What the Lord's Second Coming Did to One Pastor and Church
Illustration★★★★DID TO ONE PASTOR AND CHURCH In the early years of his Christian ministry, P. W. Philpott didn’t I believe in the premillennial return of Christ. He believed that the I church would save the whole world, taking the world for Christ!
His courage weakened, however, as he observed “evil men and seduc- I ers waxing worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II I Tim, 3:13). Then a change occurred!
He heard a stirring message on I the second coming of Christ. The message was sane and Scriptural. I Said he, “The message gripped my soul and set it on fire for the lost ones. From the study of God’s Word, I saw that the mission of the _ church is not to take the world for Christ, but to take Christ to the world!
Rarely in my teaching and preaching did I fail to emphasize _ this verse: “And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall _ appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming’ (I John 2:28). The church I was serving at the time grew _ from 50 believers to more than 2,000. Of that number 16 young peo- ple were converted and went forth as foreign missionaries! Souls were saved in increasing numbers, and Christians were cleansed from sin.
How could it have been otherwise when God’s Word says: ‘And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure’ (I John 3:3)?”
The point
P. W. Philpott's transformation from believing the church would save the world to understanding the true mission is to bring Christ to souls; this shift multiplied his church growth and mission fruit.