The title may shock you, but it will get your attention! I have been talking with God lately about several specific things, and I am convinced of the title of this blog post. The church sometimes is the biggest threat to building the Kingdom. Now, let me explain before you shut me off. I believe that when the church is functioning as it should, it is hope of the entire world! The question I have is, “is the church functioning as it should?” I have been in church my entire life. Now, that is only 26 years, but I have experienced and seen several different styles of leadership, etc along the way. I also love reading about churches and staying in touch with pastors across the world to see how they are doing. I admit, I am not a church expert and many of you reading probably know a lot more than myself, but were not accomplishing what God intends for the church to accomplish. I think we get to where the church needs to be when the pastor and His people’s heartbeat is to make God’s name known to our cities and to give Him glory in everything! Now, is our churches doing that?
I am seeing and hearing churches fight and bicker about petty arguments that really probably do not matter to God. I have come along way in my walk with the Lord. I used to be pretty rigid in my thinking and close minded, but as I have grown closer to the Lord, I have tried to gain the heart of God. I am convinced His heart’s desire is not to argue with each other over petty stuff. I have seen pastors worry and even preach about other churches and pastors not doing church the exact way they intend to do church! Boy, would they struggle on the mission field? That is besides the point though. What ever happened to let’s do church the way God intends for OUR church to do church? If the church down the street is a bit different, that is okay, and if they are preaching the Gospel, we should support them. When we begin to argue over petty arguments that we have against other churches and pastors, I believe we become the greatest threat to building the kingdom of God.
For example, the biggest argument in the church today is music and finances. We will take music for instance. Our greatest purpose is not to make sure people listen to the same kind of music that our church listens too! Our purpose is to make God’s name known to the city and to give Him the glory!
I challenge you to stop bickering about the things that do not matter to God, and start fighting for the one thing that matters to God, and that is making His name known. The place where EVERY believer (especially every pastor) needs to be is to the place where the ONLY thing that matters to them and our churches is making HIS name known and giving HIM all of the glory for what He will do. Are you there yet? I do not even think I am totally there yet, but I am striving to get there. Let’s strive together and make our His name great in our cities!
