A CHURCH ALIVE

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By Akin Ojumu 

The true measure of a Christian ministry is not more people coming through the doors and filling up the pews. A true indicator of an impactful Christian assembly is different people; it is when, upon hearing the Gospel message, those who come are convicted of their sin and are broken by their lawlessness that you know that a Church is alive and well. 

It isn’t the size of the congregation that makes a ministry great, rather it is the life the congregation lives. A Christian assembly is awakened and breathing not when it is made up of members who merely conform to whatever it is the pastor says but of believers who are genuinely transformed by what the Word of God commands.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” (Revelations 3:1-3).

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation…For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” (Revelations 3:15-18).

A successful Christian denomination is a place where people come covered in wretchedness, but leave covered in God’s righteousness having been washed by the washing of the Word. Such a ministry is not given to gimmicks, tricks, schemes or stunts. It’s not a place where the fleshly desires of the members are continually inflamed with false promises of immeasurable wealth and spurious assurances of divine health.

For a Christian ministry to thrive and be alive, it must preoccupy itself with feeding the people with the Word of God unadulterated and undiluted. The singular focus of such a place is the preaching of the Gospel and a fervent desire of the people to exemplify the message they hear through godly living.

It is a Christian ministry that receives its sustenance solely from the Word of God, and one where the people bear fruit in keeping with repentance, that is truly alive. If this does not describe where you worship, you’d be wise to run for your life and find someplace else.

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