Christ builds!

A pastor surprised me one day when he said, "I don't think I can build a church."  Of course not! But that doesn't keep many pastors from feeling like numerical growth in the church is up to them - their efforts, their creativity, their passion.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer takes the pressure off stressed out clergy.  His advice takes attention away from congregational statistics and attendance records:

It is not we who build.  (Christ) builds the church.  No man builds the church but Christ alone.

We must confess - He builds.  We must proclaim - He builds.  We must pray to Him - He builds.

Church - stay a church! But church, confess, confess, confess! Christ alone is your Lord; from His grace alone can you live as you are.  Christ builds.

Taken from "Treasury of Daily Prayer," pages 840-841