“If I speak to stadiums filled with people, but have not love, I am nothing, I am only a noisy alarm annoying everyone around. If I have all wisdom and am listened to by millions on podcasts and videos all around the world but have not love, I am nothing. If I work harder than you all and publish more books and build larger buildings and have more name recognition but have not love, I gain nothing.”

Whatever gifts and talents God has given you and me, let's be careful to love one another first and foremost. If we get caught up in the pursuit of worldly success and fail to love, we gain nothing. We might be on TV or have a large following on Twitter, but real fame will come from loving our neighbors and co-workers, being a loving husband or wife or parent or whatever we are to those around us. Real success is found in loving people and loving God rather than building a ministry or a church.

Let's Pray Together:

Father, help me to love those around me, even when it is time-consuming or inconvenient. Let my love be like yours – backed up by action and not just an emotion. Help me to set an example to others by loving even those who are difficult to love. May it be true of me and my church that we are known for our love for one another. Help me and my church leaders to understand that loving people is foremost and all the programs and performances should take a backseat to loving people and doing the one-anothers. I pray for these church leaders that I bring before you now... (continue praying as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Church Leaders: Elders, Pastors, or Priests?

Which of the following is a correct quote?

A) To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

B) To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the senior pastor and staff:

C) To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the bishop and priests:

(See Philippians 1:1 if you are not sure.)

A) From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

B) From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the senior pastor and other staff of the church.

C) From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the priests and nuns of the church.

(See Acts 20:17 if you are not sure.)

A) The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor...

B) The senior pastor who directs the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor...

C) The priest who directs the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor...

(See Timothy 5:17 if you are not sure)

By now most have you have it figured out – in every case the correct answer was “A” and the Biblical text referred to churches who have a plurality of leaders called elders who led the people and directed the affairs of the church. And if you thought the list above was kind of long and repetitive, it wasn't nearly as long as it could have been – there are many Biblical references to churches being led by elders!

Which begs the question, how many verses are there in the Bible that talk about churches being led by a senior pastor, a priest, a reverend, or any of the many other titles we give the head church leader? None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. There aren't any. Not even one. Heirarchical top-down dictatorship is not the Biblical model. Not even when it is modified by democratic processes such as elections and church boards. The overwhelming evidence is that God intended for His local churches to be led by a plurality of leaders called elders who were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers who led the people, taught the Word, and directed the affairs of the church.

The Biblical evidence is so overwhelming and the concept is so simple to understand, why don't we do church leadership the way that the Bible tells us to more often? In most other areas of life – in our morals, our marriages, our behavior – we look to the Bible to be our guide and tell us what is right and what is wrong. Why don't we do the same when it comes to church leadership? Why do we insist that churches ought to be led by one man (or woman) when plural leadership is so clearly called for in the Bible? Plural leadership is seldom exercised for a variety of reasons, but here are three of the most common reasons given for ignoring the Biblical pattern for church leadership:

1) “It's always been that way.” We have been doing the current model of church led by a senior pastor/priest/reverend for centuries. Whole denominations are built on a top-down power structure and it would be very difficult to re-organize everything to a plural leadership structure where decisions are made by consensus and the leading of the Holy Spirit (as in Acts 15).

2) “I might lose my position.” If denominational structures were to change, men and women currently in power might have to share their authority or even step down from their position. Full-time paid positions held by a few might turn into part-time or volunteer postions held by many. Full-time senior pastors and full-time professional staff might be replaced by a team of teachers, worship leaders, administrators, and helpers. Those in charge of the status quo have every reason to maintain the status quo.

3) “Plural leadership would never work.” Many sincere church leaders simply believe plural leadership would be too messy – too many meetings, people wouldn't get along, decisions wouldn't be made due to lack of agreement. There is a certain amount of wisdom to this view, but it is man's wisdom that comes from being in adversarial meetings where egos and agendas rule the day and the Holy Spirit, prayer, and Biblical values are ignored. Plural leadership worked in the book of Acts and is working well in many churches today, especially in churches that understand servant leadership and are committed to moving together in love and unity.

So with so many people aligned against plural leadership, why should we bother to bring it up? Why contend for change? Because it is Biblical; it is the way God intended churches to be. We ignore Biblical truth to our own peril; many churches are weak today because they are led by one or two paid professionals who spend more time trying to please their customers rather than pleasing God. We have bought into a consumer model of church where a select few do all the work while everyone else sits around and votes on their performance with their feet and their pocketbooks. Success is measured in terms of finances and attendance rather than lives being changed or God being pleased.

We must get back to Biblical church if we are to have any hope of being the Body of Christ that God intends us to be. As long as one or two people are calling the shots and a handful of people are doing the ministry, the majority of the Body (80%? 90%?) is sitting idle, doing very little for God, failing to be the light of the world or ambassadors for Christ. This silent majority may go to church on Sunday or watch on YouTube but they are not being an active part of the Body of Christ and the Body is weaker because of it.

Let's Pray Together... Lord, I want to be an active member of the Body of Christ, not a spectator. I know others feel the same way; help me to encourage others to be active members of the Body and not just spectators. Help me and my church leaders to make room for everyone to participate and be a part of Your Body. Give me and my church leaders wisdom in how to make changes that would make our local church body more in line with the plural leadership model that is described in the New Testament. I pray for these leaders now that I bring before you... (continue praying as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

We Serve a Great God!

The eternal security of millions of people depends upon you picking up the phone right now and making that gift...”

The radio pitchman making that claim and trying to pursuade his listeners to give to the campaign to buy a bigger transmitter and reach more people for Christ likely had a good heart and righteous intentions – he simply wanted to raise money so that the Good News of Jesus can spread across a wider area and more people will hear the Gospel and more will get saved. It's all good, right?

But the truth is that it could be so much better! Instead of using the often-used worldly wisdom of guilting people into giving by making it sound as if they are responsible for someone going to heaven or not, he could have proclaimed that, “Jesus died for you and for me and for the whole world and we have been commanded to go and invite people to follow Christ! A more powerful transmitter would be a great tool in the hands of God and His people! It will bring much glory to Him and many people to salvation and growth in the Lord.”

It may seem like a subtle difference, but it makes a huge change in how we think. In the first example, we are told that we have to step up and give because God is powerless and unable to reach those extra listeners in any other way except for through our providing a new transmitter. We are made to think that it is up to us to provide salvation for these people that haven't heard – the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the work of other Christians in that area, and the power of the Holy Spirit to intersect lives and bring people to salvation is totally ignored.

In the second example, though, our thinking becomes more Biblical and Christ-centered. We remember that Jesus died not only for me but also for those who haven't heard. Saving the lost is not up to me and my efforts but is up to God. And He gives us the great privilege of partnering with a powerful God who has provided salvation in the cross of Christ and is continuing to reach people all around the world. Saving souls is not a matter of simply giving money so someone else can preach; it is something we live out in our daily lives because we love God, we love people, and want to be obedient to what God calls us to do as His disciples.

This might seem elementary, and many might rightly say, “Well, that radio pitchman probably talked about Jesus at other times and was just taking it for granted that his listeners know the Lord.” And that may be true. But do we want to take it for granted that people know Jesus? Do we want to take it for granted that people will overlook or correct our bad theology when we sacrifice truth for a good soundbite? Let's take the time to proclaim truth instead! Let's proclaim a powerful God who invites us to partner with Him! Let's talk about obedience to God and the Great Commission rather than laying a burden of guilt on those who are unable to give.

I implore you in the name of Christ, whether your circle of influence is a few friends or millions of people who follow you via the media, preach a powerful God who has brought salvation to the world and is still continuing to save people today and will save people in the future. He is not dependant upon our financial gifts nor our eloquent preaching nor our fine-tuned organizations and programs. He is above all that and it is our great privilege to serve Him and even partner with Him in His efforts to win the world to Himself.

So serve Him with joy and gratitude in your heart, and invite others to do the same. Don't take on burdens that aren't yours but belong squarely upon the shoulders of the Almighty. And for God's sake, and for the sake of others, don't lay a burden of guilt upon people as you try to build your ministry or church or transmitter or whatever it is you are trying to do for God.

We serve and awesome and powerful God. Do everything by the grace and strength that He provides, giving Him all the glory for everything He does in you and through you.

Let's Pray Together: Father, I know that you are a powerful God whose ways and means are far above my own. Forgive me for those times when I have taken on more than you asked me to or gotten out in front of you and caused hurt or misunderstandings with others. Help me to rely on you and the strength and resources you provide rather than my own abilities and finances. I want to live for your glory, giving you all the credit for everything good in me. I give you praise for everything you are doing in my life and ask for your strength, provision, and help for the situations I bring before you now...(continue praying as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Are You a Sinner or a Saint?

When the Apostle Paul addressed his letters to the churches in the New Testament, he used greetings such as the ones below. Which one is not really from the Bible?

A) To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

B) To the sinners saved by grace in Galatia:

C) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy

D) To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse:

If you picked “B” as the one that is not in the Bible, you are right! Every time Paul referred to people who are followers of Jesus, he used words such as holy, sanctified, faithful. Throughout the New Testament those who are in Christ, who have placed their faith in Jesus, are called holy and sanctified. They are made righteous by the shed blood of Jesus while those who do not believe in Christ are still unrighteous. Believers are brought into the light and even become the light while unbelievers are still in darkness. Believers in Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit, set free from the chains of sin behavior patterns, and empowered to live for Jesus in a brand new way of life in Him.

Most believers would agree with the above and thank God for the work He has done in their lives. And yet, when it gets right down to it, many heartfelt Christians in America fall into the cultural trap of seeing themselves as “sinners saved by grace.” You here it often in churches across the country: “I'm just a sinner, saved by grace.” There is some truth to that statement – we certainly thank God for His grace and know that our salvation comes from the cross of Christ and not our own efforts – but when we identify ourselves as sinners rather than saints we cut short the work of Christ in our lives and ignore fundamental teachings of the New Testament.

Think about that for a minute. How do you see yourself? How do people in your local congregation see themselves? Do we see ourselves as “sinners saved by grace” who blunder along from one sin to the next, conforming to the world around us and expecting to fall into sin every time we are tempted? Or do we see ourselves as new creations in Christ, made holy and righteous by His shed blood, and set apart for God's purposes in this world? Do we see ourselves as sinners who by the grace of God are used by Him to do something good once in awhile or do we see ourselves as saints who are set apart to represent Him to those around us?

Many of us have begun to believe the lie that we are powerless sinners who are saved by grace and that is all God has for us. We cut short the work of Christ by not believing and living out what HE says about us: That we are righteous men and women of God, holy and pure and set apart from the world to be new creations – His creations – who are the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the voice of hope, the hands and feet of God Himself.

We cheat ourselves out of so much when we self-identify ourselves as sinners rather than saints. Don't do it. If you have put your faith in Christ then God sees you as holy and righteous so begin to see yourself that way too. For if you have placed your faith in Christ, if you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead, then God no longer sees you as a sinner seperated from Him. Instead he sees you as being born again into a new life of not only serving Him but being His friend.

So don't see yourself as a sinner. Instead boldly proclaim to yourself and even to others, “I am a friend of God. We are walking through this life together. I am a servant of the Most High. I am set apart for His use. And I am not only a servant and friend of God, I am His child, brought into the family of God through Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I will live victoriously in Him, not as a sinner conformed to the world, but as one who has been transformed into the image of Christ, with all the power and hope and joy that comes with being identified with Him.

Let's Pray Together...

Lord Jesus, “I know you died on the cross and made me righteous, holy, and set apart for you. Help me to see myself that way, and to live for you.....”

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.

Biblical Church Begins With Giving Grace To Others

Last time I wrote about how God's grace overwhelms us and cleanses us and makes us whole, and I used the illustration of me knocking my orange juice into the hot tub. It made a big cloud in the water, and an aroma of citrus floated up, and my mistake was very apparent for a few minutes until the cloud of polluted water dissipated under the power of the jets and the filtering system. God's grace and love – demonstrated through Jesus dying on the cross so that our sins might be forgiven – washes away our sins and mistakes, making us whole again and setting things right as we confess our sins to God and ask Him to come and lead us into a healthy and happy life in Him.

What I didn't talk about last time and, after further review, want to talk about this time, is how our sins and mistakes do tend to leave a cloud hanging over our lives and even stink up our relationships with the people around us. Put simply, we are better off if we live according to His commands in the same way as a toddler is better off following the instructions of a loving parent – it is best for him to not eat the dirt or best for her to not play in the street. God, being the loving parent that He is, has set out similar guidelines for how we should live and our lives go better when we follow His instructions.

Don't get me wrong – God is not vindictive when we fail to follow His commands – but while He is quick to forgive us, people are not always as forgiving. In fact, most of us lean towards being downright judgmental and condemning. We see the orange juice in the hot tub or hear the obvious lies or catch someone in the act and our first instinct is to point fingers or accuse people. Their imperfections become labels we stick on their foreheads; they become known for their broken relationships, their addictions, their failed jobs, their own unmet expectations or unfortunate choices.

If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we have all been there on both sides of the pointing fingers at one time or another. We all know how it feels when we have screwed up and everyone is pointing at us and talking behind our backs. And, unfortunately, we all know how it feels to be puffed up and full of ourselves as we point our finger and spread the gossip.

If we're not careful, we can fall into a pattern of being quick to want God's grace and forgiveness for ourselves but slow to extend God's grace and forgiveness to others. We can go to church every Sunday rejoicing in God's love and forgiveness and then go about living our lives the rest of the week without a thought that our co-worker or neighbor might need His grace as well. We see the cloud of impurities hanging around our friend's or acquaintance's life and decide that he or she wouldn't have any interest in receiving God's grace or that God couldn't possibly want or accept that person.

Both of these are lies from the pit of hell – God does love that friend or acquaintance and he or she just might want to have a relationship with God more than you think, especially if you let them know that God loves them and doesn't condemn them. Remember that Jesus died for the sins of the world, including not only yours and mine but also the teenager robbing the liquor store, the woman doing tricks for meth, and the man caught up in a web of adultery, deceit, or greed. Jesus died for all of us, so that we can all find forgiveness and healing in Him, and none of us is disqualified from His grace.

So declare God's love to everyone around you and accept the one standing beside you regardless of the imperfections you might see in his or her life. And if people have hurt or betrayed you, or if their sinful actions or mistakes have caused you bodily harm or loss of property, extend God's grace and mercy to them anyway. Forgive them as Christ has forgiven you. Let God's love fill you to overflowing so that His love and mercy overflows to them.

Hopefully they too will receive God's love and direction for their lives, but if they don't, if they are unrepentant and reject God's love in Christ, you will rest easy knowing that you did what was right and what God wanted you to do. Remember that God doesn't ask us to stay in unhealthy, dangerous, or abusive relationships or situations; He simply asks us to do as Jesus did and share God's love and invite people to follow Him.

Let's pray together today along these lines: “Help me, Lord, to see others as you see them – as people you died for, people that you love and want to turn back towards yourself. Help me not to judge them nor condemn them but to instead offer them life and forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Help me especially with these people and situations that I bring before you now.... (continue praying as you feel led...)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, dwellinchrist.blogspot.com, and www.discoverbiblicalchurch.com.