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When Christ was on earth, he promised to build his Church (Matt 16:18). Where is this massive building project taking place? Don't be mistaken; his church is not a physical building. It is bigger than our different ministries, churches and denomination. Christ has been building his church and he is still building his church in the hearts of men.
His church can't be destroyed because it is not a physical building you can see. His church is invisible, with visible expression through his people. He uses his word and the fivefold ministry gifts to equip his church. Local and mega churches come and go, denominations rise and fall, but his church has stood the test of time.
No single ministry or church can provide all the needed word required progressively for the equipping of the saints (Eph 4:10-14). Believers were to be taught the whole truth and expose to the fivefold ministry gifts for their growth and development. When believers are limited to the narrow vision of their own ministries and churches, and not given a broader vision of the operation of the church Christ is building, they will become useful within their little cubicles of churches and ministries, but weak and impotent in their effectiveness within the larger body of Christ.
This is the unfortunate state of millions of believers. Their local churches have become the limit of their vision and understanding of what the church is about. This limited perspective is highly patronized by those whose aim is to use the people of God to build for themselves religious empires. It's time to open every prison to let God's people go.
Our local churches and ministries are not the destination of faith, but Christ and the church he is building. Local or mega churches are environments where the believer is nurtured for a given time. Why a given time? The reason is that, every believer needs progressive revelation of the word. Churches, ministries and denominations have their limit in the word and thus, a believer is supposed to be connected to the fivefold ministry gifts beyond his or her church or ministry and also, a believer is to be aware of the fact that, he or she can be called to move from one fellowship of the saints to another for the purpose of learning and growing in Christ. It's important to know that, this transition should be carried out in wisdom and not in conflict.
The need for a believer to move at certain times from a particular fellowship to another is not a license for those religious miracle seekers whose whole pursuit is for candies from God and not the vision of Christ, nor for those who move from church to church so as to escape discipline and oversight.
In the days of John the Baptist, when he introduced Christ as the Lamb of God, two of his disciples followed Jesus, desiring to know where he lives. And, Christ took them to his house (John 1:35-42). If it was today, John the Baptist will no longer speak well of Jesus. “He took my sheep;” I wonder when it has become our sheep. Who among us died for those under our churches and ministries? It time to know that the sheep don't belong to us; they are not our property, but Christ.
In another instance, certain individuals came and told John the Baptist that, the one he baptized and introduced is baptizing and all people are going to him. Read the account and John response to this ignorant group of religious zealots in John 3:26-36. They were never conflicts between John the Baptist and Christ, like it is today among gospel ministers. John the Baptist knew that, Jesus and him, were part of the same team and working towards the same goal.
In the educational system of my country, a child starts from primary school, through secondary and high school, and then University. The teachers and instructors of each level of education are different, but they recognize the place of each other and the need for the child to pursue his or her education to the highest level. The primary school teacher is satisfied with his role, same with the secondary and high school teachers, etc. When the child becomes a successful person in the future, he or she becomes the pride of all the teachers and instructors who contributed to his or her education. This, I believe is the same in other places.
Why can't gospel ministers and churches have the same mindset? Why the conflict if our interest is the growth and development of the saints? It's time to check out motives of why we are in the ministry in the first place. Local and mega churches and ministries are not prison camps, but can evolve into modern day prisons if the lack the vision of the church Christ is building. It's time for all of God's people to have the vision of the church Christ is building. Limiting our vision of the church to our local and mega ministries and churches is a grave error. Shalom!
If you are blessed by this message, share it with those in your connections. Let’s all spread the word! If you are interested in my books, click on this link. http://www.nationbuildersint.org/global_faith/books/books1
Have a blessed day! Dr. DrBenard Etta
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