Just Turning the Crank
A.W. Tozer's sermon warns against the dangers of church organization without the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the necessity of divine presence for true spiritual vitality.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the critical role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church, warning against the danger of merely organizing church activities without His presence. He highlights that while structure and organization are important, they are meaningless without the Spirit's power, as true transformation and growth come from Him alone. Tozer urges believers to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance and control in all ministry efforts, rather than relying solely on human effort and eloquence. He concludes with a heartfelt prayer for the Spirit's presence in ministry, underscoring the necessity of divine involvement in the church's mission.
Text
So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." --Zechariah 4:6
I say this because it is possible to run a church and all of its activity without the Holy Spirit. You can organize it, get a board together, call a pastor, form a choir, launch a Sunday school and a ladies' aid society. You get it all organized--and the organization part is not bad. I'm for it. But I'm warning about getting organized, getting a pastor and turning the crank--some people think that's all there is to it, you know.
The Holy Spirit can be absent and the pastor goes on turning the crank, and nobody finds it out for years and years. What a tragedy, my brethren, what a tragedy that this can happen in a Christian church! But it doesn't have to be that way! "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:22)....
If you could increase the attendance of your church until there is no more room, if you could provide everything they have in churches that men want and love and value, and yet you didn't have the Holy Spirit, you might as well have nothing at all. For it is "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty" (Zechariah 4:6). Not by the eloquence of a man, not by good music, not by good preaching, but it is by the Spirit that God works His mighty works. The Counselor, 38-39.
"Oh, Lord, I have no desire to 'run a church' or have any part of just 'turning the crank.' In whatever ministry I am ever involved, I pray that Your Holy Spirit would be present with His controlling power. Amen."
Sermon Outline
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I
- The importance of the Holy Spirit in church activities
- The dangers of relying solely on organization
- The potential for spiritual emptiness
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II
- The misconception of church success
- Attendance versus spiritual vitality
- The role of the Holy Spirit in genuine growth
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III
- The call to listen to the Spirit
- The necessity of divine intervention
- Prayer for the Holy Spirit's presence
Key Quotes
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” — A.W. Tozer
“If you could increase the attendance of your church until there is no more room... and yet you didn't have the Holy Spirit, you might as well have nothing at all.” — A.W. Tozer
“Oh, Lord, I have no desire to 'run a church' or have any part of just 'turning the crank.'” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Prioritize prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance in all church activities.
- Recognize that true success in ministry is measured by spiritual growth, not just attendance numbers.
- Encourage openness to the Holy Spirit's leading in every aspect of church life.