Proof Churches Part 2

Is your church stagnant? Not growing? Need reviving? Before you are quick to judge everyone else or your Pastor – maybe the work needs to start with YOUR heart. Here is part 2 of Harold Vaughn’s (Christ Life Ministries) insights into revival-proof churches:

17. are “bound by the past” and “blind to the future.” (Phil 3:13-14)

18. believe the “best days” are behind.

19. cling to tradition for tradition’s sake and fear change. (Mat. 15:9)

20. pride themselves in the notion that they are better than other churches. (Lk. 18:11)

21. had rather “hold the fort” than beg God to “take the field.”

22. find comfort in a defensive, defeated outlook.

23. may be doctrinally sound and spiritually asleep simultaneously.

24. may have an appetite of “cerebral preaching” or shallow preaching, but are weak on application in either instance.

25. neither desire God’s presence nor miss it when absent.

26. are “issue oriented” and bound by culture.

27. are led by men pleasers. (Eph. 6:5-6)

28. provide a spiritual surrogacy service instead of equipping parents to shepherd their own children. (Mal. 4:6)

29. do little to strengthen family unity.

30. endorse the belief that rebellion is a normal part of growing up. (1 Tim. 6:20)

31. are more interested in entertainment than intercession.

32. are stingy.

33. are quick to condemn others and slow to confess their own sins.

34. elevate religious politics over principle. (1 Cor. 3:4)

35. let things slide—they ignore the speaking voice of God and ultimately get to the place where they no longer even hear from God.

 

Oh Lord, revive Thy church and start that work in me! – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

 

Team YOU: Psalm 143-145; Proverbs 4; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

Motivations: “I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith;  that is justification.  The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment.   There is the same base (Christ’s work)  and the same instrument (faith); the only difference is that one is once for all and the other is moment by moment…If we try to love the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, He will be our song.  That is the difference.   The ‘how’ of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith moment by moment.”  Francis Schaeffer

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 4:4-5; Level 2: Philippians 4:1-7

Powered Up:  You can organize until you are exhausted; you can plan, program, subsidize all your plans. But if you fail to pray, it is a waste of time. Prayer is not