What Keeps a Church From Being Transformed? (Part 2)
As we explore the deep-seated issues encircling churches which refuse to transform, we discover some surprising things. One of
the most amazing things is that churches that refuse to be transformed do so because they think there is nothing they need. These
churches feel like everything is going well and God is pleased with them. They are doing many of the right things, they just miss the
most essential item. The second characteristic (and another surprising one) of churches which refuse to be transformed is...
CHURCHES THE REFUSE TO TRANSFORM REVEL IN MINISTRY
In this church, ministry was done for the right reasons with an amazing passion. Ministry was an all-time, persistent pattern of service
to Christ.
I know your works, your labor, your patience … and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake
and have not become weary. Revelation 2:2-3 (NKJV)
Ministry begins to take over a greater and greater part of our hearts. Pretty soon, the demands of the ministry begin to encroach upon
our hearts. Note the way these men and woman of God pursued ministry. One can get tired just reading the text.
Yet, as the months turned into years, no one seemed to notice that activity had replaced intimacy. Doing replaced being. This
insidious shift went totally unnoticed in the lives of those who served the work of God. Soon the exhaustion erased every shred of vivid
memory of those intimate walks with God. Transformation requires intimacy. When anything overtakes our time alone with God,
transformation is impossible.
© 2007 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved.
As we explore the deep-seated issues encircling churches which refuse to transform, we discover some surprising things. One of
the most amazing things is that churches that refuse to be transformed do so because they think there is nothing they need. These
churches feel like everything is going well and God is pleased with them. They are doing many of the right things, they just miss the
most essential item. The second characteristic (and another surprising one) of churches which refuse to be transformed is...
CHURCHES THE REFUSE TO TRANSFORM REVEL IN MINISTRY
In this church, ministry was done for the right reasons with an amazing passion. Ministry was an all-time, persistent pattern of service
to Christ.
I know your works, your labor, your patience … and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake
and have not become weary. Revelation 2:2-3 (NKJV)
Ministry begins to take over a greater and greater part of our hearts. Pretty soon, the demands of the ministry begin to encroach upon
our hearts. Note the way these men and woman of God pursued ministry. One can get tired just reading the text.
- They persevered – They worked hard – long, tiring hours to bring God’s message to the people of Ephesus. And when they
rose each morning they would do it all over again. The world “persevered” denotes that they did so against great odds and for
a long period of time.
- They were patient – Things did not go well for the men and women of Ephesus. Their labors were intensive but their results
were minimal, thus they had to be, and succeeded in remaining patient. Despite the odds, the hearts of these people in
Ephesus continued to serve the Lord diligently.
- They were potent – As the weeks and months grew into years, these followers of Jesus did not grow weary of their tiring
routine. There was a satisfaction born of serving Jesus that thrilled them as they served Him.
Yet, as the months turned into years, no one seemed to notice that activity had replaced intimacy. Doing replaced being. This
insidious shift went totally unnoticed in the lives of those who served the work of God. Soon the exhaustion erased every shred of vivid
memory of those intimate walks with God. Transformation requires intimacy. When anything overtakes our time alone with God,
transformation is impossible.
© 2007 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved.
| Transformation |
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| First Baptist Church |
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