The 7 Pillars

“Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars”. Proverbs 9:1

Pillar 1: Mission

The Great Commission - Making Disciples of all Nations

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus gave the Great Commission: To make disciples of all nations. This mission has not changed. As Christ’s disciples, we are called to be witnesses to manifest in everyday life what He taught about to cause the world to dedicate their lives to Christ and His Word.

Pillar 2: Majesty

Praise and Worshipping God

Luke 24:52-53 “And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.”

Acts 2:46-47 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

When Jesus ascended into heaven, the apostles were filled with joy and praise.  In order for us to maintain intimacy with God, we must spend time in His presence and praise and glorify His name. As we do so, we will feel His heartbeat as we carry out His will on earth.

Pillar 3: Mantle

The Holy Spirit Who comes to transform and to empower

Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Before Jesus left the earth, He promised the Apostles that He would send a Helper; One who would be the Comforter, Counselor and Teacher.   Since the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in Acts 2, He continues to change us from the inside out, to mold us into the image of Jesus and empower us to bring the life-changing message of the Gospel to the world.

Pillar 4: Message

Jesus and Him Crucified, Buried and Resurrected

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words:  Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which by God did through Him in your midst as you yourself also know.  Him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of  God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

People hear many messages today that have nothing to do with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, yet this is the only message that will free them from their fear, despair and hopelessness.   Only hope invested in a God who loved mankind so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for their sins will bring freedom and the wonderful opportunity of taking this life-changing message to our neighbors, our workplace and to the world knowing that the God of the universe will manifest His power every time it is shared.

Pillar 5: Methods

Discipleship, Fellowship, Communion and Prayer

Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

The New Testament church met house to house and in corporate worship in the temple. Today we are called to this same structure, meeting house to house in small groups and in the corporate setting for worship and prayer.  

Within the small group structure, four key elements are present: Discipleship (mentoring), Fellowship, Communion and Prayer. It is in the intimacy of a small group where people grow in the Word, grow together as brothers and sisters in the Lord and receive communion and pray for the needs of the church, others and themselves. 

Pillar 6: Material Possessions

Tithing, Offering, Stewardship

Acts 4:32-35 “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.  And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  And great grace was upon them all.  Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

God is a loving and giving God and as His children, we are to mirror our Father. Returning the tithe, the first 10% of our income to Him and the giving of offerings from a cheerful heart, establishes a pattern of giving that will produce natural and spiritual prosperity in our lives.

Pillar 7: Miracles

The supernatural is the fiber of the New Testament church in a modern-day world.

Acts 5:14-16 “And  believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.  Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

Spreading the Gospel, winning souls, worship and empowerment of the Holy Spirit creates the environment for Miracles.  Miracles occur in an atmosphere of obedience to God’s Word. As we walk in obedience of the structure God has created for the church, miracles will be prevalent as we reach out to a lost and dying world.