Rebuilding (transforming) the Church is nothing new
. . . and it is still hard and lonely work
I’ve been reading the book of Nehemiah with Pastor Jon Swanson. (He’s crafting the art of internet preaching to an art form, by the way.)
His blog first proposed reading it together, chapter by chapter, a week or so ago.
I admit I read ahead. Pastor Swanson is catching up with me now. (look for 7 minutes with God on his blog)
The book is exciting reading in itself, but for me and for us at Redeemer, it is a revelation.
The story of Nehemiah is the story of Redeemer.
Against enormous odds, the people find ample leadership to rebuild the plundered temple. They get more support from the neighboring king than they get from Jewish leaders. The “religious” leaders pull every trick in the book to try to stop them — not because what they are doing is wrong (although every attempt is made to make it look that way) but because they feel their position and power is somehow threatened by other people succeeding at what they failed to even try to do. What they said was impossible is being accomplished before their very eyes and they can’t stand it!
That’s the story of Nehemiah.
It is also the story of Redeemer.
Is it the story of your church, too?