How many of us can turn in money intended for our ministry expansion to Africa or any other part of the world to support those already operating in these countries with a clear mandate from heaven?
The money deception says, "since I have money, it is time for "my ministry, and church" to be in several nations. I should extend my ministry to Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and America. I have to buy a television station, build schools, hospitals, orphanages and open recreational facilities around the world."
The list of what each of us would love to acquire and do “in God's name” if we have money is endless; which is “the money deception.”
I don't need to establish a church in Sierra Leone, ApostleDr Momo is there; I can only support him. I don't need to plant a church in Houston Texas; Noel Pérez is there; we are a team reaching the nations. I don't need to establish a church in Shreveport Louisiana; Pst Gary Cavalier is there. I don't need to establish a church in Gary Indiana; Apostle Thaddeus Brown is there. The list is endless! We must rise above denominationalism and become more kingdom conscious.
Spreading denominations and churches instead of the kingdom of God is a modern day curse we must eradicate from the body of Christ.
Most denominations use the gospel to advanced their interest just as some colonialists in history sponsored missionaries, but with a hidden agenda to extend their domination across lands and seas. To extend a church branch to a new city/ nation is not a sin, but it can become if we are not discerning that the body of Christ is bigger than our local churches and denominations.
Why spend money to rent a church building, accommodation for a missionary Pastor and his family, paid for several other expenses in a city where you can find a church to partner with, and open enough to accommodate your outreach?
Why spend money to send a pastor to a nation to represent your new church, when with several visits and outreaches in the same city/nation you may be blessed to find a partner to collaborate with to advance the kingdom of God?
We are aware of the difficulties in finding true partners today, and the fact that most churches are scared of just anyone they are not familiar with, but the unnecessary cost of extending a denomination to every city and nation, and its effect on the operation of the body of Christ is worth the search.
Does that mean one shouldn't plant his or her church congregation in other places? That isn't what the write-up is about. This writeup is aimed at discouraging the phenomenon of spreading one's church/ denomination to cities and nations as if success in ministry is about that; this cancer is killing the effectiveness of the body of Christ today to advance God's kingdom on earth.
If the Lord gives one special assignment and directives to set up "a different kind of church fellowship/ outreach," which is not available in a particular city/nation, let nothing stop the individual. However, to establish branches of a church, to do what other churches in the city and nation are already doing even better is questionable. God doesn't assign anyone to do what everyone is doing in the same city and nation. If for instance, you want to establish a branch of your church in a city with already 100 churches, try to use part of the money to establish a partnership to work with any of the existing churches, except none of them open their doors.
We are in the East of Africa for an Apostolic mission. We'll be leaving here when our mission is over without planting a new church in the name of our ministry, but by the grace of God, we are building God's army among the available ministers/ churches (Coalition of the willing). Does that mean we don't have what it takes to plant a church? We can do even better, but that isn't the need of the nations. Most nations don't need a new church/denomination, but a vision that can build together with the remnants on the ground (Coalition of the willing).
If we put away the desire to promote ourselves, and our churches; the quest to become famous and make money from our hearts, we can reach the whole world with the resources present within the body of Christ in six months. Imagine if most of the denominations extending their tentacles everywhere, were instead investing into the vast world of ministries and churches already existing in some of the nations they are striving to extend! Think about the impact! The other day I saw a video of a free for all fight inside a Mountain Of Fire Church in London, and I asked myself, who sent them to London, God or British Pound?
Thy kingdom come, Oh Lord
DrBenard Etta
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