Build Your Ministry on the Word of God.

Part One

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Jesus said the seed is the Word of God (Luke 8:11). It's the only thing that has power to change the human heart. Preaching alone won't do it because we cannot talk people into a new heart. Our words have no power in and of themselves. Programs won't do it.

• The contemporary American church is mostly programmed up to its eyeballs. The typical church is stratified with programs for children, youth, adults, singles, newlyweds, newly-divorced, newly-remarried, single parents, older singles, senior adults, and we offer classes for those struggling with bad family backgrounds, abuse issues, addiction issues, plus we have sports teams, choirs, drama teams, Internet teams, and affinity groups for everything under the sun.

• Years ago I heard Dr. W. A. Criswell say that the church should be social center for the congregation. We've certainly followed his advice--and with a lot of good results, I should add.

• I don't denigrate the stratification of the modern church. It's necessary in our day to reach people where they are.

And if we don't reach them, we can't win them or train them or send them out to minister to others.