Wolf Creek Baptist Church, Wolf Creek MT

I just got done reading our state association's newspaper. While there were wonderful stories about what men were doing, that is where it stopped. It's as though, being churchy, "god people," is enough so whatever we do must be blessed.

"Don't worry God...we've got it from here!"

This is the fundamental error of our era. We have a form of godliness....but without power.

Why else would we get excited about remodeling and painting a church building that was at one time thriving, but which has sat empty for the last 14 months? The title of the the article which was the front page MAIN article, was "Strategy: Multiplication." I missed the point of the article. Because once you got past the title there was nothing there that was glorifying of God or which smacked of the "strategy."

Unless...the strategy was to multiply pastors walking away from churches leaving everything on and a congregation in turmoil.

Or maybe the strategy was to multiply the faithfulness of a man who showed up to keep the lawn mowed instead of having the spiritual maturity to feed the sheep.

I know! The strategy of multiplication was to multiply the number of committed, vacation seeking Baptists that come up here and build on empty churches while enjoying the scenery and "helping God."

I think the title was wrong.

I think the title should have been "Strategy: Ichabod."

For those of you who miss the reference, Ichabod is the Hebrew word that God used to describe the temple, after His presence left.

I'm sorry, I'm not bitter, I'm just exasperated.

There is a world dying and we are building on empty churches and saying "see look at us."

Don't get me wrong, I am not like the associations Executive Director who maintains that if we don't "change what we are doing and become EFFECTIVE that an entire generation will be lost for Christ." (His words not mine)

No.

I'm heart broken because I know that our Sovereign God saves whom He will, with our without us and right now He's not saving many in this country.

As a matter of fact, I sincerely doubt the salvation of many of those who are even leaders in our churches.  If they are truly, effectually saved, then they are mere "babes" in their understanding of God (Paul's words not mine)  They do no understand the sufficiency of God, nor the fact that there is nothing that we can do to circumvent His sovereign will.

Isaiah says it well when he tells us that "all our righteous works are as menstrrual rags."  He wasn't just talking about the works of common men.  He was talking about the works of even the priests of the temple.  Everything that we do that is not stipulated and directed by God alone will be ineffective.  God has no more need of it than....well used menstrual rags.

It is only when we humble ourselves, seek God's will, and join Him in what He is doing, that He is glorified.

That's what it is all about.

It is not about our strategies.

It is not about our effectiveness.

It is all about our Lord.

What's the application?

God has work for us that He has ordained before the founding of the world.

You've got His work to do....get after it and quit playing at strategies!