I HAVE A DREAM (1)

Most people know something of the late Rev. Martin Luther King’s great “I have a dream” speech, I want to share my current dream with you, in this and maybe further blogs. A number of things have happened in our lives recently, some even when we were away on holidays, that has caused this dream to develop afresh. It maybe my dream can never come to pass because we live in a rural area and is therefore totally unrealistic. Your comments will be appreciated.  A couple of years ago I wrote a series of  teaching blogs on the Biblical theme of “Building according to the pattern” beginning in the Old Testament with God’s words to Moses and King David, to build Him a House, but they must build it “according to the pattern” that God would show them. Moses and David followed God’s instructions and when the Tabernacle and the temple was complete the Glory of God descended and dwelt in the House. This commenced the Biblical principle that when we build God’s way, we get God’s results.
This principle continues in the New Testament both as far as the Church is concerned and as far as us as individuals , that we must build our lives and the local church “according to the pattern of the Word of God”. If we do that we can expect to see and experience the Glory of God.
Let me remind you Jesus said “I will build my Church” so many Believers think we “just leave it to Jesus to do the building”. Most commentators believe Jesus was saying  “I will build my Church through you”.
Annie Johnson Flint wrote a hymn, the first lines:

Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today, He has no feet but our feet to lead men in His way, He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died, He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

So we need to “search the Scriptures” to  know what is the pattern is in the Word of God and seek to fulfil it, and we will see the Glory of God. What are some of the essential ingredients in the pattern? I will seek to develop these in the next few blogs. I would suggest right now, it is not just a mental commitment to these things, but a proactive continuous commitment to see them implemented.

THE GREAT COMMISSION

Every believer witnessing

Quality Gospel preaching

Biblical Discipleship and Mentoring

TEACHING AND TRAINING

BIBLICAL PLURAL LEADERSHIP

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE PRAYER

EXTRAVAGANT WORSHIP

KEEPING JESUS AT THE CENTRE

LETTING THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVE.

I am sure there are other important components we need to add to this list, do you have any suggestions?

If we build the Church man’s way, we end up with Ichabod “The Glory of God has departed”. but if we build “according to the pattern” we can expect blessing, growth and much fruitfulness for the Kingdom of God.

I am not seeing local churches built this way and the result is diminishing congregations and minimal blessing, I so want to be part of a local church that is building “according to the pattern”  What do you think ?Is it realistic dream or not??????