WE'VE BEEN DOING CHURCH WRONG. 057

Pretty bold title, hear me out... or I guess in this case, read me out.

Really, hear/read God out.

God has not given His ministers the work of setting the churches right. No sooner is this work done, apparently, than it has to be done over again. Church members that are thus looked after and labored for become religious weaklings. If nine tenths of the effort that has been put forth for those who know the truth had been put forth for those who have never heard the truth, how much greater would have been the advancement made! God has withheld His blessings because His people have not worked in harmony with His directions. {7T 18.2}

I thought about naming this post “Religious weaklings” but may be too harsh. Go beyond the apparent harshness and think about the idea presented. The main idea is that Pastors many times are like parents to the church and labour week after week in repetitive and monotonous ways. Do the church members grow? is there gain or is the motto to merely maintain? If the same energy was manifested for those outside the church, would we see progress? The answer is yes! Be honest, in how many ever years you have been a part of your church, how many people have you seen get baptized that were not church family members? Now I am not bashing the church, no, I am however wondering, like this quote beckons me to, what if the church put its energy to work for those outside its doors?

It weakens those who know the truth for our ministers to expend on them the time and talent that should be given to the unconverted. In many of our churches in the cities the minister preaches Sabbath after Sabbath, and Sabbath after Sabbath the church members come to the house of God with no words to tell of blessings received because of blessings imparted. They have not worked during the week to carry out the instruction given them on the Sabbath. So long as church members make no effort to give to others the help given them, great spiritual feebleness must result. There are times when it is fitting for our ministers to give on the Sabbath, in our churches, short discourses, full of the life and love of Christ. But the church members are not to expect a sermon every Sabbath. Let church members, during the week, act their part faithfully, and on the Sabbath relate their experience. The meeting will then be as meat in due season, bringing to all present new life and fresh vigor. When God’s people see the great need of working as Christ worked for the conversion of sinners, the testimonies borne by them in the Sabbath service will be filled with power. With joy they will tell of the precious experience they have gained in working for others. {7T 19.3}

Every Sabbath, sermons and services should be succinct and the church members should come with rich testimonies of how the Lord worked in their life and in the lives they went forth to save. The part I think is solemn in this quote is the part that says, if the church members make no effort to help others, they will be greatly spiritually enfeebled.

The greatest help that can be given our people is to teach them to work for God, and to depend on Him, not on the ministers. Let them learn to work as Christ worked. Let them join His army of workers and do faithful service for Him. {7T 19.1}

My intention is not to come off condescending, so hopefully that is not the case, I just have a burden for the work of the church. If half of the church could be mobilized to engage in Christian labour and warfare, I know that God would pour out and abundantly bless the efforts.

Why do not believers feel a deeper, more earnest concern for those who are out of Christ? Why do not two or three meet together and plead with God for the salvation of some special one, and then for still another? In our churches let companies be formed for service. Let different ones unite in labor as fishers of men. Let them seek to gather souls from the corruption of the world into the saving purity of Christ’s love. {7T 21.3}

Father revive us, that we may revive others, please.

IJN,

amen

Photo by Nikko Tan from Pexels