Loyal, OK

 
Pastor Leon Seaton

Build Our Church

A frustrated pastor wrote, “This pastor has been an avid sports fan all his life. But I've had it! I quit this sports business once and for all. You can't get me near one of those places again.”

Want to know why...

Every time I went, they asked me for money.
The people with whom I had to sit didn't seem very friendly.
The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable.
I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me.
The referee made decisions with which I could not agree.
I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites -- they came
to see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to see the game.
Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.
The band played some numbers that I had never heard before.
It seems that the games are scheduled when I want to do other things.
I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.
I don't want to take my children to any games, because I want
them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

Author Unknown, At Calvary, Covington, KY

Let me assure you I do not feel that way, but the author makes a good point. People will use about any excuse to skip church. Of course no one here this morning would do that!

Personally I believe that it is time for the pastor and members to decide that we can and will grow. As you know, a dead fish can only float downstream! We need to be alive to God and alive in our faith!

Really, there are no excuses. None of us are too old; none too young to make a difference in this church, in this town, in this county and in our state. Moses, Joshua and Caleb were all old men when they hit their stride for God.

Our youngest ones can be so friendly that other people will want to come to church with them.

        I have a new fire in my spiritual bones. In the last 2 weeks God has allowed me the privilege of praying with 3 people in our hospice program for salvation.

        While it is thrilling to lead people to Christ anyplace in the world, I would love to see some new converts that will attend our church. I hope and pray that each of you will commit to join me in prayer for a great revival.

I need recharged, and I suspect that some of you do too. If you feel too timid to witness, then pray for God to send workers into the harvest.

We have seen some wonderful healings through the ministry of this church. When Roberta and I visited the Mercy Hospital ICU two weeks ago the first thing the lady did was thank us for the prayer Afghan.

But… what are we asking God to do in our local community to increase the size and effectiveness of this ministry?

Will this sort of change be tough? ABSOLUTELY! There cannot be a victory without a battle. Lopsided basketball games are not much fun to watch!

Matthew Henry, a great Bible commentator, did his writing between the years of 1708-1710, slightly less than 100 years after the KJV translation was published. Thus he had a better understanding of some of the nuances of the Bible than today’s scholars. He is one of my favorite commentators.

He calls faith “the grace of faith.” Everyone is given a measure of faith from God. After our conversion we are responsible to develop our faith through studying the scriptures, prayer, and applying what we learn to our daily lives.

It is time for us to ask the Holy Spirit to anoint us and empower us so that we can see this congregation grow. We are in competition with no one but the devil himself. God told us, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world!”  1 John 4:4

God is not pleased by lukewarm Christians. He wants us to be dynamic in our love for Him and the work He has called us to do. We are not saved by our performance as Christians; however God has a work for each of us to do. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Not long ago, as a hospice chaplain I made a visit in a troubled home. It was an interesting visit. Quite frankly more of my energy was devoted to the dog and the cat than to the patient or his wife.  All I did that was worthwhile was to ask her to find their Bible so I could read some scriptures. After she dusted it off, we shared a few scriptures and prayed.  I could see no obvious difference, but the nurses that have visited the home since then have seen some amazing changes in their lives. God’s Word is powerful!

God stirred up their faith. Faith helps us to do great things. Look at Gideon. He was a timid farmer, hiding from the enemy so he could process his grain. When the angel called him a man of valor he said, “Who? Me!”

By faith, we, the servants of God, can overcome the roaring lion that goes about seeking Christians to devour.

As believers our faith should endure to the end. When we die, our faith gives us victory over death, hell and the grave.

And God’s grace is extended to everyone. Even to people that we have no earthly idea how or why God would love them!

Few men ever had greater trials – or more powerful faith than David! Even though he stumbled and fell flat on his face several time he always got back up! In the end, God described David as “A man after mine own heart.”

In Romans 3:23 God simply states, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

And in Romans 6:23 God simply promises, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The Old Testament did not have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit that the New Testament believers (like us) enjoy. Yet think about what they accomplished! Moses and Joshua both saw their people walk through rivers on dry ground! Sampson won some fantastic battles with a donkey’s jawbone!

Joseph went from slavery to rulership.

Daniel survived the lions’ den.

However, not everyone saw what they believed for. God simply notes that the world was not worthy of such men and women of faith. Also, note that God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Note Hebrews 11:39 and 40. 

We have a responsibility to do our part! Their experiences are actually written for our benefit! We have a job to do!

You cannot always trust your emotions.

We all become weary and faint in our minds at times. When that happens, reflect back on what Jesus suffered. Henry notes that by steadfastly looking to Jesus, our thoughts will strengthen us and help us win the battles.

Satan’s most effective tools in keeping a church from growing include:

1.      Keeping us too busy to pray and witness

2.      Keeping us too tired to pray and witness

3.      Keeping us too insecure to pray and witness

4.      Discouragement

5.      Doubt

6.      Fear

Don’t blame me! I’m not the author!

1. Would you have a new pastor? (Younger, better looking and more dynamic)
2. Would we have more youth?
3. Would there be more people?
4. Would we see more miracles?
5. Or… would things be pretty much the same?

In a door-to-door survey conducted by Willow Creek Community Church the question was asked: "If you don't go to church, why?"  The five biggest reasons:

1) Boring,

2) Irrelevant,

3) Asking for money all the time,

4) I'm too busy already,

5) I feel awkward at church.                                     ~Willow Creek Community Church

Are we willing to do something to put some life in our church so more people will be excited about coming?

      Numbers Are Important. Paul Young wrote that he was shocked when he asked a Bible institute class which is better, to win one, two, or ten people to Christ. The students were emphatic that one is just as good as ten!

I said, “If you, your wife, your children, your mother, brothers, and sisters were all trapped in a burning building, and a fireman rescued one of your children - are you saying that rescuing only one is just as good as rescuing all of you?!!”

It is crucial that the church understand the importance of numbers! God speaks often of numbers in the Bible. In fact, the fourth book of the Bible is called Numbers! Large sections of Numbers, I Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and other Bible books go to great lengths telling how many came out of Egypt, how many sided with King David, how many came back to the Holy Land, and so on. Then when the disciples obeyed Jesus after toiling all night and catching nothing, they caught a multitude, too many to draw in, specifically 153 great fishes.

The Holy Spirit makes a point to tell us that at Pentecost about 3000 were added to the church and that the Lord added to the church daily. Then “many... believed, and the number of the men was about 5000.” (Acts 4:4) Later, “believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” (Acts 5:14) In Acts 6:7, “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

Also in Acts 9:31 they were multiplied, and then in Acts 11:21 a great number believed. Then, through Barnabas many people were added to the Lord (11:24). The word of God continued to grow and multiply (12:24), and still later they “increased in number daily” (16:5).

PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GROWTH

Sometimes we back away from counting people because David brought judgment on Israel when he numbered them. In fact seventy thousand men died!

         But there was a reason.

God wants us to count the number of people saved, not the number on the roll.

How important are numbers? Well, if the number is one, and that one is me, then one is infinitely important—whether I spend eternity in pleasure and fullness of joy in heaven, or eternity in hell fire. In God’s eyes everyone is of great importance. . God commanded, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Our goal should be that every neighbor we have is saved.

Jesus said, “This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 15:8).

Pray for Laborers.

If there is such a great harvest, why is there not more coming to Christ?

         "Then He (Jesus) said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.'" Matthew 9:37, 38

The problem is not with the harvest. The harvest is plenteous. Many could be saved. The problem is with the laborers! The laborers are few.

Not many are really laboring in the harvest!

Who is really working at making disciples?

There are a good many church workers, committees, offices workers, and there are lots of ministries. 

However, not many labor at winning the lost, at harvesting!

If you do not feel that you can go into the harvest field, pray for God to send laborers!

Ask God for Great Blessings

William Carey, the father of modern missions, said, “Expect great things from God…attempt great things for God.”

We should believe Jesus for greater works. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.” John 14:12

God was pleased to grant Elisha’s request of a double portion of the spirit of Elijah! Elijah worked many miracles to help turn people to God. Elisha doubled Elijah’s supernatural works. And God was pleased to record these facts in Scripture for our encouragement. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Faith is not shown when we ask God for what He is going to do anyway: “Ye have not because ye ask not.” James 4:2 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” Matthew 7:11

Remember the prayer of Jabez? “And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren.... And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!’ And God granted him that which he requested.” I Chronicles 4:9, 10  God not only gave him his request, but God said Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. Asking for great blessing is honorable.

Pray for Others.

Whatever you want God to do for you, ask that for others as well.

If I am really concerned with advancing God’s kingdom, not just my kingdom, I’ll be happy to ask for great blessing on the ministry of others. If I am really concerned with souls being saved from everlasting fire, I’ll be happy if they are saved through someone else’s ministry. I’ll pray for that ministry, too.

Some of the greatest times of growth of God’s kingdom come in seasons of revival. The Revival of 1858 seems to have been at least partly the result of a prayer meeting at the Fulton Street Church in New York City. A layman organized a prayer meeting for businessmen. The beginning was dismal. No one arrived on time. Finally, six arrived. They prayed. As the weeks passed, others came. They filled the church; Then the theatre. Within a few months 6,000 were reported attending daily noon prayer meetings in New York and another 6,000 in Pittsburgh. The prayer meetings spread to other cities. By May 1859, 50,000 people were reported won to Christ through the prayer revival.

Newspapers reported that in many towns in New England there were no unconverted adults left. According to church growth historian, Elmer Towns, besides an unknown number of church members who were converted, more than a million of the unchurched were saved and joined churches as a result of that revival.

Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit!