06/09/2026
Dear Shekinah Family
The key take away of this morning’s message.
THE CHURCH IS NOT A MUSEUM
On our recent mission trip to San Diego, my wife and I were hosted for lunch by Bishop Charles & Dr. Gwen Matthews at the Fish Market restaurant.
As we approached the parking area, our hosts pointed out the USS Midway—a decommissioned aircraft carrier that has been repurposed as a naval museum.
“Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle,”
1 Timothy 1:18 HCSB
As I looked at this magnificent vessel, I began to think about the Church.
The USS Midway was built for battle. It was designed, equipped, and commissioned for a mission. Today, it preserves the memory of battles fought and victories won. It is a remarkable museum, but it is no longer engaged in the battle for which it was built.
God did not call the Church to become a museum.
We are not merely called to preserve memories of what God used to do. We have been called, equipped, empowered, and commissioned to participate in what God is doing right now.
The Church is not a monument to yesterday’s victories.
We are a movement on mission today.
Our assignment is to make disciples, preach the Gospel, reach the lost, proclaim freedom to the captives, pray for the sick, build up believers, and take the life-transforming message of Jesus Christ into every place where people live, work, learn, and play.
We must never become so comfortable celebrating the battles of the past that we forget there is still a world that needs to hear the Gospel.
Paul’s charge to Timothy still speaks to the Church today:
“Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle,”
1 Timothy 1:18 HCSB
The Church was built for mission.
The Church was equipped for battle of the kingdom of darkness by the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Church was empowered by the Spirit.
The Church was commissioned to go.
Let’s not become a museum.
Let’s be the Church.
Let’s make disciples.
Let’s engage the mission.
