Message to the Church

A few days ago, I found this article I wrote in the fall of 1985. I wonder, has anything changed much in the church? My deep love for the church prompts me to send this message out again.


Is the church going to continue to ignore the ministry of Jesus and not assist and love His hurting, needy people? Is the church going to minister spiritual healing and life or give only bread to satisfy the body? Ministry is available elsewhere and the hurting people are seeking healing. They have sought long enough in the worldly ways of psychiatry and psychoanalysis and found that it does not heal. But, enough people have received healing and experienced changed lives through the ministry of Jesus and guiding of the Spirit, and they are speaking about it to others who are hurting, causing them to seek spiritual healing. If the church continues to refuse that ministry, more and more people will leave the church and go to other places seeking the Lord for His healing, never again to return to the organized church. When will we see that we, as the church, are in ruins? When will we in the churches stop pretending we’re alive and active? When will we cry out to Jesus, letting go of all pride and control? When will the blinders come off? When will we stop being deceived by the enemy (Satan) and know that we are doing man’s work and not God’s works? When will we open His word and see what are lives should be – where our obedience should be – what our priorities are in God’s will and Word? When will we walk with God, being pleasing unto Him? When will we allow the Spirit to control and direct us so God can bless us? Can we lay aside our old practices of asking God to bless our program for Him instead of allowing His program to come forth in the presence and power of His Spirit? Have we gone too far to turn back? God is raising up His children – can it be His church not the organized church as we know it? Are we falling (losing ground and members), never to raise up again in the old structure? Are we so structured in ungodly leadership, unspiritual men, that we have destroyed ourselves? We blame new, budding churches – who are raising up in the power of the Spirit – for stealing the sheep. Couldn’t we better say that we are driving the sheep out because we do not walk in spiritual life? Is there still time for the church to take a good, honest look at itself, time to repent, time to tear down the ways of man, time to break down bondage, time to fall on our faces before God – or can’t we do that in front of others because of our being stiff-necked and prideful? Is there time, or has God begun to write Ichabod over our doors? My heartbreaks; I weep for the church. Has time run out – or is it still possible, wonder of wonders, that we can come back to our first love – our God – and the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from your sins? Dare we hope that can still happen before God finishes writing that dreaded word over our doors? Now is the decision time for the church. Fear God and not man; be no longer lukewarm or “I will spew you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

The way is in God’s Word; tear down the worldly from the top and build up the spiritual from the foundation. Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and the only Savior of the world is the Foundation and His Spirit is the power. There is power in His blood. The Father calls us unto Himself. He will destroy the works of man, but the works of God will live on.

“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. "You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Isaiah 58:11-12