The target of Christian ministry

[Donald]

 

 

PRAISE THE LORD, I was allowed ot come here and remove my mistake.

But I remembered at the moment that I was typing this OP last night(before I posted it), that I felt God removing His peace from my heart and I should have listened.....

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

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The real message here should be, how we should become more and more sensitive the LORD's voice, even when we are tired.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Donald
Not listening to the Lord.

[DaveW]

Are tears the indicator though?

I would have thought commands were a better place to look.

Such as:

Matt 28

18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: note

 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Note that the commands here are first to teach (that is talking about salvation), then to baptise (that is talking about leading a saved person in obedience), and to teach that saved, obedient person to do as the Lord commands.

A better place to look for a DUAL Command to do BOTH soulwinning and discipleship - to use terms that are common today.

This has a 2 to 1 ratio saved - unsaved ministry.......... ( in very basic maths). ;)

[1611mac]

Both should be lifestyles... meaning that you do both simply as a part of moving through your day.  Yes, we need planned Soul Winning and planned discipleship "events" and classes... but doing these things "naturally" as a Christian should be the core of who we are.  

I do think that some people have the wrong view of the church. There seems to be some idea that we need to bring the lost INTO the local church in order that they hear the gospel. However, a study of the Bible will show that the local church is for THE CHURCH and it's services are for it's members, not for the lost to come in and hear the gospel.  We are to go OUT to the lost, share the gospel, and then compel them to come in.

Some churches design their services strictly "to get the lost in" ("fun", "exciting" and "entertaining") when they should be designing their services to minister to the church itself (edification and education) and to praise and worship God.  

[Donald]

Good morning

At 11:30pm last night, I posted this OP and shut down my computer and went to bed.  And 5 minutes later, realized that I had dropped the ball.

I remembered that someone had shared the Gospel with me.  Of course, “sharing the Gospel”, needs to be the main thing taught and drilled into the heads of those who come to Church.

In fact, this is why God’s people are targeted by Christian ministry.  To bring them to maturity and teach them about their responsibility to Get the message of the Gospel out.
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Please forgive me, for neglecting to add this truth to my OP.

 

[Pastor Scott Markle]

8 hours ago, DaveW said:

Are tears the indicator though?

I would have thought commands were a better place to look.

Such as:

Matt 28

18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: note

 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Note that the commands here are first to teach (that is talking about salvation), then to baptise (that is talking about leading a saved person in obedience), and to teach that saved, obedient person to do as the Lord commands.

A better place to look for a DUAL Command to do BOTH soulwinning and discipleship - to use terms that are common today.

This has a 2 to 1 ratio saved - unsaved ministry.......... ( in very basic maths). ;)

Agreed.  Consider also the testimony of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2, wherein he gives report concerning his evangelistic ministry in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and gives report concerning his edificational ministry in 1 Corinthians 2:6-13.
 

2 hours ago, 1611mac said:

Both should be lifestyles... meaning that you do both simply as a part of moving through your day.  Yes, we need planned Soul Winning and planned discipleship "events" and classes... but doing these things "naturally" as a Christian should be the core of who we are.  

I do think that some people have the wrong view of the church. There seems to be some idea that we need to bring the lost INTO the local church in order that they hear the gospel. However, a study of the Bible will show that the local church is for THE CHURCH and it's services are for it's members, not for the lost to come in and hear the gospel.  We are to go OUT to the lost, share the gospel, and then compel them to come in.

Some churches design their services strictly "to get the lost in" ("fun", "exciting" and "entertaining") when they should be designing their services to minister to the church itself (edification and education) and to praise and worship God.  

Very much agreed.  Although, 1 Corinthians 14:23 does appear to acknowledge that unbelievers might be in the congregation of the church.  And although, I would have to disagree with your usage of the phrase, "Then compel them to come in," since I believe that the original usage of that phrase in the New Testament is often mishandled within its context.
 

5 minutes ago, Donald said:

Good morning

At 11:30pm last night, I posted this OP and shut down my computer and went to bed.  And 5 minutes later, realized that I had dropped the ball.

I remembered that someone had shared the Gospel with me.  Of course, “sharing the Gospel”, needs to be the main thing taught and drilled into the heads of those who come to Church.

In fact, this is why God’s people are targeted by Christian ministry.  To bring them to maturity and teach them about their responsibility to Get the message of the Gospel out.
------------------------
Please forgive me, for neglecting to add this truth to my OP.

 

Indeed, the truths of Acts 1:8; Romans 1:14-16, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, Philippians 1:27-28, 1 Thessalonians 1:3-8, etc. need to be (as you said) "drilled" into the hearts of believers.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Pastor Scott Markle

[1611mac]

20 minutes ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

-snip-
Very much agreed.  Although, 1 Corinthians 14:23 does appear to acknowledge that unbelievers might be in the congregation of the church.  And although, I would have to disagree with your usage of the phrase, "Then compel them to come in," since I believe that the original usage of that phrase in the New Testament is often mishandled within its context.

Yes... I probably spoke a little too casually and without thought....  didn't really man anything specific by that...