YOUR RELIGIOUS WHITEBOARD

A whiteboard is where you put up the main points of a lesson or lecture so that at the end you can review what you need to know.

A religious whiteboard is where you place the details of who you are as a church. Such things as being a Baptist church; a statement of faith; the churches vision; requirements of membership; programmes; the leadership and their positions.

All of these may be valid, but they are not the reason for your existence as a church. What makes a church different from all other groups of people is one thing and that is the manifest presence of God.

When we do things without this we are no different to any other organisation, because the end result is the same which is to cater for the material and soulish needs of the membership. These things may give a sense of purpose and satisfaction but they do not in themselves achieve the ultimate purpose of God and that is to establish his kingdom with him as King.

For that to happen we need the manifest presence of God. It would be a bit strange if the Queen of England didn’t live in England. It would be strange if the king of Spain didn’t live in Spain.

It is a bit strange if the King of the universe didn’t live in his kingdom on earth. The only way that he can do that is through his church. That is why we need the manifest presence of God. When that happens we are saying “you are the king, this is your kingdom, we are your subjects, and you have the right to tell us what to do because we are your subjects.”

How many do we need to experience the manifest presence of God? Look at Matthew 18:20 “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

It is easier to get unity with two or three than two or three thousand. Probably why God got rid of 29,700 in Gideon’s army and made do with 300. The church growth movement make a big thing about numbers, but in many respects they can be a barrier to spiritual growth. The numbers mentality very often produces a spiritual experience that is three miles wide and three inches deep. In other words, not much substance, mostly froth and bubble.

The question is “how does the manifest presence of God happen.” It comes through the Holy Spirit and a prepared people who are interested only in one thing “what does God want.”

Going through the motions each week doesn’t cut it. Until a church gets serious about their walk with the Lord, nothing will happen, least of all the manifest presence of God.

All God needs is our availability. He is not interested in our ability. Why is that? Because ALL power was given to Jesus, so nothing we can do will make any difference. Our all powerful, all knowing God has it all worked out. All he wants from us is to listen and obey and he will make it all happen. That is why turning over the machinery each week is a waste of time as it is akin to saying “God we don’t need you as we have it all worked out. If we do things a certain way we will get the results we want.”

And that is where the problem lays. We are getting the results we want and deserve, but not the results he wants which are to establish his kingdom and to change the world one or 3,000 people at a time.

We need a whiteboard that says “God will be here today…all day.”