The Church Must Die
During our recent journey through the Gospel of Mark, God has gripped my heart with a vision of truth and a clarity that I can’t shake.
Our church needs to die.
We could even say the Church – every Jesus-following, gospel-breathing, Bible-proclaiming ekklesia – must die.
Our pastors need to die.
Our elders need to die.
Our deacons need to die.
All the members need to die.
For as long as we’re clutching onto our lives, we’ll never live. Read on…. .
God Does It!
But with increase or decrease, in want or in fullness, we are to move forward on our knees in total reliance on God. We dare not forget the God who brought us through the storm when we reach the peaceful, sunny shore.
God alone brings the increase.
We Need Each Other!
Two events occurred this week that overwhelmed my heart with joy. I’m not just talking about a fleeting moment of happiness. No, I’m speaking of an inexpressible gladness in God’s work here at Mayfair.
What happened that was so fantastic? . . .
One Year Ago…
On this day, one year ago, my family and I had just returned home from a wonderful two-Sunday visit with Mayfair Bible Church. From our little homestead in North Carolina, we prayerfully and excitedly awaited the news of the coming Sunday’s congregational vote.
“Would I be called to serve as their Lead Pastor? What would the vote from the flock indicate?” we wondered.
So we waited, prayed, and…
Sears’ Bankruptcy: an Analogy of Church Stagnancy
100 years ago, Sears-Roebuck and Co. was second to none. They defined the term cutting edge by placing their colorful mail-order catalogs in nearly every home across America. Little children giggled over the huge toy section. Moms coveted the latest Kenmore kitchen appliances. Dads stashed away their pennies to buy lifetime-guaranteed Craftsman tools. But now the former industry leader, once perched on the lofty heights of Chicago’s Sears Tower, is seeing all those warm, fuzzy feelings vanish like a bullfrog atop quicksand.
Change is essential to survival.
Making wrong, maladaptive changes = death.
Making right, adaptive changes = health.
