Hey Guys,
I love reading other peoples writings on their thoughts about life, God, the future, or whatever. Books, blogs, twitters, Facebook pages, it doesn’t matter. You see, when I read other’s writings about their thoughts, it stimulates my own thinking.
For instance, the United Methodist Church has started a campaign about “RETHINKING CHURCH” . Trying to get people to take a different look, or different perspective when they look at their church and how the church is serving God by serving others.
Then I saw a blog from a new friend of mine, Perry Noble, the pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina. Perry was my coach in church planting over the last 6 months, and between him and his wonderful staff, I have been RETHINKING CHURCH. What it means to me, to others, and most especially, what it means to JESUS, as we are beginning our new church LifeSpring.
Take a look at his blog post and let me know what you think about his comments. I will post his next blog on the subject when I get it.
I look forward to seeing you face to face. Until then, we can still "DO LIFE TOGETHER" through Jesus Christ, growing the Kingdom, one person at a time.
(comment 1)
ReplyDelete"...they have major problems with the church, and so because of that they simply refuse to receive “the product” (Jesus) because of who/what is associated with Him (the church.)"
"Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you." -1 John 3:13
"I [Jesus] have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
-John 17:14
"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name." -Matthew 23:9
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(comment 2)
ReplyDeleteI would be worried if everyone liked us. In fact, I'm worried that we are not persecuted enough. If the world doesn't hate us for Christ's sake, then something is very wrong. Jesus wasn't kidding when He said, "You will be hated by all nations BECAUSE OF MY NAME" even to the point of violent persecution. Are we in Jesus' name or not?!
But I agree with Perry on the point that people are disliking us for the wrong reason. They should hate us BECAUSE OF JESUS, not because we are self-righteous hypocrites.
The problem isn't that people dislike us because they hate Jesus, that SHOULD be happening everywhere Christians live and i'm worried cuz I don't see it happening hardly anywhere in America. The problem is that people dislike Jesus because they hate us. And that is unbiblical.
Anywhere we preach the Gospel, "The kingdom of God is near and the eternal wrath of God is on you for your sins. Turn from your life of sin and believe on Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who willing paid the debt of sins with His perfect blood. Have faith in His blood for the forgiveness of your sins and inherit the righteousness of Christ, becoming pure before God the Father. Take hope in the resurrection of Christ, that you too will be raised with and saved by Him when He returns to judge the world, and persevere to the end with this hope. Become a bondservant to the only righteous king, who is the only Way to heaven with God."
When that truth is preached, many hearts should be hardened like stone and be scornful, and some hearts should melt like butter and fall humbly before the only Savior, in love.
Nobody should despise Christ because of us. Many should despise us because of Christ.
Maybe the problem is that pastors like Perry tend to think of, and thus treat, Jesus as a "product," as he says, and teach their church-goers to be 'providers,' as if we are so capable and worthy in and of ourselves to fulfill such a service, when really Jesus is the service provider and we are His product. Its not the other way around. Arrogant, self righteous hypocrisy come from such thinking.
We should strive to be hated by all nations, not because we serve so poorly and thus hinder the effectiveness of the "product," but because the Service Provider (Jesus) is so well represented in His product. Which, by the way, Jesus is very well represented by HIS product. HE makes a darn good product. Those who are TRULY His product, those who have received the Holy Spirit, represent Him with undeniable power. Unfortunately, there are many who claim that they are His, saying "Lord, Lord!" and going to church on sundays, when really they are a counterfeit product. The counterfeits in the church, the people that church's never hold accountable for anything, are the cause of this issue Perry is talkin about.
Jesus isn't a poor service provider. He makes a perfect product every time, according to His unstoppable will. The counterfeit Christians make it seem like Jesus doesn't know how to make a good product that will represent Him well, and treat Jesus as if He is a product to be presented to non-believers in a pretty little box that hides the harsh (contra-flesh) reality of the gospel.
We, the product of Jesus Christ, should be hated because of our Service Provider.
i'm really not enjoying this analogy, lol
Jesus doesn't make a bad product. And Jesus is not a product.
Maybe we need to rethink why we need to rethink "church".
ReplyDelete