Churches with issues
There's a discussion raging about the church - their function, the role of the individual Christian, and pretty much everything. Hopefully someone will point out the couple of issues that lie at the core of the debate, if such issues exist. (I say, unwilling to find them myself).
On the Christian's responsibility: In general, we should be imitators of Paul, even as he was of Christ. Imitating Christ means obeying our Father in everything, and obeying the two meta-commandments, which are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. This means doing as the early church: setting up hospitals to minister to the uncaredfor ill and dying, feeding and clothing widows and orphans. (aside: this would do a lot to fix our bad rap for trying to gain political power and impose morality on everyone.) That's the second meta-commandment. The first is even more important, and involves worship, prayer, and meditation upon the Word. But note that the commandment is to love, not to pray, worship, obey, or anything else. All of those are essential, but the greatest deed is to love. Love the Lord your God who saved you from sin.
In the church, we should not forsake the assembly of the saints. This may not necessarily mean "you must go to church." The second commandment does mean that when you go to church or meet with believers elsewhere, you need to talk to them, exhort and encourage and pray with them. Praying for four different church members every day would be an excellent starting practice. Be wary of using "the members of the church don't reach out to me" as an excuse not to start the reaching out.
On seeker services: Evangelism in a meeting of believers is never recorded in Scripture. The assumption is that the attendants of such meetings are already saved. If your friend is lost, don't bring him to a meeting to pray, worship, remember the Lord in communion, or study the Word as it applies to the saints - which should be the content of such meetings. Tell him the good news, and probably do it yourself, in an appropriate manner.
Then again, if, as Gabe noted, a number of Christians he knew were avoiding church, and non-Christians were attending to participate in free sports leagues, why not try to evangelize?
linkage to the discussion:
First post - Dave
Second post - Gabe
Third post - Dave
Fourth post - Hank
Fifth post - Eric
And finally, as one untimely born, myself.
On the Christian's responsibility: In general, we should be imitators of Paul, even as he was of Christ. Imitating Christ means obeying our Father in everything, and obeying the two meta-commandments, which are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. This means doing as the early church: setting up hospitals to minister to the uncaredfor ill and dying, feeding and clothing widows and orphans. (aside: this would do a lot to fix our bad rap for trying to gain political power and impose morality on everyone.) That's the second meta-commandment. The first is even more important, and involves worship, prayer, and meditation upon the Word. But note that the commandment is to love, not to pray, worship, obey, or anything else. All of those are essential, but the greatest deed is to love. Love the Lord your God who saved you from sin.
In the church, we should not forsake the assembly of the saints. This may not necessarily mean "you must go to church." The second commandment does mean that when you go to church or meet with believers elsewhere, you need to talk to them, exhort and encourage and pray with them. Praying for four different church members every day would be an excellent starting practice. Be wary of using "the members of the church don't reach out to me" as an excuse not to start the reaching out.
On seeker services: Evangelism in a meeting of believers is never recorded in Scripture. The assumption is that the attendants of such meetings are already saved. If your friend is lost, don't bring him to a meeting to pray, worship, remember the Lord in communion, or study the Word as it applies to the saints - which should be the content of such meetings. Tell him the good news, and probably do it yourself, in an appropriate manner.
Then again, if, as Gabe noted, a number of Christians he knew were avoiding church, and non-Christians were attending to participate in free sports leagues, why not try to evangelize?
linkage to the discussion:
First post - Dave
Second post - Gabe
Third post - Dave
Fourth post - Hank
Fifth post - Eric
And finally, as one untimely born, myself.
posted by Derby at 03:14
1 Comments:
"This may not necessarily mean "you must go to church." The second commandment does mean that when you go to church or meet with believers elsewhere, you need to talk to them, exhort and encourage and pray with them."
Amen!!!! Thank you Derby!
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