So Paul was jealous to give this glory to Jesus. In Romans 15:18 he says, "I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed." Christ accomplished it. Christ brought about the obedience of the peoples. Yes, missionaries are crucial. Pastors and elders are crucial. But we are not ultimate. Christ is ultimate. "I will build my church." One missionary plants. Another missionary or pastor waters. Yes. But Christ gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Christ builds the church. Church planting and church establishing is supernatural work, or it is not the church that gets built, but only a human organization.
This was the point of the way Matthew ended his gospel in 28:18-19, where Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." I have authority to do it – over all the powers of darkness, over death and hell, over government and terrorists – and I will do it. I will build my church. So go! I will be with you. #doinglifetogether
#orginialblueprint #rebuildingstrongfoundation