“And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.’” – Acts 17:2-3
Paul was only in Thessalonica for a very brief time. Nonetheless, the churches he planted there flourished. Even he was surprised when he learned how well they were doing. How was this possible? How could a church planted and discipled for just a few short weeks grow and flourish? By being rooted in the truth of Christ and empowered the Holy Spirit!
Our instincts tell us that starting a church is a long human endeavor. We reason that we must be involved for an extremely long time to protect a young church from error. This instinct discourages us from starting new churches to reach the millions around us who are far from God. The reality is that plenty of churches with long histories and enormous human knowledge fall into theological error, weaken, and die. Far more important than any human efforts is the work of the Holy Spirit. We must remember this in an era when many churches in America are struggling.
The church is the bride of Christ. It’s His love and Spirit that empowers churches to survive and thrive, not ours. Human effort is important but it can’t replace a focus on the presence and power of Christ. Let the churches of Jesus Christ remain grounded in this truth Paul taught. Jesus is the Christ. He is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior of the World. He came, He lived, He died, He rose from the dead to atone for the sins of the world. Let every church recommit to love for and submission to the Lordship of Jesus. Then let’s see all the Holy Spirit will do to bless, nourish, nurture, strengthen, and mature Christ’s churches. #FollowJesus