The last two installments in this series covered the entire purpose of the church.

1. Worship
2. Witness

There is a certain amount of conflict over just what the church can do.  Today’s study, the seventh in the series, will cover this aspect relying on sola Scriptura.

the church – its power

Mankind has always lusted after power.  This lust for power is often carried into church.  When we speak of the power of the church – we are not speaking of powerful organized religions headed up by powerful men; nor are we speaking of a mega church, with all the “bells and whistles.” 

On the day of Pentecost, the church received power to evangelize the world.  There were 120 men in the Upper Room, and when they came down, they came empowered by the Holy Spirit.  This was spiritual ecstasy not seen since, and we won’t see it again until the Rapture.   They were filled with joyful, miracle working power –

Acts 20:21

 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

We will first examine where the real power of the church is NOT found:

• Lavish and/or expensive buildings
• This or that “new” method of reaching the lost
• Great wealth – no matter how the wealth is used
• Prominence/popularity/best selling ____.

The Laodicean church is the bragging congregation:

• They say we are rich, God says they are poor
• They say we are wealthy, God says they are wretched
• They say we do not need anything, God says they need everything
• They say we are busy in the church, God says they are miserable
• They say we have a vision, God says they are blind
• They say we are clothed in fine garments, God says they are naked
• They say we are satisfied, God says they make Him sick

How to identify a Holy Spirit powered church:

They have the power to evangelize – sharing their faith with a lost and dying world.  Souls are saved. 

2 Timothy 4:5

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

They have the power to reproduce.  Souls are born into the family of God by the “incorruptible seed.” 

1 Peter 1:23

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

They have the power to change people.

Acts 2:37-41

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

³⁹ For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

They have the power to change places.

Acts 5:28

 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this Name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us.

They have the power to change things.

Matthew 17:20-21

²⁰ And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

²¹ Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

They have the power to turn the world upside down. 

Acts 17:6

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also. . .

When the church is not involved with winning souls – it grieves the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is THE power of the church – not the pastor with personal charisma and mesmerizing speaking skills.  Churches built on pastors are in their very essence – personality cults.  When the pastor dies or moves away – the church will crumble.  When church business meetings consist of “building up numbers” rather than the number of souls saved – that church is lost.  Many, many pastors and church officers fell victim to the “if you build it – they will come,” method of church growth, and as a result – went bankrupt.  A Holy Spirit lead church can never go bankrupt, because it is not filled with bodies – it is filled with the Holy Spirit.  And conversely, a large church building can be filled to overflowing with people – but it can be more empty than the little home church on the other side of town. 

the power of the church consists of  the Holy spirit filled believer sowing the seed, (word of God) the holy spirit hovers over the seed, convicting, converting and leading the lost to a state of repentance – that is when the true spiritual new birth can take place.  the act of witnessing is as much for the saved person who is doing the witnessing – as it is for the lost person who is receiving the witnessing.  the more you talk about jesus christ and his gospel – the more you will be filled with the holy spirit.