If you have a problem with growing churches (church growth mentality) you might not want to read this post!
There are great churches in the ABA, but there are also dead churches in the ABA. Some guys argue that their church is doing just fine the way they are. My question is, "If that is the case, what do you preach about?" Oh, I forgot "contend for the faith, Jesus is coming soon, the world is going to Hell but we are safe."
The fact of the matter is my church isn't doing just fine. We need to be doing more! We are certainly not the ideal church, but we want to become one. We are to be salt and light in this dark world.
There is no excuse for why churches are closing their doors. Its not that they don't have the right leaders, because its not about men. It's not about me and its not about you. For anyone that wants to call me "Mr. Holier than Thou", allow me to help you. I am a NOBODY. I don't want to be anybody. I don't say, "hey look what I'm doing." I'm not perfect, thats right, I sin all the time. I am a rotten dirty sinner that got saved by Jesus who is convicted by the Holy Spirit about reaching this lost world!
People are not getting saved in Bald Knob because of me. We preach a message that is provisionally universal, vicarious in nature, and must be applied to the wicked heart of man. We preach that Jesus died for all men everywhere, but you must "GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS" not just pray a little prayer in vain. We preach the ABCD version not the ABC version.
A-ADMIT you are a sinner
B-BELIEVE (trust) in the Lord Jesus
C-CONFESS with your mouth-call on Jesus
D-Become a DISCIPLE of Christ-Jesus called men to follow!
I have a problem! My problem is when men make excuses for why people are not being saved and why their churches are not growing in numbers. Numbers are real people, and every person that dies without Jesus really does go to Hell. Its not about whose got the biggest church-its about those precious souls who are lost without a shepherd. The fact is every church that is obeying the great commission should be reaching new people all the time. If door knocking doesn't seem to work, do that and something else!!!! How about motivating your church to reach their friends and neighbors and take advantage of using special services throughout the year to do so! Train your people to reach the lost and stop trying to do it yourself. In the last few weeks here at BK it has been church members that have brought their friends or have led them to the Lord in their places of employment. Again, its not about me!
I was accused by a pastor recently who said I have a problem. My problem seems to be what I believe. I am a heretic for the following reasons (this list wont be 21 statements long).
1. I believe the same Holy Spirit still works to change lives today. God is still on the throne in 2007! The gospel still works! Jesus saves!
2. Lost people are interested in the gospel and are searching for truth. They are being saved and discipled all over the world!
3. Churches can grow without compromising the truth!
4. Churches have become cold, comfortable, pridful, and seemingly uninterested in seeing lost people saved. Their traditions have caused them to have a form of godliness without experiencing the power of godliness. They deny there is such power today!
5. Churches can practice discipline and still grow in number. We have recently removed a deacon from our church for unfaithfulness. We took action in love and restored a young lady who had a baby out of wedlock this past year.
6. Numbers are important because numbers represent real people! Its not about pride or having a big church, but about people experiening the wonderful works of God.
Read the following with a squeaky voice holding your nose to get it the way i'm writing it.
"You have a problem. You care about lost people. That means you think you are somebody. Only time will tell about your kind."
Give me a break!
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4 comments:
You have completely misrepresented the discussion.
Amen!!!
I have to agree 100% with you on this post and on this week's blog. I know we sometimes disagree (last week's post I think), but not as much as it seems we disagree with studymore, savedbygrace, and preacherjak.
I find that many churches are social clubs that for their only hopes, dreams, and futures are to keep their pathetic churches in existence. They dwindle on closing their doors every service, they blame the world or the rest of the ABA on their problems, and they have absolutely no concern for the lost - only in maintaining their doctrine and traditions (their traditions much more so than their doctrines it seems).
It may sound harsh, but I think it would be better for most of these said churches to close and for those people to stay out of any other churches lest they destroy the new ones as well. Either that... or get their heart right. Somehow I think the latter will never happen.
I can't go to the ABA church in my town anymore. I'm going to have to go to an SBC church for the next 1 1/2 years at least. This ABA church is probably the most extreme conservative, landmarkists, traditional church that I have ever seen. They are prejudiced against certain races, teach as commandments of God the doctrine of men, condemn everyone (both inside and outside the church), call those heretics that don't follow their tradtions (KJV only, no children's church, no instruments other than piano, no programs, etc), lay guilt trips on people, and whole host of other stuff that has no place in anything supposed to be "Christian."
I'm not sure why the other guys on the blogs don't get this. Either they haven't seen stuff like this or they themselves do this stuff and are too blind to realize it. Tradition kills everything. The only two traditions that I follow (and of which, are listed in the Bible actually to follow) are that of Baptism and Communion. Everything else is man-made.
Let me make clear there is a fine line concerning the ABCD version I mentioned in the post. I do not mean that a desire to be a disciple or the act of following Christ is a part of salvation. We just need to make sure that we don't lead people to pray a little prayer in vain without understanding Jesus called those who trust in Him to follow Him! I believe salvation is as simple as puting your confidence in Jesus to save you from your sin condition and Hell, and that by calling on Him in prayer on is saved. However salvation is not "hell insurance" its about a commitment to Jesus Christ! "Give your life to Jesus" is my favorite terminology!
Jeff, I do admit that there are some good people in those churches. Also in some cases great pastors who cannot lead because the people will not allow them to do so. They either need to take a stand and risk running certain individuals off or go lead where people are willing to follow!
Sorry to hear about the condition of your church. Our church prayed for our entire association of churches today. We are not better than anyone, but we have a desire to see strong growing churches that will be around 100 years from now if Christ does not return!
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