I'm Tired of Church

“I’m tired of church… I’m tired of doing church.” My friends and I nodded, understanding the sentiment, but clarification was needed nonetheless. Mark has pastored his church in Newton, North Carolina for sixteen years and by most people’s definition it is a great church: people are coming to Christ regularly, marriages are being transformed, the building is expanding. We had just spent time discussing how he could add 200 more seats in the sanctuary. The church has prospered under Mark’s leadership. I was excited for what God was doing, and honestly, a little jealous. So when Mark said he was tired of church, I had to ask for clarification.

His response, “I want to move the needle.” Now it was becoming clearer, and he was voicing what so many pastors and me are feeling.

Creating efficient systems, starting new programs, developing leaders, drawing crowds, creative worship, and installing lights make the church more engaging for the ones who attend, but if we are honest, the church is making less of an impact today than ever in America. We have become irrelevant to our communities. Sure, we know how to entertain, inspire, and give great tips for daily life, but life transformation doesn’t make it outside the doors of the building.

As seven of us pastors rode in the car, we began to rehearse historical revivals and how they shaped and transformed whole towns. The presence of God was overwhelming, to the point where people would fall on their knees in repentance. Factories would shut down so “people could tend to their souls.” Today, our communities barely notice the church and secular voices dominate and dictate what morality is.

Days later, Mark sent us a message further clarifying the metaphor, a reference to the old analog vu meter used in audio recording. VU stood for Volume Units. When recording, some audio sources were not even loud enough to make the needle move off the bottom- in other words it was too faint to be of much use to record. So saying that something is moving the needle means that it is enough to register or make a difference to the user- enough for the user to take note of.

Mark was expressing what we each wanted: A spiritual awakening that moved the needle; meaning transformed lives which changes people, families, and cities.

The evangelical world has historically called this experience revival. Although the word “revival” is not found in the New Testament, it expresses a renewed emphasis on spiritual matters that change behavior. It is the extraordinary activity of the Holy Spirit that leads the people of God to extraordinary commitment to the work of God. It is a spiritual realignment of our hearts and lives to the will of God, and a deep longing to know God and to make Him known.

Many books have been written over the years on revival with incredible stories, and they all seem to come down to a few ingredients: corporate prayer, repentance, and a bold voice which is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is the power of God that leads to salvation.

The most prominent scriptures quoted in reference to revival comes from 2 Chronicles 7:13–16 and Revelation 2:4-5:

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

 And

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

It would be wise for those of us looking to “move the needle,” look into our own hearts first and allow the Holy Spirit to search and reveal the areas of our lives we need to address. We often want God to bring revival to our church, or country, and miss what God wants to do in us personally. Out of the inner longing of wanting to know Christ above all things, we turn our attention to wanting to make Him known to others.

My prayer is that the church of Jesus begins to move the needle. Lord, start the work in me.

EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:11–14, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.” (NLT)

Many sincere Christians spend their entire lives earnestly searching for an experience, a conference, a revival or a book that will transform their lives. Their search is futile. Although we have instant coffee, instant potatoes, and now even instant weight-loss methods, there is no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. The truth is this: Spiritual growth, just like physical maturity, is a process that takes time. There are no shortcuts to maturity.

Discipleship isn’t just one of the things the church does; it is what the church does. It’s not just part of the advancement of God’s kingdom; the existence of serious disciples is the most important evidence of God’s work on earth.

Bill Hull writes about five dimensions of discipleship, which can be used to evaluate our spiritual growth over time.

1. Transformed thinking: Someone who believes what Jesus believed. This changes our thought life as we begin to think about the world differently and change our desires.
2. Transformed character: Someone who lives as Jesus lived. This connects our beliefs to our behavior and changes who we are in regards to humility, honesty, integrity, etc. 
3. Transformed relationships: Someone who loves as Jesus loved. This breaks down the walls that separate us and brings healing to broken lives.
4. Transformed service: Someone who ministers as Jesus ministered, responding to the needs around him. 
5. Transformed influence: Someone who leads as Jesus leads, taking on the role of a servant. 

(“Five Dimensions of Discipleship,” Bill Hull, (Choose the Life)

Based on Bill Hull’s five dimensions of discipleship, how do you evaluate your present condition of spiritual growth?

Based on Bill Hull’s five dimensions of discipleship, is there one particular area that the Lord challenging you in at the present time?

Based on what you have read and what God is saying to you, what decision do you need to make?

Experience Forgiveness In the Body of Christ

Colossians 3:12–14, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Corrie Ten Boom shares this true story in her book, The Hiding Place: 

It was a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck.  He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time.  And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie's pain-blanched face. He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. "How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein," he said. "To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!"  His hand was thrust out to shake mine.  And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more?  Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand.  I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer.  Jesus, I cannot forgive him.  Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened.  From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.

Take a moment and reflect on the story of Corrie Ten Boom. How can this story help us to forgive those who have wounded us?

Are you harboring anger and bitterness toward any people in your life?  Are there people in your life that you need to extend forgiveness to?

EXPERIENCE UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 1:10, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Paul desperately pleads with the Corinthian church to come together and agree. He asks them to eliminate divisions and to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. The phrase from the Greek, "that you all agree" is translated literally, "that you all speak the same thing." What a fantastic statement.

When God saves people, He puts them into a community called the Body of Christ: the Church. It’s the primary place where He teaches us to love one another and live in unity. Along with love, unity in a church is one of the most potent witnessing tools to a community.

The early church was so united that the Book of Acts describes them as having everything in common. They saw themselves as one body of believers in Christ. It was not every man for himself, but rather, one for all and all for one. They had not joined an organization; they were joined together as an organism, a living, multi-membered body, of which Jesus was the head. They had genuine unity.

Unity can be found in three areas in the church: a unity of hope, a unity of heart, and a unity of mission. We are united in a common belief that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. We listen to His voice, and we obey His commands. It is our hope in Him that brings us together until our every desire is to follow Jesus. We are also united in our hearts: the seat of our emotions. It is a feeling of togetherness and belonging.  Furthermore, we are united in mission: to bring others to Jesus where they can experience the abundant life he has for them.

When a church is working in harmony of hope, heart, and mission, it is a dominant force in the community because it is singularly focused and led by the Holy Spirit.

Do you think it is possible for a church today to live in the same kind of unity as the early church? Why or why not?

In what ways do you see unity in the local church being expressed?

In what ways do you see a lack of unity in the local church?  What can you do about it?

Experience Love in the Body of Christ

1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love one another deeply”

John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

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Ouch! I wonder if that is how the world sees the church? Listening to some of our rhetoric and reading some of our Facebook posts, I would not be surprised. Like “peace,” the word “love” is another word that is overused and under-experienced. It is effortless to talk about and sing about love. Years ago Pepsi capitalized on a song that says, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” Perhaps the reason there is so little is that it costs so much.

Mother Teresa heard vows from 11 new members of her growing order, the Society of the Missionaries of Charity, and spoke briefly about this weekend to a crowd of about 700 people. "Love, to be real, must cost," said the frail and stooped Mother Teresa, 75, whose big voice belies her stature, "It must hurt. It must empty us of self."(From article written by Anne L. Meskey, “What’s the Big Deal About Love?,” Discipleship Journal 1994)

What does Mother Teresa mean when she says, “Love, to be real, must cost”?

Jesus told us to love one another “as I have loved you.”  Take a moment and think about the extent Jesus went through to demonstrate His love for us. How can we love others the same way?

When have you experienced sacrificial love?

Who around you needs to experience God’s love?
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EXPERIENCE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scriptures:

Romans 12:6–8, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

Thought: It takes all the people of God to do all the work of God.

I was awake at 3 am sitting in the recliner complaining to God about something I had no reason to. It was immature for sure, but it bothered me enough that I could no longer sleep. As I sat in my pity party, God was not pleased, and He let me know it. Like a Father disciplining His son, he said to me, “You can continue to sit there and sulk, but you are cursing and not a blessing. I have given you gifts that that can bless the situation, but you are choosing to curse.” I had a decision to make; I could use my gifts, or I could withhold them.

God has uniquely gifted each of us by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing to The Body of Christ, our community, and the world. Instead of withholding our gifts, we are to be good stewards of our gifts and use them for the sake of the Kingdom.

From our January 30^th devotional, we discovered the ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives to help us live transformed lives. However, our experience with The Holy Spirit does not stop there; He gives us gifts to work through us. All of the gifts are to bring glory to Jesus, build up the Body of Christ, and empower us to reach the world for Christ.

Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-13; and 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 list the different spiritual gifts which are categorized in the following ways:

Leadership gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, (These are called the five-fold ministry gifts).

Verbal gifts: preaching, teaching, prophesying, evangelizing, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues

Manifestation gifts: prophecy, faith, miracles, and healing 

Serving gifts: generosity, hospitality, and encouragement

Some gifts are more expressive and prominent, but none are more significant. Whatever gifts we have, we are to steward and strengthen. At Centerpointe, we encourage everyone to go through a group called Focus where you will discover your spiritual gifts and personality style in order to find your divine design.

You may also be interested in an online assessment. This free link can be taken before your Life Group meeting: https://spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gifts-test-landing

Refection:

What are your spiritual gifts and how did you discover them?

How are they helpful in your life?

How are you using your spiritual gifts to serve the Body of Christ and your local community?

Prayer:

For a list of spiritual gifts, also read Ephesians 4:11–13 and 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, 

EXPERIENCE THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scripture:

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)

Thought:

On our kitchen table, you will find a small, round, metal dish holding a variety of fruit. You might discover bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapes, apples, peaches, or grapefruits. They are meant to be snacks if you get hungry or something to grab as you go out the door. At the moment of this writing, four small oranges look like they have been there for a while. No doubt they will be replaced after Esther comes home from the grocery store.

Imagine for a moment our lives being as that dish on God’s table, containing fruit for others to enjoy as they interact with us. The fruits of the Spirit are the character traits found in our lives that reflect the nature of Christ.

As we grow in our walk with Jesus, fruit begins to naturally grow because He is daily transforming our lives to be more like Him.  Fruit is the by-product of Christ’s control; it will naturally improve as your relationship in Christ grows.

It is from our fruit that the world gets a taste of who God is. The Spiritual fruit we bear makes the unbelievers hungry for the things of God. Dr. Dell Tarr, one of my university presidents, taught that the fruit produced in our lives is for the weary travelers around us. It becomes one of the most dynamic evangelical tools God has ever created. Here’s the way it works:

When you find a weary traveler and when he says, "I am sick of the church," you say to him, "Have a grape." He takes it and tastes it. He says, "That is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted," and you invite him to take another. So when he comes struggling and limping to you and plucks a grape from your hand, he says, "Wow! That’s good! You must be a real Christian.

The true sweetness of service, the care, the genuine love, the giving, and sacrifice are something that blows him away because the world doesn’t have it. The world is alien to this. When you are full of meekness, joy, peace, faith, and love, he will say, "Where did you get that and where can I get some?"

The Fruit Inspection Quiz

Think about each fruit in your life. Give yourself a grade, 1 being the weakest and 7 being the strongest.

LOVE                        1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

JOY                            1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

PEACE                     1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

PATIENCE              1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

KINDNESS             1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

MEEKNESS           1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

FAITHFULNESS 1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

GENTLENESS     1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

SELF CONTROL  1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

Decision:

Based on what you read and the results of your quiz, what areas of your life need to be adjusted?

What are ways a person can improve on the quality of spiritual fruit?

  

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scripture:

Acts 1:4–5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.””

Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

Thought: Empowered for Purpose

Before Jesus departed for Heaven, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from Heaven. On the day of Pentecost, that is exactly what happened: they received power which resulted in a large number of people being saved. Isn’t it interesting that the people closest to Jesus were not yet equipped to do the work of Jesus until they received the power of the Holy Spirit? What was true then is true today. 

I often define a Pentecostal church as a Christ centered, Bible believing Body of Christ that believes the Holy Spirit is actively working today. All of the gifts of the Spirit found in the New Testament are still available for the purpose of proclaiming the Good News to the world.

The power of pentecost is purposeful

The word “power” in the original language is the Greek word dunamei. From dunamei we derive our words dynamic and dynamite; however, dynamite was not invented at the time of the early church. Jesus is talking about a force that is so powerful it cannot be stopped. This is a divine power imparted to us through His Spirit.

In the past, the Pentecostal Church was often thought of as strange. Many people did not believe that the gifts of the Spirit were still in operation today, but the results are now in: millions of people around the world are coming to Christ because the power of the Holy Spirit is breaking through difficult places. Today, the Pentecostal Church is the fastest growing Christian church in the world. 

EXPERIENCE THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Thought:

Life is full of challenges. We can count on that. The good news is that we can rely on someone who can help us, and sometimes carry us through life’s ups and downs: the Holy Spirit, which resides in every follower of Jesus. It is empowering to occasionally review just precisely what the Holy Spirit does so we can boldly face life. Scripture gives us clear job descriptions of The Holy Spirit. Below is a list with scriptural references.

As you read through this list, reflect on the times in which the Holy Spirit worked in each area. For example, as a pastor, one of my daily prayers is for wisdom. Many things come up that I am ill-equipped to handle on my own. Some decisions impact people’s lives, and I want to make sure I am not operating in my strength and understanding. I know that many times, the Holy Spirit gave me insight into a situation when I was stuck.

Writing this devotional is another example. I thought I would be able to whip these out without a problem. I had collected my notes all year, but when I started writing, I found myself overwhelmed with the task. I had no idea of the time it took to write three paragraphs for each day.  If it had not been for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you would not be reading this today. 

The Works of the Holy Spirit with Scripture Reference:

1.           The Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. 1 Peter 3:18

2.          The Spirit calls us to God. Revelation 22:17

3.          The Spirit convicts us of sin. John 16:8-11

4.          The Spirit sanctifies us. 1 Corinthians 6:11

5.          The Spirit testifies to Jesus. 1 John 4:13; Hebrews 10:15

6.          The Spirit gives us new life. Ephesians 2:1-5

7.           The Spirit leads us into a deeper relationship with God. Titus 3:5

8.          The Spirit leads us away from worldly desires. Romans 8:5

9.          The Spirit resides within us. 1 Corinthians 6:19

10.      The Spirit seals our salvation.  Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30

11.       The Spirit guides us. Acts 13:2; 16:6

12.      The Spirit prompts us in worship. Luke 10:21

13.      The Spirit empowers us to witness. Acts 1:8

14.      The Spirit helps us pray. Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Ephesians 6:17,18

15.      The Spirit teaches us. John 14:26.

16.      The Spirit leads us into truth. John 15:26; 1 John 4:6

17.       The Spirit comforts us. John 16:7

18.      The Spirit transforms us. 1 Corinthians 6:11

19.      The Spirit helps us remember God’s word. John 14:26

20.     The Spirit helps us lead a godly life. Galatians 5:22-23

21.      The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

22.     The Spirit speaks to The Church. Revelation 2

23.     The Spirit works to unite believers. Philippians 2:1-2; Ephesians 4:3

24.     The Spirit gives us strength. Ephesians 3:16

25.     The Spirit gives wisdom and revelation. Ephesians 1:17

26.     The Spirit gives us a new prayer language. 1 Corinthians 14:2, 14-16

27.      The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts for the Church. 1 Corinthians 12

28.     The Spirit produces fruit in us. Galatians 5:22