The Power of the Church

At first glance the title of this blog can be found more as the punchline of a joke than a statment of a reality. Since the Amerian population grew by more than 18% between 1990 and 2004, but the church attendance decreased by 3% during that same period, the word "power" does not seem to fit in the same phrase with "church."

However, over the past several weeks I have been able to observe the local church make a lasting impact in a community.

• Family relationships once thought irrepairable, now restored
• Children who long attended church alone, now brought by their parents
• Couples once without food on the table, now able to share
• A church facility that sat empty at night, now used for the homeless when the weather gets cold.
• Single dads deep in debt; now with a plan to live debt free and make eternal impact with their money.
• Single moms and Senior Men, who have lived their lives apart from Jesus, now brought into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I believe the quote of Bill Hybels, "there is nothing like the church when the church is working right." But why does it seem that it is more of a rarity than the norm for the church to "work right"? I think it is because the church believe THE CHURCH is the power. when the church thinks it is the power, egos rule the day. when the church thinks it is the power, the here and now guide decisions, instead of the eternal. when the church thinks it is the power, it serves the spiritually convinced, instead of those who have yet to hear. when the church thinks it is the power, it operates as a hotel for saints, instead of a hospital for sinners.

The reality is that THE CHURCH is not the power. The source is God's power working through the church. If the church starts taking the credit and relies only on itself, it won't be long before the doors will be permanently locked and the community around it won't even know it.

God is working today through His church. He has the power. I pray the church will be available to do and be what God wants.

For His Fame,

Brian

Heaven Rules

For the past several weeks I have been studying through the book of Romans as part of my personal Bible study. By the sovereignty and humor of God, today's passage was the first 7 verses of Romans 13 - submitting to governing authorities. This is so fitting since today is Election Day '08. In the next few hours, Americans will know the next leader of the Free World and Floridians will know if homosexul marriage will soon be a legal alternative.

As i encounter a variety of people from a variety of political backgrounds, I am sensing varying degrees of fear and concern creeping in hearts and minds. The fear is coming among Christians because of how there is the potential (as in every election) for the outcomes to be in sharp contrast to biblical standards. As a pastor, i have taught that Christians have a responsibility to vote in line with Biblical standards - because they have confessed that 'God is Lord' (ultimate leader) of their life. And if they vote only for a political party without regard for God and His standards, they cannot say 'God is Lord.'

But now the preparation for going to the voting booth is complete. That which remains is the outcomes. There is a tendency to believe that if the outcomes of this election are not in line with Scripture then God must have lost control of this country. This cannot be further from the truth.

• Has the worship of God in America apparently decreased? I believe - Yes.
• Has the Bible been replaced in many lives as the ultimate guide of life and this country? I believe - Yes again.

But these changes upon the American landscape do not mean that God is off of His throne and Heaven does not rule. The events and decisions of humanity still move towards God's ultimate purposes. All those in authority are there ultimately because of God's permission. Just because God sometimes grants a nation what it asks for does not mean that God has lost control. His ways are higher than our ways, and He is desiring to teach greater lessons in the days ahead. These lessons are usually lessons of holiness. Elections can reveal how unholy a nation has become; remind how perfectly holy God is; remind that God will one day judge sin; remind how much we need God.

In 12 hours from the moment I am typing, the voting booths in my area will close. Today, I will vote in line with Biblical standards. No matter the results, I know that God is still communicating to His creation who He is. When time is gone and only eternity exists, Americans will be reminded that because of today - God was really teaching that Heaven Rules.