Keeping the Kingdom

Matthew 21:43

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Jesus’ message to the chief priests and Pharisees was because Israel did not take the kingdom of God and spread it, He would give it to the Gentile world. This prophecy became true in the Book of Acts. Because the Jews did not accept Jesus as Christ, God gave the spreading of the Gospel through the Gentile world through the church in Antioch. This church became the hub of spreading the Gospel worldwide.

Throughout history, different regions of the world have been the hub of the Gospel. I am talking about that region being the place God blessed by giving them great churches, and also blessed them with laborers that were sent around the world with the Gospel. The Middle East was that region in the book of Revelation, but God gave it to Europe because they stopped bringing forth fruit. England for many years, was the hub of the Gospel getting out. When England got comfortable and stopped winning souls, the Gospel was given to the United States. For many decades, the United States has been the hub for sending preachers to start churches, and missionaries around the world.

My fear for the United States is that many fundamental Baptist churches have become comfortable with their large auditoriums and have enjoyed their big, affluent church. Sadly, many churches in the States have lost their soul-winning fire. Many of our independent, Baptist churches are more concerned with being affluent than they are with reaching the lost for Christ. They have sized down their bus ministries because they don't want that type of person in their church. We are in trouble when we are more concerned with spending millions of dollars on constant upgrades to our fancy buildings instead of using that money to get the Gospel out. When our buildings become more important than the souls of men, we are in trouble.

America was better off when our churches were winning souls by the thousands even though our churches were in storefronts. I would rather have a storefront church winning hundreds of souls than an affluent church that has canceled soul winning and buses. God’s blessings on our churches are not because of our fancy buildings, but because of our soul winning. God said to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. God said because they lost their first love that He would remove their candlestick if they did not get back to their first love. Their first love was soul winning, and the candlestick is the power of God. Many churches have lost God’s power and have replaced it with a conjured spirit produced by their music programs. Instead of replacing the spirit with music, they ought to get back to soul winning and get God’s Holy Spirit’s power on them again.

My friend, God will give His blessings to another church if you don't keep your church as a soul-winning church. Being known as a soul-winning church does not make you one if your church is not winning souls. God is interested in the souls of men, and He will put His blessings on the church that reaches souls. However, the church that stops soul winning will lose God’s power and blessings. Let me encourage you to contribute to God’s blessing on your church by being a soul winner and reaching the souls of men every week.