This is the Day

            Is it really that simple—if you build it, they will come? Did you notice the phrase in the movie clip is not if you build it, they will come; but if you build it, he will come.   Obviously they (the great numbers of people) did come, but so did he—a particular baseball player in the movie field of dreams. For our purposes today, if we build it, He (meaning God) will come; and they (meaning the people God has ordained) will come as well to FBCBF. If we build what? Are we talking about the building of a church here? Yes, but what is the church? Is it just a building—of course not. “This is the church; steeple; people.” The church is the people of FBCBF who gather in a building or buildings.

             Micah 7:12, 14; I Cor. 3:9. God wants His church to grow—numerically, spiritually, and relationally. I Cor. 3:6-7 says that God causes the growth. Well, if it were totally up to God then all of the 300,000 protestant churches in America would be growing; but the tragedy is that fewer than 10% of these churches are growing. This leads to the conclusion that it is up to us to cooperate with God in the growing of His churches, for “we are God’s fellow workers” (I Cor. 3:9). 

            Church growth consultant Ron Lewis says that it takes ps to grow a church—people (a population center); parking; property; preschoolers, preaching and programs that minister to people’s needs; and prayer that results in the presence and power of God. We have added another p here at FBCBD—potties!   

            There has been an emphasis on church growth recently, but I like to focus on church health, for healthy things grow. Rick Warren says that every church needs a “comprehensive health care plan.” In our home, I did not have to command my children to grow. It was our responsibility as parents to provide a healthy environment, so that in it our kids could grow. The same is true for a church. Individually, there are also vital signs that reflect ones health. The same again is true for a church. We shall examine seven of those vital signs in the building of our church. Health is also the result of balance—“blessed are the balanced, for they shall outlast everybody else.”

            What are these vital signs of church health including an atmosphere of balance that results in church growth as we build our church along with our church building? There is the foundation, the framing and then the filling from Ephesians 2:19-22 (see bulletin insert). 

 

            Jesus is the chief cornerstone of course but notice the foundation is the apostles—the apostles’ what? The foundation of the church is their words and works. Their words are recorded for us in the Scriptures and their works were by the power of the Spirit. Jesus said in Mt. 22:29--. 

            Scriptures—A vital sign of a church’s health is how well is it rooted in the Word of God. The Word is our authority as a church as well as God’s Owners Manual for our personal lives. That’s why we use the Word of God here in our preaching, teaching, discipling, and ministering. Why do I preach the Bible? Because I am not smart enough to preach anything else and at the same time I am too smart to preach anything else. (Chisholm illus) That is why we encourage the hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on, and above all applying God’s Word. 100% of healthy churches look to the Bible for guidance. God’s Word drives our ministry priorities—not programs, personalities, or public opinion. God’s word was not written to form an opinion; it was written to create a determination—a determination to have a healthy church and a productive life. We believe the Book; how well are we behaving the book? You can immediately determine how healthy and balanced a church is by how much Scripture you hear. You can’t always judge a book by its cover, but you can sure judge a preacher/teacher by his book. 

            Spirit—the other foundation of a church is the Holy Spirit. The church is not only built upon the apostles’ words, but also on their works. Jn. 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:6; 17. Folks are not only looking for a sure foundation of Scripture upon which to build their lives, they are looking for life in the Spirit. Word w/o Spirit—dry up; blow up; grow up.  The Scriptures guides a church; the Spirit drives a church. As we listen to the Holy Spirit, He guides us into all truth and causes us the walk in God’s ways.       

            The precious Holy Spirit empowers us in our walk, our witness and our worship. “We worship God in the Spirit” (Phil 3:3). People are looking for life, energy and power in a church. No one wants to join a funeral home. The leadership must lead the way in an openness and fullness of the Holy Spirit. Vance Havner –if church is as cold as a refrig . .

            The Holy Spirit is the great atmosphere controller. To the degree that the Spirit is at work, is the degree that there is life in the worship and attitude of the people. You can sense it the minute you walk into a worship service and always a little ways into the worship. Our church ought to be the place where it is easy to find God and hard to forget Him.    The life of the church is in its worship; when worship in the church dies; the church dies.

 

           

            There are three elements in the framing or fitting of our church continuing to indicate our church’s health and balance. 

            Structure—A healthy church must be structured for growth (SLIDE UP).What is unusual about this slide? In the growing of God’s church, there must be a balance between edification and evangelism; discipleship and witnessing otherwise we become “root bound” as a church and our potential is limited. 

            I refer to structural growth limitations such as buildings, attitudes, traditions, or a focus on ourselves.   Three attitudes will kill a church: division; diversion and tradition. 7 last words of a church--             . 

            In 1951—Mall illus.

 

 

 

Many a church is afflicted with the disease of koinonitis—when personal relationships within the church become so deep and mutually absorbing that we ignore the people around us.