Seminary gave me the impression that my job was to build (up) the church (I pastored). Two "church growth" decades reinforced this. Besides all the books and articles, this is what was recognized and esteemed. Conference speakers were introduced as having "built a great church." Search committees and churches calling us expected us to do it there. So I worked hard at it, with relative success. Then God burst my bubble!
I knew that Jesus used the word "church" only three times.The Lord focused my attention on what He said the first time He did (Mt.16:18). Jesus says, "I will build my church." Ouch! I had been usurping this role. Since building the church was His responsibility, no wonder my it had been so draining for me. If building the church is His job, what is ours as pastor? It's in the next verse, which starts with a conjunction to tie it back: "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom." He already told us to "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt.6:33). So as we seek first the kingdom, He will build His church. Instead of being a kingdom pastor, I had been "King Dumb."
Speaking of "my church" or "our church" may tip our hand as church builders. My goal had been our becoming a regional church with 1,000 attending, acknowledged as the "leading" church in the area, the "best" in every aspect. I had to repent at the next meeting of our local pastors' conference. For the next three years I was a kingdom pastor. Then God gave more kingdom opportunity, moving me to a work with almost 100 churches here. Blogging is a way for me to help kingdom pastors elsewhere.
Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph.5:25), but not as an end in itself. It is a means to the kingdom. Jesus said "church" just thrice, but "kingdom" over 200 times (e.g., Mt.4:17, 23; 9:35; 10:7; 24:14; Lk.10:9-11; Acts 1:3). The kingdom is what was preached by the forerunner (Mt.3:1-2), the twelve (Mt.10:5,7), the seventy (Lk.10:1, 9-11), the church's first evangelist (Acts 8:12), its greatest missionary (Acts 19:8; 20:25; 28:23,31; Col.1:13) and his associates (Col.4:11).
The kingdom is what is to be preached by end-time Christians (Mt.24:14), which might include us! Does the roster of kingdom preachers include you? Or are you still trying to build the church? Are you a kingdom pastor,or a "King Dumb" pastor like I was for so long?
I'm proud of you, Dad! I know this will be a helpful site for me and many other young pastors.
Posted by: Ryan | May 21, 2007 at 03:12 PM