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The 4 Pillars That Constitute The Dynamics of Healthy Church Growth by Tunde Bakare
Preamble
Somebody’s story is about to change, especially those living in the valley of defeat and discouragement.
Had Jacob any faith in God regarding his son Jacob, Genesis 45:16-26? While Jacob was weeping, Genesis 37: 31-36, Joseph was arriving in Egypt, Genesis 39:1.
The same mouth that planned and plotted against Joseph came back to tell a new story, Genesis 45:26-35.
Jacob’s heart stood still when he heard that Joseph was alive; he did not believe it. His faith was not involved. His faith failed. But when he heard and saw all that Joseph sent to him his heart revived.
Don’t look at the present circumstances and judge yourself because Jesus has prayed for you – that your faith will not fail.
It is interesting to note that Joseph left home at age 17, and he also spent 17 years with Jacob in Egypt. Do you know for how long Mary had been praying for her cousin Elizabeth?
They prayed until they forgot that they have prayed. Zachariah was baffled when the angel appeared to him to say his prayer had been answered.
This is because Zachariah had prayed many prayers and wondered which of his prayers has been answered?
In the Name of Jesus, where your faith cannot carry you the faith of the Son of God will carry you, the mercy of God will propel you.
When Gabriel got to Mary to disclose to her that Elizabeth was six months pregnant, she rose to visit Elizabeth.
People will come to look for you when they hear your story.
Message Focus.
The message at the Dominion Partners’ seminar last Sunday was titled: The ladder and Pillars of Success.
The ladder and pillars are not only for success but constitute what would make every Church healthy and grow.
Not every growth is good, for example cancer is a type of growth. You will merely be playing Church If you have a multitude going nowhere, a multitude who have lost focus and completely distracted.
Following the ladder that Jacob saw he erected four pillars.
Today’s message explored the four pillars.
In Genesis 2 we read about the River that parted into four heads in the Garden of Eden, and in the New Testament about the garment of Jesus which was divided into four in the Garden of Gethsemane.
These four pillars were erected in between as a sign post to what a healthy Church should be. A sick Church cannot give healing to a dying world.
Each of the 4 Pillars was examined with a view to preparing the church adequately for a new Season.
The 1st Pillar: Genesis 28:16-22.
Jacob erected this Pillar, poured oil on it and called it the House of God.
It should be noted that there was no building in that place, yet he called it a house. It became a house because that was the Place of God’s manifest Presence.
When people are gathered unto themselves, not unto the Lord and His manifest presence is not there, what we then have is either a dead church or the Synagogue of Satan.
The 2nd Pillar: Genesis 31:22-47.
This second Pillar was erected by Jacob after he entered into a covenant with Laban from whom he ran away. Nothing was poured on this Pillar which he called Galeed meaning witness.
The reason why Jacob did not pour anything on the second Pillar is because the Pillar is the assignment of the first Pillar. The one that was anointed was called the House of God and the one anointed was the witness.
Your business is to witness so that we can bring souls into His kingdom. Enough of indolence in the Church; you must be trained to go out, seek opportunities to share the Gospel; anything short of this makes you a spectator not a Stakeholders.
The time has come for everyone to buckle up and make it a duty by ensuring that no month passed without talking to someone about Christ. Here is no longer a playing ground for spectators but for Stakeholders who extend the frontiers of the Kingdom.
Your business is to witness, cease opportunities every moment and create an ice-breaker to dish out the Gospel to other people.
The 3rd Pillar: Genesis 35: 1-7.
Whatever is done under the command of God must prosper.
Jacob erected third Pillar when he returned to Bethel at the command of God. He called the Pillar, El-Bethel, meaning the God of the House.
If you build a house and the God of the House is not in that house but you are, you are then an impostor.
When El-Bethel showed up every idol disappeared. There was a change of name. He was no longer called Jacob, but Israel. He however had been named Israel before this time at the Ford of Jabbok when he wrestled with angel, Genesis 32: 22-29.
“Arise go up to Bethel and dwell there…” Genesis 35:1.
There is a journey beyond Bethel. Many have camped in Bethel for many years. You cannot spell the Gospel with go.
Having dwelt in Bethel and seen the dynamics of the wine to purify the sores, and oil to sooth so that there can be healing, you need to go to Bethlehem where the Messiah was born; and further to the Tower of Eder where the Mountain of the Lord’s House is, so that you can be above all the mountains and hills, and Nations can come unto you, Genesis 35:16.
Exposition.
Rachel called her first son Joseph which means the Lord will add another.
She was ironically subtracted from the family. She died in hard labour while giving birth to her last son which she named, Ben-Oni.
Contrary to the practice in Jacob’s house where it is the mothers that give names to their children, Jacob this time around did not allow the name Ben – Oni to stick, rather he named the child Benjamin meaning, the son of my right hand.
Points to ponder:
-Rachel carried her father’s idol into the house of the Patriarch in the belief that the idol was the source of her father’s wealth.
-Rachel was the only wife of the Patriarch that was not buried in the tomb of the family.
-Benjamin was the type and shadow of the last Adam who is going to be a son of sorrow and a son of my right hand.
-There was the first Adam and the last Adam.
Prophet Isaiah described the last Adam as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, wounded for our transgression, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.
-He is the Benjamin who when he has finished his assignment here will sit on the right side of the Father.
-The last Adam would be born in Bethlehem.
The 4th Pillar: Genesis 35: 16-21.
Rachel was few kilometers to Bethlehem where the Messiah will be born in order to finish the assignment when her spirit left her.
Her husband Jacob erected the fourth Pillar on her tomb and moved from there to the Tower of Eder.
Bethlehem is a House of Prayer, Eder is the top of the pillar which is why the Mountain of the Lord’s House shall be on top of all the mountains and above all hills.
The Tower of Eder provides an insight into the Seven mountains of culture, Micah 4:1.
The Church is not a mountain of Religion. If it were, it would mean that all other mountains are on top of the Church.
The Church is the Stone that was cut without a human hand that will fill the whole Earth.
Micah 4:5-8 shows us a place to go called the Tower of the flock.
It is important to note that when Jacob fled from Laban he set his eyes on the mountains of Gilead, Genesis 31:21. Gilead means testimony.
You are entering into your Season of Testimony.