Building Men Over Memberships
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20
S. D. Gordon was a wonderful preacher of yesteryear. He said that God often does not answer our prayers for revival because there is a more sinister thought underneath than what we are praying for. He said, sometimes we pray, “Oh God, send us revival.” We want more people to come and make us look good. God chooses not to send a revival because the motive for revival is numerically driven so that we look successful rather than faithful.
Look at the ministry of Jesus. He reached thousands of people. When He began to talk about going to the cross and laying down His life for His sheep, suddenly the number of followers of Jesus began to diminish. Out of the 12 men He called to follow Him, only 11 made the trip. Only three men were intimately involved with Jesus (Peter, James, and John). Only John made it all the way to the cross! One denied Him, and the others were scattered until they experienced the resurrected Lord.
God is more interested in building men than building inflated memberships. We need to get on board with this line of thinking because building discipleship is more important than anything else. We will live out the Lord’s will for our lives when communion becomes more important to us than service for Him, and when building men becomes more important to us than building our memberships.
S. D. Gordon was a wonderful preacher of yesteryear. He said that God often does not answer our prayers for revival because there is a more sinister thought underneath than what we are praying for. He said, sometimes we pray, “Oh God, send us revival.” We want more people to come and make us look good. God chooses not to send a revival because the motive for revival is numerically driven so that we look successful rather than faithful.
Look at the ministry of Jesus. He reached thousands of people. When He began to talk about going to the cross and laying down His life for His sheep, suddenly the number of followers of Jesus began to diminish. Out of the 12 men He called to follow Him, only 11 made the trip. Only three men were intimately involved with Jesus (Peter, James, and John). Only John made it all the way to the cross! One denied Him, and the others were scattered until they experienced the resurrected Lord.
God is more interested in building men than building inflated memberships. We need to get on board with this line of thinking because building discipleship is more important than anything else. We will live out the Lord’s will for our lives when communion becomes more important to us than service for Him, and when building men becomes more important to us than building our memberships.
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January
Building Men Over MembershipsAre You Encouraging Others?Committing Others To ChristSharing Your StoryFaith Beyond Your FamilyGod’s Purpose In Your PainAligned PrayersPraying with PowerA Defining EncounterA Desire To ServeA Faithful and Helpful FriendRestoring Broken RelationshipsThe Power To RestoreA Guilt-Free LifeA Hand Of BlessingA Heart Of RepentanceAllowing God To Do The ChangingAre You Feeling Stuck?Trust His HeartBe Ready For InterruptionsFull of the Holy SpiritDefeating DepressionPowerful Prayers and a BurdenThe Triumphal EntrySurrender Your Life to ChristGratitude Is The Gateway To ContentmentGratitude Is A Defense Against AnxietyDealing With DoubtFocus On The WordGiving and ServingListening Instead Of Talking
February
3 Keys To A Heavenly PerspectiveA Faith Rooted in FactA Faith That Draws or DrivesWhy Support Israel?The Danger Of Being Full Of YourselfLiving Out The Great CommissionMaking SureGod Is All-SufficientGuided By ProblemsJoy In The Midst Of ProblemsRemember Who God IsA Brand New Glimpse Of JesusA Call To God’s ChurchA Childlike FaithA Christ-Honoring EpitaphA Church On FireA Faithful and Helpful FriendA Personal AnswerA Public AnswerBe Sensitive To Your WitnessAwakenings and Quiet TimesCraving Spiritual MilkEmbracing Your Second ChanceSigns Of True RevivalResisting EvilBe DifferentBe AstuteBe Loving
March
Witness with Your WordsGod’s Word Is EnoughStay Rooted In The TruthA Call to God’s ChurchFalse ProphetsJesus Intercedes for YouHave You Met Christ?Focus on the GiverEncountering God’s GraceStanding Accountable Before GodBe Ready for the End Jesus Understands Your PainLooking ForwardImmeasurably MoreLiving in DenialYour Salvation MomentWhat Does It Look Like To Be The Church?A Word of BlessingJesus Cares about YouThe PavementWhen You Need Hope The End Is Near Stand on the Word of GodA Gracious GiftCelebrating Through BaptismThe Promise of the Holy SpiritBe Aligned in PrayerI Am InnocentGod Draws Us to HimselfFind Rest in the LordBearing The Burdens Of OthersPrioritizing Your Love For Christ
3 Comments
Building men is most important.
nFrederick Douglas It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.
nHowever we have a ABBA who can restore and heal the broken the outcast. Thank you for your mercy and grace
nhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah 30:17&version=NIV
Instead of trying to act like a Christian, be one!
Churches need to be discipling the saved.They need to know what it is to be a Christian. We do need to love the unsaved in