‘He’s going to build His church,’ Rials says in FutureFocus sermon

Jesus will build His church. Believers just need to stay focused on their purpose of proclaiming the Truth, said Wade Rials, pastor of Thorington Road Baptist Church, Montgomery.

“People are desperate for the Word of God. People are longing for the Word of God. Your people come to hear you proclaim the Word of God,” Rials told pastors during the Tuesday morning theme interpretation — FutureFocus — of the Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting Nov. 13. “When we are faithful to proclaiming His truth, I am convinced He’s going to build His church.”

Preaching from Matthew 16:13–19, Rials reminded Alabama Baptists that the mission of the church is the gospel, not programs.

“Everything that happens within the church should be centered on that mission,” he said, noting the church structure at Thorington Road is Sunday morning church with singing and preaching, Sunday School and Wednesday night discipleship training. “We don’t do anything else,” he said.

“For those of us who are working in the church, I believe we make it too difficult,” Rials said. “Instead of conferences we need Bible study tools and time in prayer. … It is not about me and not about what our church is doing. It is about our faithfulness.

“Jesus says, ‘On this faithfulness … on this rock … I will build my church.’”

Baptists are numbers people, Rials said. “We measure buildings, butts and budgets.”

But “we need to re-understand and revitalize what our purpose is — to see transformation happen in the church of Jesus Christ,” Rials explained. “We need to redefine what victory is.

“Jesus says, ‘I’m going to build my church,’ and we have some responsibility [as well].

“Our responsibility is not to turn our church services into postmodern therapy sessions but to proclaim the Word of God,” Rials said. “The Word of God transforms lives from the inside out.

“If we are going to see the revitalization of our nation, it is not in Washington or a political structure,” he said. “The only hope is in the autonomous structure of men preaching the Word of God.

“We are called to be faithful to preach the Word. … What is most desperately needed are men of God who are called by God, who stand in the pulpit, who proclaim not their thoughts and opinions but God’s Word with authority.” 

(TAB)