|
| |
TKC Distinctives
What is unique about this ministry?
A Gospel Message for Wheaton and surrounding Traverse County
When the push, at this point in our lives is numbers, larger
worship centers, more bling, more people, we ignore the basic impulse to follow
the crowd. By the way, we like nice things too, but the Lord called us to
minister the truth according to the WORD, not a word, but THE WORD. If we
end up with a mega church, praise God! If we disciple only 12, praise
God! If we are obedient to His calling, we will finish just as we are
designed to.
We continue to find that the uncut version of this living word
does not draw the bling! But it does bring in the needy and this living
Word is able to save when nothing else will do. So, we preach unpopular
ideas, such as obedience, submission, discipline, servant hood, (which is
synonymous with slavery.) Ephesians 6:6 says
Don't [work only] while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves
of Christ, do God's will from your heart. Now who in this century signs up
to be a slave? There is no higher calling than to be a slave to our Lord
and Master Jesus Christ and to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves.
So, the Word is full of messages that are not popular, it does
not tickle the ears nor does it parallel with the "gospel of our
culture." Most of us want to hear a "feel good" message, we
want to live like the world throughout the week and hear an inspiring message on
Sunday morning. The Lord says in Matthew 7 :21
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your
name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!
As ministers we will give account to God himself on the day of
judgment on how we tended the flock that he led to us. Ezekiel 34 speaks
of shepherds and sheep, 1 The
word of the LORD came to me: 2
"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to
them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who
only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3
You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice
animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4
You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured.
You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled
them harshly and brutally. 5 So they
were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they
became food for all the wild animals. 6
My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were
scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
7 " 'Therefore, you
shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 8
As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a
shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals,
and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves
rather than for my flock, 9
therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 10
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold
them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that
the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their
mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
We continue to come against seemingly impossible obstacles,
the Lord has a plan for us and we will stand fast against the obvious
odds.......1. constant financial needs. The tithe money coming in
for basic operational costs or building costs is distributed as their is a need,
as scripture teaches us in Acts 2:44
Now all the believers were together and had everything in common. 45
So they sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all,
as anyone had a need. 46 And every
day they devoted themselves [to meeting] together in the temple complex, and
broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and
simplicity of heart, 47
praising God and having favor with all the people.
Another obstacle is the word of mouth. Words can build
up and likewise tear down. James 3 says, beginning in verse 5"
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great
boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The
tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts
the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set
on fire by hell.
7 All kinds
of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have
been tamed by man, 8but no man can
tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the
tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been
made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the
same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11
Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12
My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?
Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." Isn't it odd how a
positive word, an act of kindness or obedience doesn't make the evening news or
weekly newspaper? We are bombarded with evil on all sides, a positive word
will resonate from this place, amen.
And lastly, an incredible obstacle is the County Attorney's
Office here in Traverse County. Matthew Franzese has made the statement
that he will do everything in his power to run this ministry out of town.
We have been harassed by this principality since arriving in Wheaton.
Giving of yourself to save another shouldn't be a crime, but Jesus promises in
Matthew 10: 17 "Be on your
guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in
their synagogues. 18 On my account
you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the
Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest
you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be
given what to say, 20 for it will not
be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Our hope is in the Spirit of the Father. He led us here,
certainly he can and will see us through. Our obligation, yes, there is
one, is to obey and be sensitive to His Word and the needs of His people.
That drunk on the corner we are stepping over, that dirty child in the store
shoplifting, the hooker on the street, that pierced and tattooed kid in the
convenience store, they were created by God almighty. He loves them and has
instructed us to love and care for them. It is not an option, that is our
dilemma, can you hear me now?
|
