CHURCH:
HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK; SERVANTHOOD; CELEBRITIES

I find three basic requirements God makes of the body of Christ if it is to do His final work—His eternal work.

First, Christian believers and Christian congregations must be thoroughly consecrated to Christ’s glory alone. This means absolutely turning their backs on the contemporary insistence on human glory and recognition. I have done everything I can to keep “performers” out of my pulpit. I was not called to recognize “performers.” I am confident our Lord never meant for the Christian church to provide a kind of religious stage where performers proudly take their bows, seeking personal recognition. That is not God’s way to an eternal work. He has never indicated that proclamation of the gospel is to be dependent on human performances.

Instead, it is important to note how much the Bible has to say about the common people—the plain people. The Word of God speaks with such appreciation of the common people that I am inclined to believe they are especially dear to Him. Jesus was always surrounded by the common people. He had a few “stars,” but largely His helpers were from the common people—the good people and, surely, not always the most brilliant.…

To please God, a person must be just an instrument for God to use.…

Many people preach and teach. Many take part in the music. Certain ones try to administer God’s work. But if the power of God’s Spirit does not have freedom to energize all they do, these workers might just as well stay home.

Natural gifts are not enough in God’s work.…

You can write it down as a fact: no matter what a man does, no matter how successful he seems to be in any field, if the Holy Spirit is not the chief energizer of his activity, it will all fall apart when he dies.

1 Corinthians 1:26–29; Ephesians 1:12–14; Colossians 1:18

Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts, 2, 3, 4, 5.