What is Church Revitalization?

This is a hot topic right now, people are talking and writing about church revitalization. Let me add this thought. As we know, churches are not buildings or organizations. Churches are comprised of people. So if you want a revitalized church you must have a revitalized people.

And what (or who) revitalizes people? Surely, by now, you understand that programs, campaigns, and sermons to do not revitalize people. Jesus is the only One who changes and improves people.

So the way to have a revitalized church is to have Jesus revitalize its people.

To aid you in your faith let me highlight a few thoughts from Matthew 9 on how Jesus revitalizes people. Perhaps you've got some people like this in your church who Jesus can revive.

• Members who won't serve. Jesus is able to get them out of bed (Matthew 9:1-8).
• Members who don't give. Jesus is able to change their heart (Matthew 9:9).
• Members with family problems. Jesus can resolve even the worst home environment (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26).
• Members who are tired. The woman with a hemorrage was certainly anemic and exhausted. Jesus can make fatigued people full of energy again. (Matthew 9:20-22).
• Members who don't see the possibilities. Jesus can open people's eyes (Matthew 9:27-31).
• Members who never witness for Christ. Jesus can open their mouths and help them pour forth the praises of God (Matthew 9:32-33).

According to Revelation 3, Jesus is knocking at the door of the church. He wants to come into your church and revive the people.

Suggested Prayer: "Lord please come into our church powerfully and do what only You can do. Put new life into these old bones and put a song back in our hearts."

Collateral Damage

Collateral damage is the unintended death, injuries, and damage to property of people who are not the intended target. Just as errant military operations may cause civilian casualties, sin wounds others.

Achan committed a secret sin, but his disobedience affected others. Joshua 7 tells how innocent soldiers died, the nation of Israel was defeated, and Achan's own family perished!

There is a gross myth today that says, "I am free to do whatever I want to do. I am not hurting anybody." The biblical record says otherwise.

Here's the challenge: the next time you are tempted to sin, remember your iniquity will hurt both you and the ones you love. Count the cost. Think again.

Professor Horner

Recently I learned about Professor Horner's Bible reading system. I've been trying it these past few days and really like it. Professor Grant Horner (see photo) suggests reading ten chapters a day. It really doesn't take as much time as you might think. The ten chapters are taken from various portions of scripture (see above). The variety keeps it exciting.

Check with me at the end of the month and I'll let you know if this reading plan is still working for me. You may have another Bible reading plan which works better for you, and that's great. The main thing for Christ-followers is that we have some sort of regular disciplined approach to scripture. 

Who Jesus Reached

Today at the Mid-South Baptist Association Ministers Conference, retired pastor D.C. Cobb brought a great message on who Jesus reached. He pointed out that Jesus personally ministered to the following:

• women
• tax-collectors
• Samaritans
• strangers
• lepers
• dead
• demon-possessed
• criminals
• children
• rich
• widows
• hypocrites
• poor
• prostitutes
• handicapped
• sick

Truly the fields are white for harvest (John 4:35). We just need to follow the Lord's example and get out there and engage people!

Know, Be, Do, Teach

The healthy Christian life is marked by growth along four stages of development.

Daniel explained the path in this way, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many" (Daniel 11:32-33).

1. The people who know their God: The Christian experience begins with a knowledge of God and requires a change of mind. The word 'repent' means a change of mind and no one can come to God unless they repent.
2. Shall be strong: A saving relationship with God results in new life. The born again one is empowered by the Spirit and becomes a new creation. 
3. And carry out great exploits: Then (and only then) with their inside transformed, the young Christian is ready to 'do.' The growing Christian is ready to live out the gospel in faith and good works. 
4. And the people who understand shall instruct many: Once a person has been radically changed by the gospel they are ready to share with others. This then becomes the apex of Christian maturity, when one is assisting others on their spiritual journey. 

Where do you see yourself on this path? What is the next stage in your development?

The Impossible Law

Two observations about when God gave Moses the law on top of Mount Sinai:

1. The law was heavy. Two tablets of stone weighed a great deal. Still today, the law is heavy isn't it? It is difficult to fulfill all the responsibilities of the law.
2. The law was broken.  As soon as Moses came down from the mountain he saw the golden calf and got angry. He threw down the stone tablets and they shattered. Likewise, in spite of our best attempts at legalism, we blow it pretty quickly don't we?

God never intended for us to get right with Him through the law. The law is to lead us to Christ (Rom. 10:4) . Since we can't keep the law, we need a Savior who can fulfill the law and make us righteous through faith in Him. 

Four Storms in Scripture

Recently, my friend Dr. Richard Hipps shared this outline with his congregation. He said he read it in an article, and since I like it I thought I'd pass it along. The four storms in scripture are as follows:

1. Storms of Correction: a storm due to your own sin.
2. Storms of Connection: a storm you experience because of other people's sin.
3. Storms of Perfection: a storm intended to grow you.
4. Storms of Reflection: a storm giving you the opportunity to glorify the Lord.

Are you in a tough time now? If so, what do you think the Lord is up to?

Spiritual Renewal Always Includes

During Josiah's reforms, "Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law" (2 Chronicles 34:14).

In the glory days of the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem, "Ezra opened the book" (Nehemiah 8:5).

At the start of our Lord's earthly ministry, "[Jesus] was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And He opened the book" (Luke 4:17).

Yes, my friend, if you are wanting a fresh touch from above, be sure and open God's book, the Holy Bible. 

Which Neighbor was Healed?

Early this week, my neighbor took a ride in an ambulance. My wife and I stood on the front porch and prayed for him as the firemen loaded him up and took him away. Thankfully he's home from the hospital and doing okay.

A few days later, in the other direction, but still on our street, the firemen came back for our other neighbor. Again, my wife and I prayed, this time over the phone, as the firemen tried to revive our neighbor. Thankfully, he was a Christian, so he's home in heaven now and doing okay.

Hearing with Faith

The apostle Paul explained that one lives the Christian life, the same way they start it (Col. 2:6). So let's review the process of conversion and discover the way of santification.

Ephesians 1:13 details three steps to justification.

1. Hear the word of truth
2. Believe the gospel
3. Sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Abram was made right with God following these same steps.

1. He heard God's promise.
2. He believed God.
3. God declared Abram righteous (Gen. 15:6).

When Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia he corrected their misunderstanding about Christian living. They erroneously thought the Christian life required obedience to the law. But Paul asks them, "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing with faith?" (Gal. 3:2). He takes them back to their initial experience with Christ and shows them that they entered into a saving relationship with Christ by hearing with faith, not by works of the law. Therefore, Paul argued, the way to make progress is to continue hearing with faith.

Miracles come by hearing the word with faith, not by trying to impress God with obedience to religious rules. The rhetorical question Paul asks is, "Therefore, He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing with faith?" (Gal. 3:5).

In both Ephesians and Galatians, Paul stressed the importance of hearing the gospel of truth with faith. Initially, faith in God's promises is how you are converted to Christ; and then, as a growing Christian, "hearing with faith" is how you experience the supernatural. 

Are you carefully and prayerfully reading, studying, and hearing God's word? Faith in God's word fuels spiritual vitality.