Myth, 44

~ Church Growth Comes From An Anointed Leader ~

Introduction  ~  This is a somewhat more complicated issue than some of the myths we have looked at. 

Issue One  ~  The word “anointed” can have various meanings in different groups.  For example, how closely related is “anointed” to “called by God”?

Issue Two  ~  What do we mean by “Church Growth”?  This also can have multiple meanings.  Often this term means numerical numbers in attendance at a local church (small “c”).  Others including myself think of Church (upper case “C” as in the Church universal) growth as a spiritual issue. 

Issue Three  ~  Regardless of our definition of the word anointed we must recognize that all true spiritual growth comes from the Holy Spirit of God working in individual lives.  Unredeemed man is spiritually blind and cannot see the truth unless the Spirit opens his or her eyes.  Spiritual blindness is just as real as physical blindness!

The Reality  ~  Christian leaders are ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are conduits.  They are vessels.  They are messengers.  They may be pastors, teachers, evangelists, or laymen.  At times God chooses to use certain individuals to be mighty preachers: Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, etc.  God has used others as great missionaries: Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliot, Mother Teresa, etc.  But it is always God who brings others into His Church.  Side Note: fully understanding this will cause questioning of my use of the words “mighty” and “great” in this paragraph!  Perhaps in God’s view an unknown faithful Sunday School teacher is pleasing God more than the more visible members of His body. 

Key Scripture  ~  “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:5-8).

The Bottom Line  ~  The Christian is responsible before God for faithfulness in what God has given him/her to do where God has placed them.  They are not responsible for the results—that is God’s sovereign role!  Our problem is that our pride (a root of all sin) wants to feel that “I” accomplished something good. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fear God, 168

~ Fear God—Not Those Who Cannot Kill Your Soul ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

This Week’s Passage  ~  Jesus said, ‘Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:27-31). 

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Psalm 119, 25of27

~ Read God’s Word To Be Competent In Teaching Others ~

119:13 With my lips I have declared

All the judgments of Your mouth.

119:43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,

For I have hoped in Your ordinances.

Comment  ~  The more we know the Bible and its divine Author the more capable and competent we will be in teaching others the about God His Word.

“Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.  And their message will spread like cancer” (2 Timothy 2:14-17a).

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .