Knowing which church to attend and staying where God wants you to be

For the past few years in His Harvest Church, I have witnessed various phases of transformation of our church size. People have came and have left the church for various reasons. I have been asked if I have ever considered leaving the church and I said, “No.” So I started to ask myself why I would not do so at this point in time and the following reasons came to my mind.

1. I treat His Harvest as my home church.
It is not the church of the pastor but a church that belongs to everyone who recognize it as their home church. Just as in a secular family setting, there will be good times and there will be bad times. However the home is still where we belong. Therefore; the church is also the place where we could learn to overlook each other weaknesses, keep off offense and we do our best to stay together.

2. I came for the message and not for the Pastor.
John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

The Holy Spirit has been using the messages that I have received under the ministry of Pastor Amos to guide my life throughout the years. To correct me in times of err, to comfort me in times of despair, to encourage me in times of disappointment and to guide me in times of dilemma. I honor the Pastor but I came for his message more than the person himself.

3. I have learned to submit and honor my leaders
We should always submit and honor our leaders as much as we can, even at times when they might have offended us. Samuel honored Priest Eli although his sons were living in sin and that Priest Eli has lost his anointing. David honored King Saul by withholding his sword to kill him on two separate occasions even though King Saul sought over his life repeatedly. In fact, David mourned after King Saul’s death. We must keep a submissive heart towards our leaders instead of being critical or judgmental, in order for the anointing upon the leaders to flow into our lives.

4. Isaiah 55:12, “ For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace;”
Last but not least, I believe that if it is God’s will for us to leave, we should leave with peace in our heart. If we feel that God wants us to move away from the spiritual covering of one church to that of another church, we need to know very clearly in our hearts that it is His will for us to do so.

Steve