Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

204 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

II. The Church Is the Agent (the Deputy) Where the Authority and Power of the Kingdom of God Are Heralded and Enforced.

The Church of Jesus Christ is the Agent through which his kingdom authority and power are being exercised, and the Army through which his war is waged against his enemies. The Church of Jesus is the vehicle through which the Spirit of God announces the Good News of the Kingdom, and demonstrates its force in the midst of the contested ground of the earth.

A. The Church is the agent of apostolic witness and word.

1. We as the Church are called to be ambassadors of Christ to proclaim deliverance in Jesus name to the world, 2 Cor. 5.18-21.

2. We as Church are called to be stewards of God’s mysteries to protect the faith.

1 Cor. 4.2 (NKJV) – Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Jude 1.3 (NKJV) – Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

3. In the Church we declare and protect the Apostolic witness to Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 15.1-3 (NKJV) – Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Gal. 1.8 (NKJV) – But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other Gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.