Leadership and Revival: Healing the Church's Breaches
2 Kings 12:6
But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Much of the problem we see in our churches today is as it relates to the pastor, and his failure to repair the breaches of the house of God. A breach is a state of being broken. Unfortunately, there are many pastors who do not see themselves as the biggest reason for this state of brokenness in the church, and yet the truth still remains that as goes the leadership, so goes the congregation. Pastors, we can point the blame at others all we want, but it is our duty first to evaluate ourselves! Could it be that in this generation where everyone seems to want to shift the blame on someone else, and where no one wants to assume personal responsibility for their mistakes, that this philosophy has started creeping into our pulpits across America and around the world, and has trickled down into the pews from there? 1 Peter 4:17a says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…” If it begins with the house of God, then it must start at the head first!
We must be careful not to blame a cold-hearted congregation for their complacency, when in fact we ourselves have become cold and callused! We must not badger the bleeding sheep when we have been the ones who have inflicted their wounds, failing rather to nurse them as a shepherd should. We must not conclude their estate to be hopeless and without life, when we ourselves have failed to beg God for personal revival, thus effecting our preaching with His divine Holy Ghost fire! May I submit to you that if the pulpit is not on fire, then the pews surely won’t be! If we as pastors do not get hungry and thirsty for God’s power in our preaching, then our churches will not get better, but worse. Let us remember that we are not to be lords over God’s heritage, but we are to be ensamples (a pattern or model for imitation) to the flock, as found in 1 Peter 5:3!
Pastors, we MUST repair the breaches of our churches, starting with the breaches of our own hearts! If we do not start here, then our greatest need in America to date, the need for genuine revival, will never be realized! We are therefore called to practice and preach the Word of God, so as to challenge the people by example not to remain in their state of spiritual brokenness!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
Much of the problem we see in our churches today is as it relates to the pastor, and his failure to repair the breaches of the house of God. A breach is a state of being broken. Unfortunately, there are many pastors who do not see themselves as the biggest reason for this state of brokenness in the church, and yet the truth still remains that as goes the leadership, so goes the congregation. Pastors, we can point the blame at others all we want, but it is our duty first to evaluate ourselves! Could it be that in this generation where everyone seems to want to shift the blame on someone else, and where no one wants to assume personal responsibility for their mistakes, that this philosophy has started creeping into our pulpits across America and around the world, and has trickled down into the pews from there? 1 Peter 4:17a says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…” If it begins with the house of God, then it must start at the head first!
We must be careful not to blame a cold-hearted congregation for their complacency, when in fact we ourselves have become cold and callused! We must not badger the bleeding sheep when we have been the ones who have inflicted their wounds, failing rather to nurse them as a shepherd should. We must not conclude their estate to be hopeless and without life, when we ourselves have failed to beg God for personal revival, thus effecting our preaching with His divine Holy Ghost fire! May I submit to you that if the pulpit is not on fire, then the pews surely won’t be! If we as pastors do not get hungry and thirsty for God’s power in our preaching, then our churches will not get better, but worse. Let us remember that we are not to be lords over God’s heritage, but we are to be ensamples (a pattern or model for imitation) to the flock, as found in 1 Peter 5:3!
Pastors, we MUST repair the breaches of our churches, starting with the breaches of our own hearts! If we do not start here, then our greatest need in America to date, the need for genuine revival, will never be realized! We are therefore called to practice and preach the Word of God, so as to challenge the people by example not to remain in their state of spiritual brokenness!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill