Shatter the Snake!

 He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made, for the Israelites burned incense to it up to that time.

 2 Kings 18:4 (HCSB) 

As a pastor or leader ask yourself this question.  Is there a snake that has slithered into my church?  I know a lot of jokes come to mind as you read that question.  Now don't jump to any quick conclusions about what it may be.

In 2 Kings we find an interesting scenario.  We could read right past it and not blink if we are not paying attention.  Hezekiah begins to make some serious spiritual reforms for Judah.  He gets rid of the idolatry.  He destroys the High place and the False religions that have crept in and set up shop with God's people.  But there is one interesting thing he destroyed.  The bronze snake built by Moses and used by God to bring healing to a bitten people. (Numbers 21.4-9)

The bronze snake began with a godly purpose.  Instituted by God and used by his leader Moses.  But after a while it's purpose was no longer needed and it took on a new purpose, an ungodly purpose.  It became an idol, a stumbling block to the spiritual life of God's people.  We have some snakes in the church today.  They are traditions and programs, that in its day were useful and led many to grow and thrive spiritually.  Now they have become an idol that is dragging us down.  Most Churches have one of these serpents, that we see no fruit from and merely distract us from other methods that could be useful in fulfilling our mission.  They are difficult to get rid of but it just might be necessary for you to be a Hezekiah and tear it down.

The mark of a healthy church

What is the mark of a healthy church?  What identifies a church as healthy?  Is it attendance, budgets or programs being used?  I think what we see as we look at the New Testament, it is that the church is making disciples. (Matthew 28.19-20).  There are all kinds of things to look at to gauge the health of the church but I think the Scripture would challenge us that the most important one is disciple making.

Author Randy Millwood writes, that a healthy local church, "is recognizing and embracing our new identity, which is found in being a disciple of Jesus who makes disciples. (Pg. 72 To Love and to Cherish from this Day Forward)  He challenges us to ask and answer two significant questions.

1. What is a Disciple?
2. How do you make one?

If you are like me I wasted many years of ministry doing church stuff without asking these two important questions.  I wrestled with those questions and have tried to figure out what it means.  That is what I challenge you to do.  Search, wrestle, pray and figure out as a leader of the church, what is a disciple and how do I make one?  Until we do that we are just going through the motions and doing church rather than being the church.

A good place to start may be to read To Love and to Cherish from this Day Forward - A portrait of a healthy church by Randy Millwood.