The Distracted Church

The Suffering Church

The Divided Church

The Overly Tolerant Church

The Spiritually Dead Church

The Faithful Church

The Self-Sufficient Church

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONB. A DESCRIPTIVE REMINDER OF THE ONE EVALUATING HIS

CHURCH. REVELATION 2:1 “TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS WRITE,

‘THESE THINGS SAYS HE WHO HOLDS THE SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHTHAND, WHO WALKS IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS!”

1. THE DISTRACTED CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED BY HE WHO HOLDS THESEVEN STARS (ANGELS, MESSENGERS) IN HIS RIGHT HAND.

2. THE DISTRACTED CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED BY HE WHO WALKS INTHE MIDST OF THE 7 GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS (THE CHURCHES)

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONB. A DESCRIPTIVE REMINDER OF THE ONE EVALUATING HIS

CHURCH. REVELATION 2:8 (NKJV) . . . ‘THESE THINGS SAYS THE FIRST AND THE

LAST, WHO WAS DEAD, AND CAME TO LIFE.”3. THE SUFFERING CHURCH IS BEING ENCOURAGED BY HE WHO THE

FIRST AND THE LAST4. THE SUFFERING CHURCH IS BEING ENCOURAGED BY HE WHO WAS

DEAD AND CAME TO LIFE.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONB. A DESCRIPTIVE REMINDER OF THE ONE EVALUATING HIS

CHURCH. REV 2:12 (NKJV). . . ‘THESE THINGS SAYS HE WHO HAS THE SHARP

TWO-EDGED SWORD.”5. THE DIVIDED CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED BY HE WHO HAS THE SHARP

TWO-EDGED SWORD

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONB. A DESCRIPTIVE REMINDER OF THE ONE EVALUATING HIS

CHURCH. REVELATION 2:18 (NKJV) . . .‘THESE THINGS SAYS THE SON OF GOD,

WHO HAS EYES LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE, AND HIS FEET LIKE FINE BRASS.6. THE OVERLY TOLERANT / COMPROMISING CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED

BY THE SON OF GOD.7. THE OVERLY TOLERANT / COMPROMISING CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED

BY HE WHOSE EYES ARE LIKE A FLAME OF FIRE.8. THE OVERLY TOLERANT / COMPROMISING CHURCH IS BEING EVALUATED

BY HE WHOSE FEET ARE LIKE FINE BRASS / BURNISHED BRONZE

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH. REVELATION 2:2–3 “I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOUR LABOR, YOUR

PATIENCE, AND THAT YOU CANNOT BEAR THOSE WHO ARE EVIL. AND YOUHAVE TESTED THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES AND ARE NOT, ANDHAVE FOUND THEM LIARS; 3 AND YOU HAVE PERSEVERED AND HAVEPATIENCE, AND HAVE LABORED FOR MY NAME’S SAKE AND HAVE NOTBECOME WEARY.

REVELATION 2:6 BUT THIS YOU HAVE, THAT YOU HATE THE DEEDS OFTHE NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED

CHURCH.

REVELATION 2:2 “I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOUR LABOR, YOURPATIENCE, AND THAT YOU CANNOT BEAR THOSE WHO ARE EVIL.

1. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR WORKING HARD IN THEMINISTRY, V. 2.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH.

REVELATION 2:2 “I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOUR LABOR, YOURPATIENCE, AND THAT YOU CANNOT BEAR THOSE WHO ARE EVIL(CANNOT TOLERATE EVIL MEN).

2. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR MAINTAINING PURITY –SEPARATING FROM EVIL MEN.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTEDCHURCH. THE DISTRACTED CHURCH GETS RIGHT WHAT THE OVERLY

TOLERANT CHURCH WAS FAILING TO DO

YOU ALLOW (TOLERATE) THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL

TO TEACH AND SEDUCETO COMMIT SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND EAT THINGS

SACRIFICED TO IDOLS

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH.

REVELATION 2:2 . . . AND YOU HAVE TESTED THOSE WHO SAYTHEY ARE APOSTLES AND ARE NOT, AND HAVE FOUND THEMLIARS (TO BE FALSE)

3. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR DEFENDING DOCTRINALINTEGRITY, V. 2.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH.

3. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR DEFENDING DOCTRINALINTEGRITY, V. 2.

ACTS 20:28–30 THEREFORE TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES AND TOALL THE FLOCK, AMONG WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS MADE YOUOVERSEERS, TO SHEPHERD THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH HEPURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. 29 FOR I KNOW THIS, THATAFTER MY DEPARTURE SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONGYOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK. 30 ALSO FROM AMONGYOURSELVES MEN WILL RISE UP, SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, TODRAW AWAY THE DISCIPLES AFTER THEMSELVES.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH.

REVELATION 2:3 AND YOU HAVE PERSEVERED AND HAVEPATIENCE, AND HAVE LABORED (ENDURED) FOR MY NAME’SSAKE AND HAVE NOT BECOME WEARY.

4. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR PERSEVERING IN THEIRFIGHT AGAINST ERROR, V. 3.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH.

REVELATION 2:6 BUT THIS YOU HAVE, THAT YOU HATE THEDEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE

5. THE LORD COMMENDS THEM FOR HATING WHAT HE HATES.

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONC. THE LORD’S COMMENDATION OF HIS DISTRACTEDCHURCH. THE DISTRACTED CHURCH GETS RIGHT WHAT THE DIVIDED

CHURCH WAS FAILING TO DO

YOU HAVE THERE THOSE WHO HOLD THE DOCTRINE OFBALAAM

TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS, ANDTO COMMIT SEXUAL IMMORALITY

HOLD THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS THING I HATE

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIOND. THE LORD’S CORRECTION OF HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH. REVELATION 2:4 NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU,

THAT YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE.”

REVELATION 2:5 REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHERE YOUHAVE FALLEN; REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS, OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOU QUICKLY AND REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTANDFROM ITS PLACE—UNLESS YOU REPENT.’

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

ACTS 19:8–10 AND HE WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND SPOKEBOLDLY FOR THREE MONTHS, REASONING AND PERSUADINGCONCERNING THE THINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 9 BUT WHENSOME WERE HARDENED AND DID NOT BELIEVE, BUT SPOKE EVILOF THE WAY BEFORE THE MULTITUDE, HE DEPARTED FROM THEMAND WITHDREW THE DISCIPLES, REASONING DAILY IN THE SCHOOLOF TYRANNUS. 10 AND THIS CONTINUED FOR TWO YEARS, SOTHAT ALL WHO DWELT IN ASIA HEARD THE WORD OF THE LORDJESUS, BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS.

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

ACTS 19:23–26 AND ABOUT THAT TIME THERE AROSE A GREATCOMMOTION ABOUT THE WAY. 24 FOR A CERTAIN MAN NAMEDDEMETRIUS, A SILVERSMITH, WHO MADE SILVER SHRINES OF DIANA, BROUGHT NO SMALL PROFIT TO THE CRAFTSMEN. 25 HE CALLED THEMTOGETHER WITH THE WORKERS OF SIMILAR OCCUPATION, AND SAID: “MEN, YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR PROSPERITY BY THIS TRADE. 26

MOREOVER YOU SEE AND HEAR THAT NOT ONLY AT EPHESUS, BUTTHROUGHOUT ALMOST ALL ASIA, THIS PAUL HAS PERSUADED ANDTURNED AWAY MANY PEOPLE, SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT GODSWHICH ARE MADE WITH HANDS.

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

ACTS 2:46–47 SO CONTINUING DAILY WITH ONE ACCORD IN THETEMPLE, AND BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, THEY ATETHEIR FOOD WITH GLADNESS AND SIMPLICITY OF HEART, 47

PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. ANDTHE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEINGSAVED.

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

1 THESSALONIANS 1:6–8 AND YOU BECAME FOLLOWERS OF USAND OF THE LORD, HAVING RECEIVED THE WORD IN MUCHAFFLICTION, WITH JOY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 7 SO THAT YOUBECAME EXAMPLES TO ALL IN MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA WHOBELIEVE. 8 FOR FROM YOU THE WORD OF THE LORD HASSOUNDED FORTH, NOT ONLY IN MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA, BUTALSO IN EVERY PLACE. YOUR FAITH TOWARD GOD HAS GONE OUT, SO THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO SAY ANYTHING.

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

ACTS 1:8 BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLYSPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TOME IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THEEND OF THE EARTH.

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

JOHN 14:31 BUT THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT I LOVETHE FATHER, AND AS THE FATHER GAVE ME COMMANDMENT, SO I DO. ARISE, LET US GO FROM HERE.

JOHN 17:4 I HAVE GLORIFIED YOU ON THE EARTH. I HAVEFINISHED THE WORK WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TO DO.

WHAT WORK HAS THE LORD GIVEN US TO DO?

WHAT DID THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS FORSAKE WHEN SHE LEFT HER FIRST LOVE?

JOHN 17:18 AS YOU SENT ME INTO THE WORLD, I ALSO HAVESENT THEM INTO THE WORLD.

WHAT WORK HAS THE LORD SENT US INTO THE WORLD TODO?

MATTHEW 28:19 GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALLTHE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHERAND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONE. THE LORD’S WARNING TO HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH. REVELATION 2:5 REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHERE YOU

HAVE FALLEN; REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS, OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOU QUICKLY AND REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTANDFROM ITS PLACE—UNLESS YOU REPENT.”

JESUS GUIDE FOR MINISTRY EVALUATIONF. THE LORD CALLS ON HIS DISTRACTED CHURCH TO RESPOND. REVELATION 2:7 “HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT

THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMESI WILL GIVE TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THEMIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD”.

I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPENDOOR, AND NO ONE CAN SHUT IT

I WILL MAKE THEM COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOURFEET, AND TO KNOW THAT I HAVE LOVED YOU.