As a rule, I take lengthy introspective criticisms like this one in doses. Christ has to be the focus of our efforts to serve Him. If we focus on how imperfectly and inconsistently we labor, we will naturally become downcast and unbelieving. If stories in the Bible such as the fall of Jericho, Gideon’s tiny band, and David and Goliath teach anything, it is that God is of sufficient power to bring miraculous results in the presence of what might be humanly speaking fairly feeble and misdirected efforts. The secret of our power lies in the strength of Him in whose Name we undertake them, not in the apparent wisdom of the plans. Like David in his last moments, our introspective tendencies should always terminate in the promises of God: “Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; will He not make it increase?” 2 Sam. 23:5.       

God can and will make the RB’s increase as it pleases Him. I should not be understood to mean that RB’s cannot improve or should not want to improve. Of course we should. But those suggestions must first be real improvements. When we who are younger confidently take up the task of stating how we would reinvent the wheel, we invariably prove why God in His Providence has not yet put us at the helm. Let it be known that we will hear the Al Martins, Gary Hendrixs, Randy Pizzinos, and Greg Nichols. But too often men that have accomplished far less seem to be the ones that consistently make the loudest  and boastful criticisms. But if these up and coming critics are expert church planters, why are they not busy building up their own metropolitan RB mega-church? Why spend all this time talking about it on the web?

Christ said, “on this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,” Matt. 16:18. Let us not err as the Roman Catholics do, and think that Jesus has delegated the ultimate responsibility of building His Church to Peter or to anyone else.  He is the One building it. We have stewardships and responsibilities in our own spheres of course. If we are not faithful to them, God will find someone else who will be. But let us be content to trust the final outcome of all to Him.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 9:58 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.