What happens when the modern church chases numbers, brands, and hype instead of discipleship and testimony?
I stepped quietly into the gates of the temple this morning—not in Jerusalem, but in my own house. My temple gates were simple: waking up early and posturing my heart toward God. The courts came next: worship music filling my soul while I stirred green tea with honey and lemon. Finally, the holy place—my blue recliner, a warm blanket across my legs, and the Word of God open.
There I read Psalm 100:4: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
It struck me. The Psalm doesn’t just invite; it commands: give thanks, praise His name. Israel had a great calling and mission, and so does the modern-day church.
What They Went Through
The original singers of this psalm weren’t slipping into recliners. They were pilgrims climbing toward Jerusalem.
The journey was costly. Entire families traveled miles to reach the city. When they finally arrived at the gates and courts, their worship tasted like heaven itself—like biting into your favorite food after days of hunger or sipping an ice-cold drink on a blistering afternoon. Their songs and sacrifices satisfied a soul that had longed to be near God.
But it wasn’t easy. Israel lived surrounded by Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Philistines, Persia, and Greece. God didn’t hide His presence in the hills; He placed Himself in the center of the world’s empires.
And still they sang. Even after slavery in Egypt, genocide at the hands of enemies, discipline in exile, and unending threats—they sang. Their testimony was not that life was easy, but that God was faithful.
Why Jerusalem?
God chose Jerusalem on purpose.
It was covenant-ground, tied to Abraham on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22) and to David’s throne (2 Samuel 7).
It was central for the tribes, a place everyone could ascend.
It symbolized His kingship—God enthroned in Zion.
It was the stage for salvation: where Christ would die and rise.
In short, it was the place where God’s presence, promise, and plan converged.
But why not anywhere else? Because Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6)—mediators between God and the nations. God placed them at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe so His glory could be seen and experienced.
Israel often failed in that calling. Their worship drifted, their hearts wandered. But the mission never terminated on them—it pointed forward to Christ, the true High Priest, who now mediates for every tribe and tongue (Revelation 5:9–10).
The Church’s Mission Today
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we no longer need a building or a human mediator. His Spirit dwells in us. The church carries the priestly mission: “a chosen people, a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).
But how are we doing?
We are Isareal. Too often, the church today chases numbers instead of discipleship, brand over body, programs over presence. We measure by attendance and budgets, while God measures by holiness, faithfulness, and testimony.
God’s design – A priestly people who proclaim His excellencies (Exodus 19:6). Jesus discipled twelve, not crowds. The Great Commission calls us to make disciples (Matthew 28:19).
Our drift – Growth by numbers, branding, busyness, shallow converts.
What we must recover –
Testimony over numbers (Revelation 12:11)
Discipleship over branding (Matthew 28:20)
Holiness over hype (Acts 2:42)
Multiplication over addition (2 Timothy 2:2)
Never Finished Challenge
So how do we live out this calling?
Return to the Word—teach the entirety of the Word (Acts 20:27).
Recenter on prayer—revival starts in upper rooms, not in branding strategies (Acts 1:14).
Model discipleship—life on life, not stage to seat (2 Timothy 2:2).
Prioritize testimony—stories of transformation carry eternal weight (Revelation 12:11).
Equip the saints—every believer is a priest (Ephesians 4:12).
Suffer well—the kingdom shines brightest in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).
What Does Today Say About God?
Identity.
The church does not need the world’s metrics. We are:
A royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)
A temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16)
A bride made ready for Christ (Revelation 19:7)
This isn’t brand language—it’s covenant language.
The Perfect, Omniscient, Sovereign King of Kings has given us this identity.
What a Father.
What a Creator.
What a King.
Thank You, Jesus.