The Marks of a Great Church: Revelation 2-3.

Dear Reader,
Greetings in the Might Name of Jesus as I welcome you again to share with me thsese great truths of the Word of God. The Word of God my dear friend is LIFE. It created all what we see and hear of -the visible and invisible. It is His Word that sustains all things and so through His Holy Spirit and His Word, God is sustaining His Church even today.

There are 7 Things which I would like to share with you about the Church (whether it is a local church or the Universal church or an indivudual). These great truths were revealed to John the Apostle of Christ when he was in the Island of Patmos. The Book of Revelation open our eyes to see ourselves where we are positioning ourselves in Christ. It is important to examine yourself/myself and ourselves to see where we should rightly be positioned as we see the day, that Great day, drawing closer than ever!

1. The number one mark is THE LOVE OF CHRIST. (Rev.2:1-7) speaks of the Church at Ephesus. This church was reminded of the first love which it had lost! Have you ever fallen in love with someone in life? how was your first days of that love? Indeed they are great with a very strong bond! That kind of love need to be maintained. The church at Ephesus lost such a bond and since the Lord is always full of love reminded it to restore that treasure or otherwise its lampstand would be taken away! The lesson here is that our relationship with the Lord need be maintained throughout to the end. The first mark of a church is how it mauntains this LOVE. The Love to God and to one another. The First commandment is anchored in loving God. And so is the second- Love to one another. Love is the fulfilment of all the Torah (Law).
2. Number two: Willingness to Suffer for Jesus' sake. Rev.2:8-11 speaks of the Church at Smyrna. This was a church with people amidst persecution. It represents times of difficult yet sticking together for Christ's cause. Indeed the Bible teaches that we were not only called to believe in Him but also to suffer together with Him! Peresecution is part of our perfection. The Church of Smyrna under the leadership of Bishop Polycar was amidst its time of testing. In life expect trials and trubulations but remember to stand firm.The Ministry we render to Christ is always that way. It will cost you time, money, reputation, etc, etc. It may even cost your own life! There are, however, three things to remember- (i) You are not alone. The Lord is right where you are for he was tried beyond comprehension and He is able to utterly save all those who are being tried! (ii) He is in Control (Rev.2:10) (iii) There is future hope : so be faithful unto the end to be worth of receiving the reward. (Rev2:10-11)
3. The Truth of Doctrine: This is the third Mark of a Great church. A church that will never compromise its teaching. A church that will not tolerate sin by giving it a soft approach or a cover-up. Revelation 2:12-17 speaks of the church of Pergamum . It was passing through difficult times of heretic doctrines. But the Lord reminded it that He is the one with the sharp two edged sword (the Word of God is a sharp two edged sword -Heb 4:12). People even today are easily becoming captive of the false doctrines and demonic teachings and the sad story is that even those who had started in good foundation are falling pray! As a true believer you must stand with the Bible as it says without compromising! People are today blessing homosexuality and teaches that it is not sin! But what Romans 1 teaches? Please Know the Truth, Speak the Truth and Live the Truth. His word is Truth, and when you know the Truth, it sets you free immediately. Rev.2:14-16 shows the message to those few who were faithful and to those who had gone astray. Please lets turn back and hear what the spirit says in the Word of God.
4. Number four mark: (Rev.2:18-29) Holiness of Life. The Church of Thyatira was a compromising church. We are called to be Holy.(1Pt 1: 15-16) Holiness is the Character of God and we have been called unto this character as imitators of Christ. As God is Holy so are supposed to be. But you will ask; how possible? Yes it is possible. His blood was shed for our sake that we might be the true partakers of the divine nature of God. Today we are struggling with the spirit of fornication and adultery in every corner! People are legalising divorce in church and re-marrying! It has become a fashion today! Woe to the unbelieving and hyporicy of the heart. The Lord is calling us to repent for his searching eyes sees everything. We cannot hide anything before Him (Rev 2: 18-19).Yes the church loved God. Yes it struggled to keep the faith, the service, patient and endurance BUT it compromised sexual immorality!It covered it up and gave it a soft name! A true church will not tolerate such and it will not! It must value Holiness to its very nature. So is my life and your life. May the Lord help us to understand!
5. Number five Mark: Authenticity: Rev.3;1-6 is about this. The church in Sardis was a church in a city which was well of. People had financial security and selfsufficient.This affected the church. It clothed with a life jacket of Christianity while inside it was dead! This is a life of NOMINAL CHRISTIANITY! A life of confessing that one is a Christian but what he/she does in the closet is awful! In truth people had completely left the truth they had cherished so much in the past but the material prosperity made them forget to depend and trust God. They were lured away slowly and slipped back to unbelief. When weighed on the scales of truth it was found 'wanting' ! This depict a life of Nominal Christianity. Yes you may go to church, yes you may be baptised, yes you may tithe, yes you may do what you can , but do you measure in God's standard! Is your heart regenerated (born again) or are you just being religious? God does not call unto into nominal christianity but to his Life in Christ! Christianity is not a mere religious practice. It is God's Life in a person who is in Christ!
6. Number six mark is Commitment to Mission. (Rev.3: 7-13.) The Church of Philadelphia was a mission going church. This was a church that apart from taking into account all the rest of the marks, it also put up this mantle of missions. A Going Church...and not a sitting chuch. One missionary said the greatness of a church is not its seats nimbers but its frequency in mission field! The church in Philadelphia , though small was a big church as it was always out there harvesting! Because of its committment to missions, God OPENED A DOOR for it which None could shut! Not even the devil! Glory to God! The church was always alert to seize every opportunity that opens up! Thnk a bit with me....How many openings have been placed before you which you failed to seize? We are constantly travelling here and ther and meet so many people. Yes, I know you may not speak to all, but there is one or two chances or even more, when you will have a closing in with one of them. DO YOU SHARE THE GOOD NEWS or you just let the moment lapse, vanish like that? You may never ever see the person again! So, Ecclesiastes 11: 6 says sow you seeds in the morning and do not hasiste to do so in the even tides! You may not know wjhich one will sprout.
7. Number seven Mark is Whole Heartedness in everything. Rev.3:14-22. The Church of Laodicea lacked this mark and the Lord reminded it. God is not after a half-way christianity! Lukewarmness is absurdity !People in this city were selfsufficient and religious but not Godly!They clothed themselves with religious superficial life which lacked sincerety. God loves a sincere heart and life! The church was a lipservice paying church! People worshipped but their hearts were not in the worship. They thought they were contented and lacked nothing but the truth is they were blind, poor and needy! God reminds us here that we are to depend on him all the time ropund. It is not the bountfulness of your stores that will save you from hunger! It is God who supplies our we need for OUR SUFFICIENCY comes from God. I once heard a certain man confessing after the dreadful Katrina Hurricane in US that he never thought he would ever beg bread or cloth to put on from a neighbour until when all his insecurity was exposed by the hurricane! This is a lesson to us and the Laodecian church was so reminded.

Let us not be taken by things that never last. God is our only Hope and Strength. As a church leader, or a lay member, you can measure yourself as I also have to do, to find where I am falling in these seven churches and marks. We are supposed to embrace all the marks in our lives and ministryto God and to one another.

Until then, God Bless you,

Your friend and servant,

Ev. Deo John Nangela.