Encouraged by What I Saw
Posted by: ba <ba@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Final Phase
Encouraged by What I Saw
by J. Randal Matheny
In the last five weeks, I have visited nine
congregations of the Lord's people in four states.
I return to Brazil this week encouraged by what I
have seen.
(1) Growth. One congregation is building a
facility of 32,000 square feet to accompany their
growth. Another is facing space problems as well,
and must either build or plant a new church, just
as they were planted a few years ago.
Those who work and preach the truth of the gospel
will be blessed with fruits of their labors.
Indeed, this is God's will (John 15:16). These
churches have not changed their approach nor the
gospel in order to reach people. They are doing
what the Lord told them to do. With results
produced by the Lord.
(2) Evangelism. One congregation is beginning a
new emphasis on reaching the lost. They mean
business when it comes to fulfilling the Great
Commission. In many of the others, I heard stories
of Christians, aside from the designated leaders,
teaching their friends and neighbors.
Jesus gave the church a single mission: to save
souls by preaching the gospel, edifying the
saints, and caring for their needs. Christians
evidence spiritual values and demonstrate the
single task by rejecting immediate concerns for
eternal gains.
(3) Commitment. All of the congregations visited
remain true to obeying Scripture as the
authoritative word of God, to preaching obedience
as necessary for salvation, to rejecting additions
and subtractions from God's will, to worshiping
God in spirit and truth, rather than resorting to
entertainment and other worldly tendencies to gain
numbers. The commitment to truth and to outreach
go hand in hand.
What encourages me is to see almost all of these
churches, in their obedience to Christ, combining
love for one another, zeal for the truth, and
faith in God to produce results through their
preaching. With so much bad news and criticism of
the brotherhood today, we might think such a
combination was impossible. But it is not only
possible, but happening in many congregations
across the country.
As it happened in the first century as well. Paul
wrote to one such church, "We continually remember
before our God and Father your work produced by
faith, your labor prompted by love, and your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV).
So let us be encouraged, and continue to persevere
in faithfulness, love, and obedience to our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. There are many who are
doing that already, and for them we give thanks to
God.
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