August 27, 2015

"Where there is knowledge it shall pass away." I Corinthians 13:8

Let's face it, the Corinthian Church was not a healthy church but yet it has a lot it can teach the modern church about what is necessary for a church to be healthy.

So far we have learned that a healthy church:

• Builds around good solid Biblical preaching but not around the personality or talents of the pastor as the church's foundation.

• Allows for the operation of the gift of tongues within Biblical guidelines and avoids the divisive pitfalls that often accompany the practice of this gift. Building a church upon the doctrine of tongues is a prescription for failure

Today we will learn one other temporary foundation to avoid building your church upon - knowledge.

What does he mean by "knowledge"?

"Knowledge" in this case refers to certain insight or discernment given by the Holy Spirit enabling you to know or learn what you wouldn't know otherwise.

That sounds like a good thing! How can that be destructive to a church?

Here is how I have seen knowledge become a negative factor to a church. In my years of ministering in local churches and serving with pastors knowledge becomes destructive when it becomes a substitute for a clear Holy Spirit vision.

I don't know how many times I have seen a struggling church attempt to revitalize itself by imitating a strategy from another church judged to be successful. They make the mistake of believing because it worked for that church it will work for theirs.

The idea you can build a healthy growing church on someone else's vision and strategy is not a prescription for success or blessing. Trusting in the strategies of men in the place of seeking wisdom and direction from God is not a prescription for healthy growth. And yet we run from coast to coast and from one church growth conference to the next seeking knowledge on how to build a spiritual church.

Shouldn't we start by staying in our place of prayer until we get some knowledge from God?