I don't know of a church doing great things for God without its members doing great things for God.
I don't know of a church fulfilling The Great Commission without members fulfilling The Great Commission.
I don't know of a church being on fire without its members being on fire.
I don't know of a church being luke warm without its members being luke warm.
My desire, my aim, my goal has always included making the gospel personal to individuals in the church. I have believed, hoped, prayed that individual Christians would surrender to God and pursue a lifetime of growth/discipleship in Him and the result would be the Holy Spirit's clear leadership through the unified body of Christ. I don't know what to tell people who say they don't see the church advancing. How can the church advance when they won't/don't/aren't? Is it the Pastor's fault? That's a black and white question. It is or it isn't. Is the Pastor responsible for how the individual members respond to God's Word? The Pastor is absolutely responsible for preaching and teaching the Word and he's responsible for presenting it with as little interference/distraction/confusion as possible. This pastor does not feel this way theoretically. I have lived it and continue to live it—the bottom line truth that "Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done" begins and ends with me or it will never go any further in my ministry. God will not release me from it and I do not believe He releases any one of His children from it.
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