One of the privileges I have as the pastor of a church community is the opportunity to stand in front of hundreds and thousands of people very week* (that’s a joke son, that’s a joke) 🙂 to share the Good News of Jesus.  I know there are some who find that something not very “kosher” given their “eye on things,” but that is okay. IMHO there is room for those who are going to aaahh… (stay at home on a given Sunday). In all seriousness, I am not the least bit offended by those who choose to belong to a house church, a small group, or whatever they want to call themselves. Just please don’t judge me if I take a more “traditional” approach to ministry. There is at least one thing we have in common though:
MINISTRY. WAS. NEVER. MEANT. TO. BE. DONE. BY. ONE. PERSON. NOR. CONFINED. TO. ONE. DAY. A. WEEK.
The priesthood of all believers was one of the foundation stones of the Reformation, and even though I am not a big Reformation-type pastor, I do agree on that item. You cannot read Eph.4: 11-12 without seeing that the message was to be shared spread by all.  So, even though I don’t take lightly what I do on any given Sunday morning, I realize that ministry does not start/stop with me.  For far too long we have had too may pew-sitters, and not enough beat-walkers; too many navel-gazers, and not enough heart-seekers. If we are going to make a difference in our world, we have ALL got to be involved.  Then again, I am preaching to the choir…you already know that.
Sometime last week I dug into my CD’s and found one I had not listened to for quite awhile. It is a 2003 Petra CD called Jekyll & Hyde. I was tooling along listening again to songs that I hadn’t heard for quite awhile when the last one hit the speakers and SLAM! Here it is:
By Bob Hartman
Based on Mark 16:15
You never tried to win more secular appeal
And water down Your message with a slightly different feel
You never tried to be politically correct
Or skirt around the issues attempting to connect
You spoke the truth in love so faithfully
You expect no less from me
(Chorus)
It’s a sacred trust that You gave to us
To take Your Word into all the world
It’s a sacred trust that You gave to us
The message of salvation and Your love
You never shied away from critical debate
Or beat around the bushes when discussing human fate
You weren’t ashamed to tell them who Your Father was
Never ran from persecution like human nature does
You prayed for all believers on Your knees
Then you handed us the keys
(Chorus)
You’re trusting us to be bold
The story has to be told
To every nation and tongue
Young and old
I’m gonna shout from the hill
How could I ever be still?
I’m gonna let the chips fall
Where they will
You spoke the truth in love so faithfully
You expect no less from me
(Chorus)
What do you think? How can we do a better job of getting this message to the church people? Your thoughts are welcome. FYI: I will be hit or miss responding to this post. I have to be at a hospital an hour away by 6:00, then return home to get Jo, so we can get to another hospital, where one of our teens is having surgery. Lots of driving and Jo is not too thrilled by me texting when driving. (Neither am I).  So I will get to your comments as soon as I can. Thanks for understanding.
*We don’t do hundreds of thousands. Nice dreaming though. 😉
Hi Bill,
In my mind the problem is not getting the message out to the people. The message of the need for participation and lifestyle witnessing for Christ has been going out for years and years and years in the Christian church.
The problem is the lack of response to the message by people. In the days of the Israelite nation when the prophets and the law were speaking to the people regularly they were not responding to either. I believe that this occurred partly because the nation felt that as long as the temple of the LORD was standing in Jerusalem they were untouchable by their enemies. There was no need to respond or repent.
The prophets denounced this belief and prophecied to the nation that they would experience the anger of God unless they repented and that they were only protected when they were serving Him wholeheartedly and exclusively.
I’m thinking we have many christians today who feel no need to respond to this message. they don’t have to. They are secure in their salvation. They are secure in God’s love, in his Inheritance for the saints, in his provisions, etc etc.
I think that under these conditions the heart has grown lukewarm and cold. It wasn’t until the nation of Israel went into 70 years of captivity to Babylon that the people began to seek the face of God again.
The response to the message is not my responsibility Linda. As you know, it is the Spirit’s responsibility to convict. But I go back to the Romans passage that says, “how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? We have no control over people’s acceptance or rejection. We do have control over our “Go-ing.” Thanks for the comment. Have I misunderstood your words?
The spiritual service required of every Christian is a process in which Scripture is the key. I’m not a fan of topical preaching. The whole Bible….verse by verse.
I agree Ike…to a point. While I don’t preach verse by verse I do try to preach expository sermons as much as possible. I will agree Scripture is the key but people also have to be willing to apply that Scripture.Thanks.
A good topic to hit on bill. Being a part of a church plant you run into a lot of people who are cynical about “traditional” models of the church. It is hard not to be cynical with them. but what you’ve said is a good reminder. Thanks man…as always.
The other side works also Jay. It is hard not to be cynical about so-called house churches, etc. God uses all kinds to reach people. I support your church planting efforts wholeheartedly.
“For far too long we have had too may pew-sitters, and not enough beat-walkers; too many navel-gazers, and not enough heart-seekers.”
I think the Great Commission was a command for everyone who follows Him…not just Pastors…Evangelist, etc. Good word Bro’
Thanks Jay. Appreciate your support.
Hi Bill,
Teaching has gone out from the pulpit and from other venues, but it seems that many ‘disciples’ have not moved into these areas of ministry being taught. Even when they try to, it just doesn’t seem to happen for them. The early church experienced this until the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Then, they seemed to experience boldness, courage, giftings, wisdom, etc. that they needed to witness for Jesus.
I’ve asked a few people here are there recently how was their church service on Sunday. What was it about? Most people cannot tell me. They know the service was good, they just can’t tell me what it was about. I experienced the same thing when I was attending church. I couldn’t remember what I had just heard an hour before. It’s perplexing.
Perhaps the church has also become a mile wide but only an inch deep. In trying to be acceptable to the most people possible maybe the church has lost its ability to bring Christians to the level of maturity needed for them to move out to do the works of the Lord.
We are also living in a bubble so to speak in North America. We are generally living in the fruit of properity in our 2 countries and our life focus has been shifted by the world onto temporal and material things. Maybe christians have let the cares and the things of the world overtake them.
I think what is true is that in general Christians are not being effective in their faith and in their witness for the Lord in our culture.
I think church leaders in many denominations have determined that any change to this has to be a God Thing. I think that everything that can be done, has been done over the past decades in the church. We’re waiting for God. To see what God is going to do.
I would have to agree Linda that, in general, Christians are not being effective in their faith and witness. I think there are pockets of people but for the most part we do a terrible job. Thanks for commenting further.
Send out a message that on Sunday, the congregation will be meeting at the park on a picnic to discuss matters of faith, walk through the neighborhoods and preach the gospel to neighboring uhhhh… neighbors.
This is the Jesus way. Discipling, teaching, leading.
*this may work best in a city like NY. Not sure other areas where you are Dependant on driving.
Good idea Moe. Have you had an opportunity to do this? Did it work? Thanks for the suggestion.
We have done this. Some people like the idea. But you do have the occasional folks who just love to sit on pews.
reckon will have them no matter where you are. Glad you tried it though and got back to me.
For far too long we have had too may pew-sitters, and not enough beat-walkers; too many navel-gazers, and not enough heart-seekers. .
Love that, Bill. I think we can do a better job by actually being the church. I think the church has tried to modernize with the times. While, I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing, I think a lot of times, the Gospel takes a backseat to all that other stuff.
I agree with you Jon that the church has tried to modernize with the times. Unfortunately, while doing so we have often lost our oomph. Thanks for a good observation.
This is a touchy subject I would imagine for me. I have never been one to just sit in the pew and listen to a sermon then go home and review what was said during the sermon. I don’t know the bible by heart but well enough to get me by.
I will have to imagine that a pastor has to put something together for the congregation as a teaching tool for those that never open the bible and for the newbies.
What I would much like to see and experience in a church is the presence of the Holy Spirit where He has free reign to touch the hearts in the congregation, to hear the voice of God, and to see Him touch those that are lost but seeking Him.
I want to see all involved in service to God doing things to advance the Kingdom where no one is left out but all have an opportunity to be an integral part of the Body of Christ.
Far too many times I have witnessed only the select few in the click groups of a church have been called to serve while others have to be content to be just pew sitters.
What I want to see is excitement for God that last for the entire week. Pew sitters do not advance the kingdom of God.They are there to fufill their requirement for salvation only, not for the salvation of others.
What I like to see is all united in a single goal to to achieve advancing the Kingdom of God to others through service in His church.
But then again this is just my ramblings and old man’s dreams.
I love your dreams Larry. The Bible does say the old men will dream dreams. Nothing wrong with hoping and praying for these to happen. Thanks.
I think how we get the message to the masses is to teach people how to love in the small things. To let love transform you in the minors – because that’s the stuff that causes people to pause. Shock value lasts as long as it took it to strike.
Excellent thought Charlie! We do need to be faithful in the small things. And I agree about the shock value idea. Guilt is a lousy motivator as well. Thanks for the comment.
I’m not looking to change The World.
I’m looking to see Him change my neighbor.
Big difference.
If I understand you have misunderstood my use of “world” or I am misunderstanding you. By world, I mean those we come in contact with not the whole world. If I am missing your point, please let me know. Good hearing from you Donald.