Thursday, August 27, 2015

August 28, 2015

 "Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." I Corinthians 13:8

So, if it's not good to build a church solely around a charismatic preacher, or charismatic gifts or current trendy cultural strategies what SHOULD your build it around?

Here's a hint: "Love never fails".

At FredWes we are committed to building a healthy and growing church on the foundation of Godly love. We are seeking to build a church guided by the Great Commandment and committed to the Great Commission. Those two big obedience points are how we show God we love Him and are committed to His will. Those principles should form the foundation for all Christian ministry. Those practices will accomplish the purpose of the church which is to glorify God through proclaiming the Gospel.

Love works every time it is tried. It is relatively easy to understand how an individual can express love but how does a church do it?

There in is the challenge!

When a church chooses to build around a dynamic preacher, they can place the responsibility for church growth on his talents, his gifts and those of his close inner-circle people. Everyone will rise or fall on his performance.

If a church depends on speaking in tongues and ecstatic utterances for growth, they will draw people who thrive on feelings and emotions and who need visible evidence to enhance their faith. But over time those emotions that work for you may eventually work against you.

A church that decides to build from the strategy and vision of another successful church, they will soon discover they are not that church and realize the strategies aren't as effective for them. If they are unable to adjust those strategies to fit their realities or ditch them altogether and seek God's vision for the church it will struggle mightily.

So, clearly, the chance of failure for either of these church growth options is higher than one that works every time it is tried.

While it is easy to identify a preacher, and obvious when the gift of tongues is operating. A strategy can be written on a chart. But love is harder to quantify or chart.

Building a church on the foundation of love requires an emphasis on relationships and places responsibility on each member to develop healthy relationship in each of these areas:

1) Faith - Love God through a personal relationship in Jesus Christ. Grow in that relationship by obeying and serving Him. How can you have a successful foundation for a church without starting here?

2) Family - Love your spouse and build a healthy marriage relationship. Love your children by teaching them, training them and disciplining them.

3) FredWes - Love your fellow believers in the FredWes family in the fellowship of worship, serving, and praying together.

4) Friends - Develop healthy friendships with neighbors and co-workers so you can leverage those relationships to earn the right to share your faith in Christ.

This is the foundation FredWes has chosen to build our church upon. We will stake our future on building healthy relationships according to God's Word and in His Spirit. When we use the tag line "Loving You to LIFE" this is what we mean.

I can live AND love with this vision!

Who will join me?