God is calling. It could be you. Are you listening?
Members of 'small' churches often cast a wistful eye at the 'biggies'. Thousands attending annual conventions or even, though rarely, a Sunday service. Intensive programs for hundreds of newcomers. Exciting youth programs. Massive church complexes. Surely this is Christianity as Jesus envisaged it. Didn't he say, "I will build my church"?
Presumably his assertion that he would 'build' his church implies unity - for example, unity of belief or of purpose or function. But we don't see much of that! Ecumenism tries hard, but Christianity remains sorely divided. It looks like Jesus has gone away and forgotten about his 'project'.
Stunted Growth
Of course, that can't be so. He promised to be with his brethren 'even to the end of the age'. He walks in the midst of his churches. He is the Chief Shepherd and cares for it lovingly. And he will be true to his purpose.
By contrast, there are hundreds of struggling small assemblies where growth has ground to a halt. Few new faces appear, and often they don't stay around for long. It's a challenge at times to find a man to preach or even to lead in prayer! There's no youth program - for there are few or even no children. And music? Forget it.
Many, perhaps most, of the children of such dedicated Christians wander off to pastures new. They may have learned at mother's knee and in church the stories and the great truths of the Bible. They absorb the ethical teachings of Jesus. And these teachings impact their lives so that they become what anyone could label as 'model citizens'. But become a dedicated servant of Christ, a 'Christian'? That's another story.
Yet such tiny flashes of Christianity can prove to be real gems. They may be at the heart of Jesus' program of church building. For they can express the core of his teachings. Above all they love truth and they strive to love one another. Often at great personal sacrifice they buck the trend of human values to follow Christ. They say 'Lord, Lord' - and then they do what he says. They may give up jobs. They may be despised by colleagues or neighbors or even by family. And some have died, choosing obedience to Christ rather than life itself.
Divine Calling
Just what do you think Jesus meant when he stated 'I will build my church'? The Roman Church with its billion adherents? Or some other large denomination? Is it numbers he's after? Does he plan - now - to 'christianize' the planet?
Consider the owner of a company. He's dedicated to building it and making it a success. Fundamental to that purpose is his choice of key personnel: accountants, sales, artisans, administration etc. Each is - he hopes - totally dedicated to the goals and success of the company.
So with the church. The 'Church of God', universally, is in God's hands and administered by Jesus Christ. It is God's 'project'. Don't you think He would very carefully choose His 'workers' for such an eternal purpose? Every individual He invites to work with him - all the brethren - are carefully chosen. Not only that - they are then powerfully equipped by Jesus Christ with the spiritual gigs that are essential to the end purpose.
His personnel are recruited in the first order by God Himself-. "...born not of blood [i.e., not from our genes] nor of the will of the flesh [not by our decision] nor of the will of man" (John 1:13).
It's possible, for example, that no matter how diligent you are in rearing your children to be godly - yet they may not be, at this time, suitable for this phase of 'God's big project'. The promise of the Holy Spirit - the essential qualification to join the company - is 'to as many as the Lord our God may call' (Acts 2:39).
The Father looks at the potential material and - perhaps over years of individual experiences and exposure to His Word in various forms - draws the individual to Jesus: "No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him", he said (John 6:44).
When He has thus prepared them they 'call on the Lord's name' to be saved (Acts 2:21). Said Jesus, "It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught of God'. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me" (John 6:45). That is, if they want to - there is no compulsion!
Those who are prepared will recognize that the teachings of Jesus Christ are indeed the very Word of the Father. Said the apostle Peter: "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Scraping the Barrel?
Scripture gives us some clues as to who these invited individuals are.
Wrote the apostle Paul: "Simply consider your own call [invitation to serve], brothers; not many of you were wise, humanly speaking, not many mighty, not many of nobility; but God has called the world's unschooled to shame the learned; and God has called the weak in the world to shame the strong. God has also chosen the world's low-born and contemptibles and nobodies in order to annihilate the things that are" (I Corinthians 1:26-28). We're not on the face of it especially good working material!
Yet that's where God starts, usually. Most of us think we don't need God. Pride, success, avarice, pleasure. worldly cares are ploys of Satan by which we are blinded to the Gospel message. The starting point is that we have nothing to boast about, humanly speaking!
Failing Company?
Given such care in the choice of personnel - the members of the church he is building - how come that the church is in such disarray, on the face of it near 'spiritual bankruptcy'?
It's down to free choice. The Father issues the invitation to 'join the company'. Jesus individually dispenses suitable gifts - to the individual and to advance the 'corporate goals' - and makes available the power (through the indwelling Holy Spirit) necessary for success (II Peter 1:3).
So what goes wrong?
Rewarded
A major step in the overall divine plan is the training of all the personnel, all the brethren. We may start 'lowly' - but we are expected to mature, to become Christ-like in our attitudes and our actions and our interactions with the world. To that end the Father - with whom we will be working for eternity! - oversees our growth, as does a human father his children (Hebrews 12:4-11).
Depending on how we advance, on our individual effort, we are 'rewarded' in the Kingdom - the big project - with degrees of rulership and service (Matthew 19:27-30, Revelation 22:12). (The only reason we are there at all, of course, is by divine grace!)
However - we are human! As in every, business, not everyone fulfills his or her potential or shines in the role assigned them, even when qualified. All of us at some time grow weary, take our eyes off the corporate goal, let the firm down. We don't hone our spiritual gifts or we allow them simply to wither through disuse - or misuse. And, sadly, some of us drop out. That's not the will of God! Hence the church suffers.
Commitment
And there's worse. You may have been in the Fathers' mind as a potential 'employee'. But are you willing to make the necessary commitment? This is perhaps the greatest failing of those who 'believe'.
His calling, Jesus tells us, is through a 'gate that is narrow, and contracted the road that leads on to life, and few are those who find it' (Matthew 7:14). And he warns that once you 'say yes' there's no turning back: 'No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back fits in with the Kingdom of God' (Luke 9:62).
That's sound advice, serious advice. With so much at stake - an eternity of divine service compared with oblivion - it's sensible to think through God's requirements. For once we commit to His service, and 'taste the heavenly gift', to turn our backs on it results in awesome judgment (Hebrews 10:26-31).
End-time Challenge
Jesus expressed his concern about those of his spiritual brethren living in the end-time generation. There's still work to do! The good news of the Kingdom of God is not yet 'in all the world' (Matthew 24:14) - witness the fact that a couple of billion of this generation have never even heard the name Jesus!
Yet many 'let down the side', even quit, abandon the high calling..
The world sinks in lawlessness - and it impacts all of us. Said Jesus: "Due to excessive lawlessness, the love of many shall be chilled" (v.12). Cold Christians can't set the world ablaze! Many brethren have indeed succumbed, grown weary. Others chase doctrinal hares into the forest and lose sight of the reason for our original call.
Success Assured
Jesus Christ, however, will not fail. He will build his church - carefully, selectively. Did you respond to that call - months ago, a year ago, forty years ago? Now is the time to assess your role in 'the business'.
Are you using - and developing - your Christ-given gifts? Are you part of his worldwide team and actively engaged in the Master's business? Are you praying, contributing your God-given talents and gifts, supporting financially your corner of the harvest, with a lifestyle that shouts 'I'm a Christian'? How do you fit with the 'corporate image' Jesus describes for his church?
Dark days are on the horizon. Great armies will sweep westward from Asia intent on conquest (Revelation 9:14-16). One third of earth's then population will die. If you have 'received the call of God' then now is time to give 100% to 'the company' and to fulfil your appointed role. Now is the time for all of us to wake up!
Jesus clearly stated that in the twilight of man's 'day' the church he is building will be despised, rejected, persecuted. Many will be martyred because faithful to Jesus Christ and to his revealed will. They 'obey God's commandments' - all Ten! - 'and hold to the testimony of Jesus' (Revelation 12:17).
But the church will prevail. Assured is a coming Kingdom reigned over by Jesus Christ and those relative few the Father has given to him - the church of God. It will never die! Your choice - and your commitment - is what it takes.
To comment on this article or request more information, please contact James McBride by e-mail at the comment form below.
For PDF or mailed copy, see CGOM. Excerpt from New Horizons Volume 6 No. 1, January/February 2002. Edited by James McBride of the Churches of God, United Kingdom.
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