Pastors' Forum

Question:

What Would Jesus Say Today?

In Revelation 2-3, Jesus spoke to seven local congregations. To six of them, he gave commendations, telling them what they were doing well. To five of them, he gave words of correction—encouraging them to make needed adjustments. If Jesus were to address your congregation, or the church-at-large in your area, what aspects of the church do you think he would commend, and what area(s) do you think he would say needed to be changed?

Responses

Pastor Mark Clements – La Crosse, WI

We took up an exercise in our regional evangelical ministerial group a couple of years ago: reading through Revelation 2-3 and looking at a different church each month. From that exercise, we determined that because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), most of the things He commended and most of the areas that He said needed attention and change were the same now as they were back then.

For example:

  • Some have left their first love and need to repent and do their first works.
  • Some have not denied the faith and are holding fast to His name.
  • He knows our works, love, service, faith, patience, and our works that are not complete before God.
  • Hold fast to that which we already have until He comes.
  • He has set an open door before us.
  • He knows if we are keeping His Word or are lukewarm.
  • We are to repent and be zealous!
  • Don’t be arrogant in your own self-assessment (“We have need of nothing”).

Pastor Wendy Preston – Aylesbury, England

I find this to be a challenging and thought provoking question, in that my personal views to include the calling on my life will project and reflect from that position. However, here we go!

In our personal works, ministry engagements, and church groups where our ministry has had an influence and has a voice, reverence is the highest on our agenda. It’s number one in all of our meetings, churches, and gatherings to make room for “His love and Glory“ (our ministry mission and name ).

So, from my point of view, it would be the highest on Jesus’ agenda and one would trust this would please Him.

I see the power of God as always meeting the needs of people in all different types of churches around me, but I wonder how much more would be accomplished if reverence was back in the church worldwide. I can only wonder if Jesus would have that thought also and maybe address it?

My cry in the church generally is that we would stop trying to be like the world. I believe they call it, “being relevant.”

I’d like to think, on this thought-provoking question, that Jesus would say:

  1. Refine your tools.
  2. Allow Me to demonstrate My love, that I may show you My glory.
  3. Live in rest so the promises flow.
  4. Don’t be like the world; be like Me (Jesus speaking).

As is written by H. Bonar (1820), I quote:

John 1:13
The Church is not a nation, nor a kingdom, and not a country; it is a company of sinners chosen of God, nor are we a company that belong to one age or another but to all ages from the beginning. Therefore we owe Him everything. We are not born of blood or the will of flesh nor the will of man but of God.

So my heart thought is Jesus would encourage us all to remember that we are not of this world, so act accordingly. And to remember that we are loved with a love beyond any other power. Stay close In Him.

Pastor Barry Fredericks – Newtown, CT

I believe Jesus would commend Grace Family Church on:

  • We sincerely love and desire to bless and help the congregation any way that we can.
  • We teach them the uncompromised Word of God to the best of our ability.
  • We constantly seek to improve our praise & worship team to bring holy and contemporary worship for the congregation.
  • We have the finest children and youth ministries that we can have, with sincere, mature teachers and assistants.
  • We endeavor to flow in the Holy Spirit and follow His leading every service.
  • We preach divine healing, have a weekly healing service, and pray for the sick every service.
  • We reach out to the community in nursing homes, a drug and alcohol rehab, and a feed the people ministry.
  • We have weekly prayer meetings for America and revival.
  • We utilize technology to advertise and promote the church.
  • We allow faithful members of the congregation to teach occasionally on Wednesday service.
  • We have good fellowship with area ministers and always endeavor to be ethical with members of other churches.

I believe Jesus would say the following areas need to be changed and improved:

  • The congregation could be more evangelistic, inviting the unsaved more frequently.
  • We need to improve our technology (the website and Facebook could be better). Changes need to be done more frequently.
  • Though a large percentage of the congregation are involved in ministry, I believe more could be.
  • We need to have more department meetings to keep everyone up to date and to avoid strife.
  • We need to have, and are in the process of establishing, a security team.