How Can We Heal A Dysfunctional Church?

EVANGELIST CAROLYN MALAIKA FOSTER-BROOKS

THE MINISTRY OF S.A.R.A.H.

(serenity*atonement*restoration & healing)

Lyons, GA.

May 18, 2003

*sermon delivered at White Chapel MB Church

Lyons, Georgia

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Divine message that was revealed to me in the midnight hour while others were yet slumbering and dreaming. This is truly God a time when your people need to know that there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. Lord, remove me, Your humble servant from the thoughts of Your children and allow them to receive You through me in this message of deliverance. Allow them, God, to receive the gospel truth as you have given it to me. Lord, I thank You for everything- right now allow the anointing of the Holy Spirit fall fresh upon me as I share this message with the world! In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed. Amen. And so it is!

INTRODUCTION:

I bring you greetings from the Ministry of S.A.R.A.H. and from my church home, Mount Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Lyons, Georgia.

It is indeed an honor and a challenge to be before you because I know Satan is on the war path right now....he is not happy that you have chosen to hear a message from the Lord! And while you are here with me, satan is going to do his best to aggrevate you, to make you feel bored and sleepy, make you look at your watches and make you want to be somewhere else!

But, in the sweet and holy name of Jesus, I rebuke satan because he is nothing but a liar and I rebuke every other lying spirit that might encompass you now. Do not be distracted, because God said in His word, "SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON EARTH." (COLLOSIANS 3:2)

To my brethern in the gospel, I say to you there is a special Word from God for you as you receive this message! (1PETER 1:2) GOD , THE FATHER CHOSE YOU LONG AGO, AND THE SPIRIT HAS MADE YOU HOLY. AS A RESULT, YOU HAVE OBEYED JESUS CHRIST AND ARE CLEANSED BY HIS BLOOD. MAY YOU HAVE MORE AND MORE OF GOD’S SPECIAL FAVOR AND WONDERFUL PEACE!

SCRIPTURE: (JAMES 5:16)

CONFESS YOUR FAULTS ONE TO ANOTHER, AND PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER, THAT YE MAY BE HEALED. THE EFFECUAL FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILETH MUCH.

TEXT:

My topic for today’s message will be , HOW CAN WE HEAL A DYSFUNCTIONAL CHURCH?

First of all, I am not talking to or about the building....no, I am speaking to the body of Christ, because we are the church!

And secondly, am I saying that there is something wrong with the church? We all know that there is, but in the family of God, often we don’t want to acknowledge our mistakes. No, we would rather hold to an illusion of instant sanctification when we become born again. Or think that just because we have been in church all of our lives, that we have it made!!

You know what ? If this wasn’t so true, it could be funny, but it’s not! In the church, we know we are all sinners ( myself included, because when I point a finger at someone else, I have 4 fingers pointed back at me! So who are we to judge other people???) we know that we were born in sin, but the thing is that nobody wants to admit to what his or her particular sin happens to be. Big sin. Little sin. It does not matter....sin is sin!

We have become soo caught up in living in denial and delusion that openess and honesty are difficult to come by. There is a great deal of pain involved with denial and often it is easier to believe that there is no problem at all..... we have swept the obvious under the rug and often we don’t address the fact that the church has a problem with greed, or lust, or a nasty tongue, or manipulation, or alcohol, or drugs, or HIV, or alzheimer’s and many other problems the church is facing today! The list could go on and on and on...Denial, a short six letter word, but it’s meaning has a long -term negative effect... DON’T EVEN KNOW I AM LYING (to myself!!!)

Many of us are attending church and we are functioning in our positions and doing our duties according to the outside world, but so often we are not worshipping in spirit and in truth. Therefore we are not giving God our very best and He is not pleased with our half-hearted efforts!!!!

MATTHEW 7:21 clearly tells us that NOT EVERYONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN (will make it in) So the question remains, How Can We Heal a Dysfunctional Church? What steps can we take today to break down the barriers of denial? How can we messengers get through to the church that is sitting on the benches of do nothing????