Over the last few weeks at Putman we have been talking about
being a church that soars, and I would encourage you to think about these
things, regardless of where you attend church. There are many churches that are
content to just get by, settling for the status quo. They are clubs, social
events, or places of religious duty, but they are not being what the church is
called to be.
A church that soars must be a pure church because purity is
power. Just as Israel could not flourish with Achan’s hidden sin in the camp,
so a church is hindered when they allow impurity to go unchecked. If you want
to live in sin, fine, but in so doing you are settling for a church that is
anchored to the ground.
A church that soars is a united church, united around our
common belief in Jesus, regardless of the differences among us. We also need to
be a Jesus-led church. Too many churches are dictated by deacons, or they cater
to the big givers or influential families, forgetting that the church belongs to
Jesus.
If a church buys into the big picture then they need to be a
giving church, investing in the work of the ministry; it is not about equal
giving, but equal sacrificing. It is also imperative to be a praying church,
following in the line of Jabez, asking for God’s blessing and seeking to
increase our influence for the kingdom of heaven.
A church that soars needs to be future-focused, forgetting
the things which are behind, and like Paul, pressing forward. We all have both
good and bad in our past, and after we learn from it, we need to leave it.
Finally, we need to be outward-focused, taking care of what we have, but
realizing that our facilities and resources are to be used for in the
community.
No matter where you worship, ask yourself if your church is
anchored to the ground, or if you are soaring to new heights. Jesus said the
gates of hell cannot prevail against His church, but let us also make sure we
are not part of the problem. Is something you are doing or failing to do
holding your church back? Take care of it and take off so that you can be a
church that soars.
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