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by David Zook
There is a highway to church health.
The beauty of the highway lies in its simplicity. The challenge lies in your obedience.
Start by embracing The Great Promise: Jesus will build his church and the gate of hell will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)
Jesus took it upon himself to accomplish this. You are simply his steward of his gospel and a demonstrator of his love who he uses to build his church.
Beware of the echoes of Satan's words to Eve, “Did he really say?” as he whispers into our ears, “Surely, you will build the church.” Run from those thoughts and embrace Jesus’ steadfast promise.
Jesus also took it upon himself to protect the church. She will never be defeated. Governments and the powerful can’t defeat her. Nor will ideologies, philosophies, military might, or persecution. Let’s rest and rejoice in that, shall we?
How do you respond to this amazing promise? Through worship and a grateful heart.
You turn your affection to him for he has saved us through his blood, spirit, and the outworking of his church. At her essence, the church is a group of people who have received Jesus’ love and follow him. He builds people, not buildings. In response, you turn your affection to him by loving Him with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength and by loving others as yourself. This is The Great Commandment. (Matthew 22:34-40)
Only after you receive his love and turn your affections to Jesus, does it make sense to go and do something. Our affections motivate us. Without them, you are just completing another joyless task.
Sparked by his love, you go and make disciples under his authority. This is the Great Commission. It’s not by Executive Order of a President or a Proclamation from a Pastor that we gain our authority. It’s the authority of the Creator, Savior, and Redeemer of our soul. You can rest in his authority.
Evangelism and discipleship are the heartbeat of making disciples. This is what you do as he builds his church. When you lose heart because of how disheartening it can be and how backbreaking it is, you remember his love and receive his comfort that he is with us until the end of the age. (Matthew 20:18-20)
Where do you start making disciples? With those whom we have relationships with ... where we live, work, study, and play.
You remember that Jesus is on a search and rescue mission for the lost. So, you join him. You open your eyes and ears to those around you. You see and hear what is going on in their lives. You think about how the gospel might apply. You engage in conversation to gain a better understanding of their situation. You pray. At the right time, being wise, winsome, and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, you share with them how Jesus and his gospel is the solution to their struggle. This is our Great Mission. (Luke 19:10)
The work just does not stop there. When we think about how churches, as organizations, can make disciples, we envision partnerships with like-minded organizations who are working in other areas of the city or world. They bring salvation to the end of the earth through their mercy and missionary efforts. This is our Great Witness. (Acts 1:8)
History tells us that the Great Witness and Great Mission are the surest way Christianity grows:
“The primary change agents in the spread of the faith ... were men and women who earned their livelihood in some purely secular manner and spoke their faith to those they met in this natural fashion.” Kenneth Scott Latourette, The History of the Expansion of Christianity
Like ripples on a pond, the gospel will eventually reach the ends of the earth as a testimony to all the nations. Our faith will have been multiplied many times over through the witness and efforts of thousands of saints operating under the power of the Holy Spirit and God paving the way. This is The Great Multiplication. (Matthew 24:10)
Being faithful to these principles of Scripture leads to two results: a continual spiritual renewal within the body and a strategic direction that will impact the community and save lives. These two components are present in every healthy and vibrant church body.
As a pastor, it is your job to keep the car moving down the highway. Continually modeling, reminding, instructing, training, inspiring, and encouraging those under your care to:
- Rest in the Great Promise
- Turn their affections toward the Great Commandment
- Participate in the Great Commission
- Be a Great Witness
- Engage in the Great Mission
- Be steadfast in the Great Multiplication.
It is a lot of work, but it becomes possible when we trust God who is able “to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20)
This highway forms the Scriptural basis of our advanced pastoral training for church health ... a 12-24 month process we employ to guide a church body to health and vibrancy.
Reach back to learn more.
David
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