A LOVELY SONG OR A CHALLENGE TO GROW?

 “You are to them as a lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice.”   ---Ezekiel 33:32

In our visit to Poland in 1988 Pastor Jim Sink and I traveled in a circle from Warsaw to Ludz, to the Soviet border, to Krakow, to Katowice, and back to Warsaw. We were accompanied by Adam Kuczma who was head of the Methodist Church in Poland at the time. He was a great man of God and desired to share the power of the Holy Spirit with his people.

We spoke in churches and shared many testimonies of miracles and the supernatural presence of Jesus as we traveled through the country. The people would listen with interest, and then tell us how much they enjoyed the messages. But they never asked, “What must I do?” They did not engage the message deeply enough to ask how they could experience the Presence of the Lord in the same way.  After the meetings they simply proceeded with the food and fellowship as if what they heard from us was commonplace…and then went on their way. I concluded that the church’s biggest problem was not communism but rather (like in America) the people themselves. What they needed most was spiritual aggressiveness, even more than encouragement in their struggle against communist oppression, food and commodity shortages, and economic hardship.

The same is true for us today. Christians and the church need…

… to free themselves from religious tradition, spiritual complacency, and routine.

…to deepen their spiritual hunger and to seek the Lord in prayer and intercession to break the covering of darkness from over the nation.

…to enlarge their vision of what God intends to do and will do.

…to take practical steps to get there. (commitment to discipleship, baptism in the Holy Spirit, prayer, individual growth and church maturity.)

…a willingness to change, and the humility to recognize the necessity of it.

…to develop relationships and community rather than just meetings and programs. This would involve small groups which provide a platform and atmosphere in which individuals can open up to one another and share their hearts and needs as well as their gifts and strengths.

Leadership is the key.
The body is starving for leaders who will show them the “next step” and lead them in it.  The church needs leaders who recognize these issues, who are genuine leaders with substance, experience, and who really do equip the saints, feed the sheep, and strengthen the church rather than just preaching good sermons people listen to and enjoy, but leave unchanged.

The church needs leaders who hear from God, discern the flock, and have prophetic revelation regarding “the next step” for each congregation, and who can give practical instruction in how to proceed. This requires having the courage to lead, and being willing to face potential conflict and suffering.

Leaders need to recognize that true church growth is not just a bigger and “fatter” version of what they already have, but actual and real spiritual development. We need evangelism followed up with actual spiritual growth rather than a perpetual enlargement of the “nursery.” The New Testament says that spiritual leaders are to feed the sheep, equip the saints, and strengthen the church. This requires real discipleship.

Leaders cannot accomplish this with preaching alone. So how do they do it? That’s the second question. The first question to ask is, “Do they want to?”

Too many pastors look to the latest trends in “church growth.” Too often this entails getting on the bandwagon of style and “non-offensive” messages rather than a platform that challenges Christians to their “next step” and which provides practical ways to take that next step. The “how to” requires leaders and churches to actually seek the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to birth something. It requires sanctified flexibility and creative obedience. Hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, recognizing when He is at work and allowing Him to move. I am not providing answers in this article. I am saying, “Seek the Lord, listen, be sensitive, and be willing to change.”

We must hunger for God’s presence and His word.  

The problem is that preachers are satisfied giving nice sermons and the people love to hear them…but neither seems to require action beyond simply “enjoying the activity.”

Leaders are to feed the sheep (John 21: 15-17), equip the saints unto maturity. (Ephesians 4: 12-15), and strengthen the church (Acts 14:22; 15:32; 18:23). This describes substantive impartation and growth and not just listening to a message on Sunday.

“As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you…and everyone saying…’Please come and hear what the word of the Lord is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.”    Ezekiel 33: 30-32

 

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