CHURCH GROWTH 2 (GOD-CENTERED MINISTRY)

 

1 Corinthians 3:7 (NET)
So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

One of the biggest temptations set men over ministries face today is the temptation to make themselves count for everything. When this happens, God is no more at the center of the ministry but they. At this point, [from heaven’s perspective], such a ministry ceases to grow even if it is physically exploding in growth. One of the signs of this is that such a ministry would cease to make disciples of Christ, but would only succeed in cloning people after the image of the set man. People who do not know God, but know the motions and the lingo. People whose lives do not bear fruit because even though their heads are full, their hearts are empty.

It is instructive that in today’s Bible verse we see that Paul said ‘neither he that planted (Paul) or he that watered (Apollos) counts for anything…’ Paul understood this truth and God remained at the center of the ministry.

The error of people-centered ministry usually begins when the set man (or men) begin to think that they are responsible for the growth in the ministry. They forget that only God could have given such growth. If this mindset is not checked, the ministry would gradually shift from a Jesus centered ministry to a man-centered ministry.

Go into today remembering that it is only God-centered ministries that count before God. Remeber that everyone’s work will be tested by fire and some will suffer loss on that day because they did not build according to God’s pattern(see 1 Cor 3:14-15).

Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you build in such a way that on that day you will not suffer loss but will receive a reward.