What glorifies God? If you asked 100 pastors the answer to that question, I bet you would get 100 answers, and very few of them would be from the Word of God. But the Bible is clear on this: Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much fruit (John 15.8). The way to glorify God is to be fruitful. As pastors we should be fruitful – our churches should be growing, people should be saved, healed, transformed. People should have testimonies because they got around us. The more fruit we bear the more glory we bring to the Father.
I think many pastors have ignored or forgotten this Scripture. They do not seem to think that pastors should be fruitful or that it matters. Now I am not talking about becoming selfish, having a carnal ambition or comparing with others. I am talking about growing and being fruitful. Sometimes I talk to some pastors and I wonder why they even went into ministry, their goals in life do not seem to be populating Heaven, making disciples and changing as many lives as possible.
I met an African pastor recently, he had a church of over 1000 in his home nation, and he came to London, and is now pastoring 20. Now I am not saying that this could never be God’s will for someone, but our entire conversation all he could talk about was the joy of living in England, and he was not talking about fruit! In my opinion, he was being very fruitful where he was, and moved for the wrong reasons. Are you looking to live in London or are you looking to bear fruit? What has God called you to do? What do you want? An easy life or fruit? Respect or fruit?
I know an elder in our church who was fruitful, every week he had the largest Living Church in our church family and people were impacted by the gospel. But he decided, at the enticement of someone else, to launch out into his own ministry which failed miserably. He chose independence to me over bearing fruit, and that is sad. Pastors choose money over fruit, position over fruit, fame over fruit – are you looking to make a name for yourself or are you looking to bear fruit?
It disturbs me how many “successful” pastors in the UK suddenly feel a calling to the US. There is more money to be made as a pastor in the US than the UK. Is it the US or is it fruit? We have to be sure.
The top of our agenda should be to glorify God and if the way to do that is bear fruit, then the top of our agenda must be to bear fruit. Ask yourself today – what can I do to bear more fruit? Why do we have the conferences we do, why do we keep planting churches, we are we doing evangelism on the streets every week, why am I writing this blog and my tithing blog today when I am busy at a conference? Why do I work as hard as I do and preach as much as I do? I KNOW HOW TO GLORIFY MY FATHER!
God has placed in all of us a desire to be fruitful. Start listening to Him how and start following His leading. I love my car, and I would also love to get a brand new car. But that is not the fruit of the kingdom, the fruit of the kingdom is salvations, healings, miracles, disciples, new churches, new leaders being released, people’s ideas being challenged. How we glorify God is by bearing much fruit.
Inspiring and Challenging Dreamers 