I will not post much for a while in order to focus on another sphere in my life, but I want to leave this with you.
Maybe my using “well-fed” recently was misleading. I was speaking of good church folks who are satisfied with the diet offered by the organized church as many know it. I used the term somewhat sarcastically because they think they are doing well, and so do their leaders – much like the Jews and Pharisees of Jesus’ Day. They may be well-fed in a certain way because their heads are stuffed with the sugary delicacies of religion, but their hearts are starving for the meat of the Word.
CHURCH
I see church done in many ways. Various belief systems and their cultures and traditions, along with highly touted core values, preaching styles and programs in high-tech settings designed for the comfort (and entertainment) of members. They seemingly have everything a person could want and are only lacking what they really need.
As I look across the church in America, I see little of the New Testament, Kingdom-oriented, purpose driven, Jesus focused, Spirit-empowered Matthew 16:18 Church that He is building elsewhere. Church members’ “faith” here barely impacts their pursuit of the American Dream and hardly distinguishes them from their neighbors. Who would debate that potentially harsh and critical statement?
Nevertheless, some of you have a sense of our Day and are hungry. You know that God is working in the chaos and are ready to be equipped to thrive in His Kingdom for His glory even in hard times, but you are leaderless in pursuing that vision.
SO NOW . . . .
Nothing less than national or global upheaval, probably with persecution, will break typical churchgoers free of their satisfaction with institutional religion, but many leaders are taking a “wait and see” approach. They are the blind leading the blind, to quote Jesus.
My take for our Day is that most of you who have a heart for more, must seek it outside of “church” as you know it, and the Spirit of Jesus is ready to lead you. See John 16:5-15 https://biblia.com/bible/esv/john/16/5-15 Who knows – if you and fellow believers gathered and humbly sought the Lord together you might even have a mini-Pentecost!
Finally, consider John 14:25-31 which concludes with, “Get up, let us go from here.” https://biblia.com/bible/esv/john/14/25-31 NOW is the time.
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
June 23, 2022
CLICK HERE for a printable pdf.