A Treatise on Church Growth part seven

But for now we see the pool of Bethesda. We see a multitude of poor, sick and weak folk. All manner of diseases and afflictions including lame folk. All lying there waiting, hoping that an angel will come and stir the water because the first ones to dip in the pool afterwards are healed.

The lame and sick folk are like the many congregations of sick christians (Laodicians), spiritually too sick to even walk the christian walk for themselves, much less run the race.

The pool is representative of the anointing of the Holy Spirit's presence in their midst that has stopped flowing. While a pool is stagnant water, we know the Holy Spirit's presence within us is likened by Jesus to be living water, flowing out of the midst of us, out of our bellies, or wombs. To be living, the water must be flowing. So they wait.

The angel represents the messengers that many churches have come to rely on to bring life, to bring annointing, stirred up once again, in their midst, especially for their greatest need - healing. The angels who visit our churches today are most often the evangelists or teachers or guest speakers they schedule in year after year. Come experience revival! So and so is bringing it to us! What they need is ressurection! What they need is refreshing. These messengers come and "stir up the water". People who are able to, who have a healthy enough faith to, rush forward to the healing line, the pool of blessing, and are healed. Others are so used to the pastor or others carrying them everywhere in the Spirit that they can only remain in their sickness and make excuses. They have no faith of their own for their dependence, the focus of their walk with God, is on man. They say "I have no man to carry me". Oh to lament and travail for the people of God! Truly we have behaved ourselves no better then Israel ever did. We have no cause to ever judge Israel for her sins for in every way we have sinned also.

to be continued...