JESUS AND THE CHURCH

This week we would be starting our series on www.VICTORY – the who, what and why of Victory. I am currently preparing the messgae for Sunday and couldn’t help but appreciate how Jesus made a way for me to be part of his church. I am not pertaining to just Victory.

Growing up I was exposed to many churches and denominations. From NAVIGATORS, IVP, EVANGELICALS, BAPTISTS, TONGUE TALKING-DEMON SLAYING PENTECOSTALS AND EVERY DENOMINATION IN BETWEEN.

I believe God allowed me to went through all the different denominations and church affiliations for a reason. Today I am an active member and pastor of Victory – a church that exists to HONOR GOD and MAKE DISCIPLES.And I plan to stay in Victory till Jesus takes me away.

But the point of this blog is the similarities I see between Jesus and how the church should pattern itself through the offices of how Jesus functioned in Scripture – a prophet, a priest and a king.

Jesus as a prophet preached and taught the Scripture with anointing and authority which is how the church should be.

Jesus as a priest cared for the people and dealt with the sin of men compassionately and called us to true repentance. The church and its leadership should never forget its role to pastor its flock.

Jesus as king showed his dominion and rule over creation through signs, wonders and miracles and has commissioned the church to go and make disciples penetrating culture and nations.

As church planters and pastors we must always remind ourselves of the role of the church as prophets, priest and kings. We must be faithful to the function Jesus has patterned for the church. We can’t embrace the one and let go of the other.

Churches that are prophetic-focused would have a church that is full of rules and lacking in relationship and missional living.

Churches that are priest-focused would be a church that is always careful not to offend the people with the gospel and would result in compromised living.

Churches that are king-focused would be a church that would be all about winning the lost and lose the relational aspect of the church and is prone to compromised preachings or what Mark Driscoll describes as “modernity in a seeker fashion or post modernity in an emergent fashion.

It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all [extremes].  Ecclesiastes 7:18