10th July, 2011
Lesson Four
CONDUCIVE ATMOSPHERE will now create for the GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
Hence GROWTH OF THE CHURCH demands that we KNOW the PROCESS OF CHURCH.
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– Left Channel is in Tamil (translation)
– Right Channel is in English
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– இடது சேனல் (மொழிபெயர்ப்பு) தமிழ் உள்ளது
– வலது சேனல் ஆங்கிலத்தில் உள்ளது
(நீங்கள்விரும்பிய மொழி கேட்க இடது அல்லது வலதுஇருப்பு பொத்தானை நகர்த்து)
GROWTH IS A PROCESS and same with Church and so the PROCESS FOR GROWTH is
A) GROWTH PROCESS OF THE CHURCH
1.SELECTION OF THE PASTOR: It is GOD and not Man that selects the Pastor. God will first FORM the Man he has selected. Adam was FORMED first before being made PASTOR of his Church. (Gen 1:26)
2.FORMATION OF THE CHURCH: It is GOD who SETS the CHURCH, not man, even the PLACE is selected by God. (Gen 2: 8 )
3.MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH : God now sets the MINISTRY WORK in the Church and TELLS THE PASTOR WHAT HE HAS TO DO(Gen 2:15)
4.REVELATION KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE CHURCH: God will then give EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION to the Pastor on what needs to be done in the Church (Gen 2:16-17)
5.ASSISTANT FOR THE PASTOR: It is GOD who will also APPOINT the person to ASSIST the Pastor.(Gen 2: 18)
6.OWNERSHIP OF THE CHURCH: God will then ensure that the PASTOR takes OWNERSHIP of all that has been given to him. ( Gen 2: 19-20)
7.GENERATION OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS: Once the PASTOR takes OWNERSHIP of the Church, then God will enable the Pastor to PRODUCE SONS and DAUGHTERS for generations to come ( Gen 2: 24-25)
Once the CHURCH has been SET and the ACCURATE MODEL has been given and there is CONDUCIVE ATMOSPHERE going, then SATAN will step in. Satan will not attack the Church when it is formed but when it starts to GROW.
B) ATTACK ON THE CHURCH:
1.IMPERSONATION BY SATAN: Satan , when he starts to ATTACK the Church, will always come as a “ PERSONALITY ACCEPTED” by the LEADERSHIP of the Church. (Gen3:1)
2.DECEPTION: The mode of attack will always be “ the TWISTING OF FACTS OR REVELATION” that has been given by God. (Gen 3: 1)
3.INTIMIDATION: The Devil will ensure that you are made to FEAR what is said by God to the Pastor, rather than FEARING GOD. (Gen 3: 4)
4.MIND CONTROL: Satan will always use the MIND to TWIST the REVELATION from God and thus bring about DOUBTS. (Gen 3: 5-6)
5.DISOBEDIENCE : Once DOUBTS sets in, then DISOBEDIENCE will manifest itself, leading Eve now to DISOBEY what God had said. (Gen 3: 6)
6.EXPOSURE: The SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE will now bring to the OPEN the character of the flesh and this is when REVELATION is taken over by INFORMATION ( Gen 3:7-11)
7.DIVISION /SEPARATION : Once SIN is exposed and DISOBEDIENCE takes place, it will bring about ACCUSATION and DIVISION .(Gen 3:12)
Hence in every Church, the MAJOR CAUSE of it being BROKEN, DIVIDED and becoming STUNTED and STAGNANT is the SIN of DISOBEDIENCE.
That is why in the second Church(Garden of Gethsemane) Jesus (The Pastor) removes the CURSE of DISOBEDIENCE with his TOTAL OBEDIENCE, of “ NOT MY WILL but YOUR’S BE DONE” bringing the Church back to God’s Favour.
Knowing the PROCESS OF GROWTH we must now ensure the GROWTH OF THE CHURCH .
GROWING THE CHURCH :
Now that we know how the PROCESS of GROWTH in the church can be stifled, we must take the necessary steps to ensure the GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
Every believer in the church has an INDIVIDULASTIC MENTALITY often pursuing PERSONAL BENEFITS and this needs to be changed to consider the importance of CORPORATE LIFE or BODY LIFE of the Church.
EVERYONE MUST BE INVOLVED FOR THE GROWTH OF THE WHOLE BODY (Eph 4:15-16)
For the BODY TO GROW we must:
1.NEED GOD: Our main desire in Church is for us to NEED GOD above everything else in life(Acts 17: 27-31)
2.NEED AN IDENTITY: Man is always pursuing his OWN IDENTITY in the Church but the believer in the church must have a CORPORATE IDENTITY. (1Cor 1:2)
3.NEED A PURPOSE: The CHURCH must have a CORPORATE PURPOSE and every believer must KNOW and PURSUE this corporate purpose.(Acts 2: 31-34)
4.NEED TO RULE AND REIGN: God has given MAN and the CHURCH the mandate to RULE and REIGN and the Church grows when man becomes the RULER and not the slave.(Heb 8:2-5)
5.NEED TO LOVE and to be LOVED: Whenever God sets out to do something God says “ LET US”, hence the relationship between the FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT is of love and so the CHURCH as a whole must LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (1Jn 4:20)
Once the Church has become that OASIS OF LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, then God will SET FORTH HIS PRINCIPLES TO GROW THE CHURCH . So for the CHURCH TO GROW and INCREASE we must :
C) PRINCIPLES TO GROW THE CHURCH:
- KEEP INFORMATION OF THE CHURCH TIGHTLY SEALED FROM THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:
Information on what the Church is doing must not be made known to those who OPPOSE the work IN THE CHURCH. (Neh 4:1)
- ENSURE THAT MONEY and RELIGIOUS POLITICS DO NOT DESTROY THE CHURCH:
Money must never take center stage in the church and all forms of CHURCH POLITICS must be dealt with immediately ( Neh 4: 2)
- NOT ALLOW INTIMIDATION TO RULE:
The CHURCH must ensure that no one INTIMIDATES those working to build the Church. In many Churches, members threaten by calls of boycott, resigning, or even leaving, such actions will hinder the GROWTH of the Church. (Neh 4: 2-3)
- HAVE A MIND TO WORK:
Every member of the Church must TRAIN their MINDS TO WORK and not slack, as this will be the driving force to GROWTH. (Neh 4: 6)
- BREAK ALL FORMS OF CONSPIRACIES SET AGAINST THE WORK:
Different cliques and people groups can become united to take on the Pastor or a Leader in the church, through GOSSIPS and SLANDER, thus disrupting the WORK. (Neh 4:8)
- DISCERN THE ENEMY’S PRESENCE IN THE WORK:
The Pastor must SCREEN EACH WORKER who joins the work force , so that they will not allow the enemy to come within the gates, for the enemies of a man is always within his own household. Job’s wife, Judas, Eve and even Peter were used. (Neh 4: 11)
- NOT ALLOW FEAR TO STIFLE THE WORK:
FEAR can cripple the work, and that is why every member of the church must move the fears of failure, doubts, and anxiety away from the work. (Neh 4:12)
- KEEP PRESSING ON UNTIL THE WORK IS COMPLETED:
COMMITMENT and FAITHFULNESS will ensure the work continues and is FINISHED and as a CHURCH when we are COMMITTED to what God has put into the Church and have a MIND and a WILL to see it completed, GROWTH will take place in the Church.(Neh 4:21)
D) ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE CHURCH :
1. UPDATE AND UPGRADE EVERY MEMBER:
Every member of the Church must be UPDATED and UPGRADED onto the PURPOSES and PLANS of the Church. They must be TRAINED and EMPOWERED TO CARRY OUT THE WORK.(Acts 18: 24-26):
2.IMPART THE ANOINTING DIMENSIONS OF THE SENIOR PASTOR:
Even as Paul IMPARTED his Apostolic Dimensions onto Timothy, so also the SENIOR PASTOR must impart upon his sons and daughter what he carries.
3.BUILD A STRONG BASE OF LEADERS:
The Church can only be fully mobilized when there is a STRONG LEADERSHIP that is FULLY SUPPORTING THE PASTOR.
4.PROVIDE CONSISTENT TRAINING AND SCHOOL THEM:
The Pastor must provide consistent and systematic schooling programs to move them from one level to another.( Acts 19:10)
5.FULLY UTILIZE EVERY SPIRITUAL GIFT:
There must be a constant utilization of the GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that each member is fully EMPOWERED to carry out the work. When the Church is empowered with every SPIRITUAL GIFT it will GROW and the SUPERNATURAL WILL ALSO INCREASE.
Hence for CHURCH TO GROW WE MUST :
A)UNDERSTAND the PROCESS OF GROWTH.
B)KNOW HOW THE CHURCH IS ATTACKED.
C)IMPLEMENT THE PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH
D)CONSISTENT ACTION MUST BE TAKEN BY THE CHURCH.
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