GREATER GIFTS

“I know that the LORD is great, that our LORD is greater than all gods.”

-Psalm 135:5

Bible literacy. It’s lacking in our churches and Christian culture today. It’s not THE root cause of issues of division and dissension. The root cause is our sin and innate desire to worship created things rather than the Creator. It has defined every person, culture, and civilization since Eden.

It was the motivation for building Babel. It was the darkness that drove the Pharisees to call for Christ's execution. It's the sickness that pervades many local churches today and perverts Christian ministry into something unrecognizable by the LORD. It's what will lead Him to say, “I never knew you.” It's what will cause many to hear, “You have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.”

So much of what many Christians believe across -every- faith tradition is deeply rooted in our emotional attachments to human traditions.

Reading Scripture through the lenses of personal experience and nostalgic traditions will invariably skew our perspective and warp our understanding.

Biblical Theology is critical. Exegetical and inductive Bible study isn't just for “professionals” and seminary students. We need to be intentional about keeping historical and cultural context, literary style and genre, and the Bible’s overarching narrative at the forefront when we read, study, teach, and preach God’s Word. We need to continually pray because even King Jesus, God the Son, prayed to the Father. Heroes of the faith never “graduated” from desperate dependency on God, instead, it's what defined them.

If we approach Scripture in arrogance and ignorance, then personal opinions, personal experiences, and personal agendas will mangle God’s intended meaning beyond all recognition until… well, until we end up with what “church” looks like for many today. It ends up looking like either an obligatory ritual to appease a wrathful God to avoid Hell -or- an overtly consumer-oriented gathering of emotional narcissists selfishly fishing for and expecting windfalls of physical, material, and/or financial blessings.

It’s sad how many delusional and misled Christians are obsessed - and how many churches are built around - certain spiritual gifts (e.g. speaking in tongues). These are gifts that Scripture explicitly reveals as stuff to keep to ourselves, to practice in private, and as relatively insignificant compared to the GREATER GIFTS.

If we actually studied God’s Word (rather than strip-mining it for personal promises and blessings)… if we actually submitted to the Word and focused on the GREATER GIFTS of faith, hope, and love through administration, giving, service, hospitality, and mercy in the Body… then the local church would actually look like the spotless Bride Christ died for.

If we actually did everything to build up the church to honor Christ instead of glorifying ourselves... if we actually considered others more important than self… if we actually made every effort to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit through the bond of peace… then... then... we might actually see the literal hand of God Almighty do that which only He can.

Those are the gifts I desperately desire for God to cultivate in me. That’s the kind of ministry God has called me to for His Body & Bride. That’s the kind of local church God has called me to serve as pastor.

The harvest is plenty but workers are few. Let me know if that’s the kind of church the LORD is leading you to serve.

Blessings,

-KMK