I Believe in God, but I'm Not a Fan of the ChurchSample

CHURCH: A MOVEMENT FUELED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Though the church is made up of imperfect people, Jesus makes it clear that it’s through the church (this gathering of His followers) that His kingdom will grow. If we rely only on human minds and strength to build and grow the church, it’s not going to go well. So, how can we, a bunch of flawed and sinful people, live out His mission while we are here on earth?

We must rely on the direction of the Holy Spirit. We’ll always go astray if we try to do church and ministry without the Holy Spirit. In his great commission in Matthew 28, Jesus reminds the disciples of their job – to go and make disciples. He ends his great calling by reminding the disciples that they’ll never be alone. Ministry was always intended to be done with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As the beginning of Psalm 127 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers build in vain.”

When we look beyond imperfect Christians, we behold the perfect Christ.

Ask Yourself:

-What does it look like when a church is following the direction of the Holy Spirit?

-What does the passage of Acts teach us about God’s vision for the church?

-How can we tell when we are operating out of our own strength rather than relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us?

Pause to Pray: Father God, I pray for the local church and the global church. As we continue to grow your kingdom, I pray that we also continue to be fueled and guided by your Holy Spirit. Show us where we fall short and open us up to your will…

Take a Next Step: Commit to praying for your church over the next few days, asking God to reveal His plan and His power to your pastor, leaders, and congregation.