The "New Church.....

The church leadership is first to equip the Christians to do ministry. The answer is not how to get people to go to church, but how can we can get the church to go outward and be daily witnesses in the world. The church is a place for maturing the people, not for gathering unbelievers to be comfortable with us so that we can all be friends. Some congregations are so large that the leaders don’t know most of them and cannot possibly shepherd them.

If people are coming to church because of the activities offered or the quality of entertainment is equal to that of the world, we have completely missed the “purpose” of the church.

If you are not focusing on mans sin then why does one need a savior? The Bible makes it clear FAITH comes by hearing the word not by seeing. There is not a new “better way” to do or present the gospel. The power of God is learned and believed by the word being proclaimed correctly by those who actually understand and believe it. Not with a watered down, feel good message so folks walk away THINKING they are saved.New believers must learn the essentials of the gospel to understand them and to respond correctly to them. We must to tell them what they NEED to hear, not what they want to hear.

According to the seeker friendly churches, it’s “Shhh… don’t tell them they’re a sinner, they may not like it.” Let’s keep it a secret and we’ll let them know slowly…later on… maybe…if they ask”.

But in the meantime, what happens when they start to fall away? Most churches are too “big” and too “busy” to notice when five or ten people are gone, because five or ten new ones take their place next week. The turnover rate is faster than Wal-Mart! And most go away unsaved. Or worse… PASS AWAY! Then it’s too late. Another soul in hell that thought they were saved and weren't. Because no one told them the truth.

Many mature Christians have reacted to this “seeker-friendly-sensitive” nonsense by leaving the church. They have been turned off by being forced to accept these new methods that are re-structuring the way we do church. They have taken the initiative to no longer attend this type of church. Most of those who leave are not immature Christians, they are the ones who take their faith seriously. They are the ones the church needs most, yet the church is willing to let them leave in favor of getting more “unbelievers” and “seekers” into their midst. In the meantime, the church is running out of money because of the mature Christians that supported the church are leaving.

The “new people” are not supporting the church for a number of reasons. They have no obligation to the people in the church or its leaders, that they don’t even know. They can say “ I go to church”, get entertained, get a “you’re a good person” message, have free refreshments afterwards and all for a couple of dollars. No conviction, no loyalty, no nothing.

Meanwhile the people who used to support the church are leaving in droves! Finding churches that preach the Gospel, feed the soul and are teaching people about salvation.

The church that make it attractive those who are "seekers" has limited its effectiveness. By catering to those who are non-believers or weak Christians, the church has neglected the growth of those who could be productive and they are driving away the very people that make a church healthy and strong.

Those who are spiritually mature have no choice but to leave as they see the churches spiritual standards being lowered by bringing the "world" into the church to attract more people. It doesn’t matter what their belief, just “get ‘em in the door” so we have a full house and it LOOKS good. We’ll tickle their itching ears! Show them a new movie, a couple skits, get 'em wet ( baptize 'em) and then tell them how wonderful they are does not save people.

Often stronger Christians are asked to leave if they are vocal on their disagreement of the direction of the church. Many still have not found churches for a lot of reasons, but they still witness and fellowship with other like-minded believers. Many search for a couple years trying to find a new church. having to bounce from church to church, wary of what they are hearing.

And some do not attend because of the way they were treated at a “seeker friendly” church. The “if you are not happy here, maybe you should find another church” attitude hurt them and they don’t want to get involved again very soon.

So how is all this affecting the churches that have accepted the new system? They have become looser, lenient in scripture and very superficial; the biblical depth to their teaching is short and shallow. They are left practicing a sliver of what church in the first century did.

And they are failing. I don’t think I have to tell you why. It’s obvious



IF...A MIGHTY BIG WORD

IF (01/06/11)


IF you forgive you will be forgiven.

Mat 6:14 For IF you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But IF you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Sometimes a person doesn’t want to forgive someone because they don’t want to change their attitude; sometimes pride holds them back, or maybe if they don’t forgive someone, it gives them a sense of power over them. But it also shows that they may know all about Jesus, but they have never given their lives to Him.

Now let’s take a look at what we are told in Matthew 18:21-22: Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

Peter thought he was being really being forgiving; he thought he was doing what the Lord wanted Him to do, but he was wrong.

22. Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

For those whose math is not their strong subject…that’s 490 times! PER PERSON!!

In other words, the time should never come when we are unwilling to forgive someone, no matter what they have done…no matter how many times they sin against us.

Here’s another IF:

IF you continue in the Word then you are a disciple of Christ.

John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “IF you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So what does that mean? First we need to define truth.

The dictionary says: it is conformity with fact or reality: a verified or indisputable fact, the truth of a statement.

So how can the truth set you free? By you showing the way out of bondage.

Satan creates sin with his lies. Sin creates bondage. And all of these things lead to deception, which ultimately leads to our spiritual deaths.

Anything that is outside of Jesus is outside of the truth - in other words, it's a lie. So if you know the Truth, which is…you receive salvation thru faith in Jesus Christ, the truth will set you from the bondage of Satan and sin.

2 Timothy 4: 3-4 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Turning away from the truth is important because:

IF you don’t abide in Christ you will be cast forth as a branch.

Say What?

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches, IF you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 IF you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 IF you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

EXPOUND A LITTLE

There are many more IF’S that I could tell you about, but at another time.


Now let’s add another word…WHAT IF…


WHAT IF you ask God for wisdom - and get it?

WHAT IF you take a look at your lifestyle and get rid of the sin and the devils lies?

WHAT IF you hear or read God's word...and accept it as truth?

WHAT IF you submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and let your faith in Jesus clean up your life and your heart?

WHAT IF your prayers are powerful and effective?

WHAT IF today you repented of your sins, accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and you would save yourself from spiritual death and save your soul from being cast into the lake of fire?

I know that IF you haven’t…there ain’t no IF about your final destination.

Close in prayer:

SIN, SINNERS & SINNING, what's what?

SIN (1/13/11)

Last Sunday the Captain talked about things worse than going to hell and better than going to heaven. I agree with him, to a point.

Which brings us to the subject of my talk with all of you today. SIN

SIN, sinner and sinning are three different things. How many know what sin is? Sin is anything that is opposed to God.

Sin is in the world and no one can avoid it. We are BORN IN SIN thru the fall of Adam and Eve. It is a very powerful force that is doing it’s best to take us all over.

I know I am talking like SIN is a person, something to be seen or heard. And that’s exactly what it is!

Satan is in control of this world and will be until the second coming of Christ! His time is running out and he is using everything he can to send every soul that ever lived and ever WILL LIVE to HELL! That is his ONLY objective and he will use any means to get YOU there! Satan IS SIN!

Satan means "adversary." Satan is the enemy of God. He wants to destroy everything God has created. Especially US!!

He is called "the devil" (James 4:7), 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

He is referred to as the “evil one” 1 John 5:18-19, We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the EVIL ONE cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the EVIL ONE. "the prince of this world"

And Satan is also referred to as "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Satan brought evil into the world.

I want you to understand the POWER of SIN. So how do we get away from it? WE can’t!!



And here is where I want to make something clear that the Captain said. Those who are going to Hell are happy to take as many as they can! Because SIN follows SIN! And SIN leads to ETERNAL DEATH!! Satan is very POWERFUL! So it’s not the worse thing for them that are perishing, but the BEST thing for SATAN!



Now I will try to explain sinner. A sinner is a person who has not a follower of Christ. Not a child of God. They have not been FORGIVEN of their sins BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST and GODS GRACE.

A sinner is someone who is still a slave to Satan. CONDEMENED to ETERNITY IN HELL!



We all have seen or heard John 3:16, but let’s read further. 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

So now we know HOW to get away from our sinful nature that we are all born into. Repent of our sins, put our faith in the Risen Christ and we will be under Gods grace.

I’ve told you about sin, sinners and now I will tell you about sinning. We see so many Christians, believers, followers of Christ still SINNING! One of the greatest apostles struggled with this. (Expound)



Romans 7 :18 Paul says For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.



This is difficult to get a hold on. When we put our faith in Christ, all our sins, past AND future have been forgiven. But SIN is still WITH us. Sin attacks our MINDS and BODIES, but Sin cannot touch our SOULS.

I know it sounds like a contradiction, Satan controls the world and sin is in the world, so how can we not sin?

Let’s go to 2 Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

We will still sin, but because Christ died for our sins…we are no longer SINNERS! Will we still sin, YES. Will we be CONDEMENED? NO!

Romans 7 24: Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!



And here is where I agree with the Captain. We who are destined for heaven rejoice when we can lead someone to our Lord and fill the bus bound for Heaven.

Now you know about Sin, sinners and sinning. Now you know what’s what. It's up to you to make a decision about where you will spend eternity.

Close with Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Sorry, ya gotta do better than that to get me to change my mind...

I have a friend that insists that I attend a Church, actually I have quite a few friends that say I should come back to my former church or at least attend another church.
Most of them mis-quote Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching". 

But I get the idea that I am SUPPOSED to be in a building with other people every Sunday!

BALONEY



I just got an email from a Christian friend who just sent me the above mentioned scripture.
No how are ya? No nothing...just this scripture.


And here is my reply:


I DON'T THINK YOU WILL READ MY REPLY, BUT HERE IT IS ANYWAY.


Ok...I just had this discussion today. First you have to realize WHO was speaking and to what group of people he was refering.


He was talking to NEW christians and others interested in the Good News about meeting together to talk about Jesus. There were no churches and they met at HOUSES. They shared a meal and EACH person could speak and give his or her thoughts.


In the "church" of Corinth there were only 150-200 Christians and if they stopped meeting it could cause problems spreading the good news. Paul wrote a chastizing letter to the christians in Corinth and they realized they were wrong and repented by correcting the problem in the group.


We seem to forget that WE, as Christians are the Church now. Church is not a building WHERE we meet. Church is the christians WHO meet! And if you want scripture, try this...Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. KJV


He does not say to meet every Sunday, or Tuesday or any day. He simply states that we should meet and encourage one another.


Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


And how can we encourage one another when we don't even know 3/4 of the people in some churches? Man has made clergy and laity two separate units. One person who went to school tells us what he learned. There is no discussion amongst the congregation, we have to just shut up and listen.


And if we disagree with the "church" policies, well, we had just better look for another "church" to attend. And you know that is true. "Churches" disagree on policies, doctrines, beliefs and a jillion other things, but they all agree on one thing...thithing, which is not in the New Testament.


It is important to remember that every believer in Jesus Christ is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God. Every true believer is God's "building."
While unity of the Holy Spirit in the local church is to be desired, but seldom achieved and while Christ's Church (the organism) is not a visible building, we have achieved that unity in the Holy Spirit..


There is an unseen church, comprised of Christ's followers, who remain true to the teachings of Christ and to the leading of His Holy Spirit. The unseen or invisible church lives in the Grace of God, just as the early church did, despite the physical location of its members.


Christ's Church is not a building with programs. Christ's church is comprised of those who have a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. We may not have been a witness to the miraculous signs and wonders, or other powers of God that were apparent in the early church, but Christ's church remains alive and well. IN US!!!


Not some building that demands tithes, special offerings for the new building, And let's not forget the paychecks for all the "staff". Did you know that over 80% of the collection goes to staff paychecks, building maintaince, taxes, utilities, office supplies "the new building fund" etc..Not much left for ministry is there? But I digress.


The early "church" was made up of people who got together and helped each other and stayed in the word and spread the word. Which is EXACTLY what I am doing.


And I don't need a building to do it in.


Blessings
Keith

Who’s running your thought factory?

Our thoughts are what makes our daily life what it is. If I start every day with doubt, no motivation, and discouragement, that is precisely the kind of day I’ll have.

If I adjust my mind to thoughts filled with promise, encouragement, and hope, I can pretty much count on that kind of day. The point is… you and I become what we think about.

Our mind is a "thought factory" with hundreds of thousands of thoughts each day. Your “thought factory” has two "Bosses". One we’ll call Mr. Yeshua, the other Mr. DeCeefer.

Mr. Yeshua specializes in giving you reasons to face life with a positive attitude, he helps you handle what comes your way, he tells you that you're more than able to face things with strength and courage. "That no matter what comes along in life, he will be with you".

Mr. DeCeefer is an expert in the opposite direction. He whispers reasons why you cannot succeed, he makes you think in the negative sense, he convinces you that you may as well accept that you will always be a failure and everything in life is stacked against you. That you just can't win no matter what! And he is expecting you to believe him.

When you start to work on having positive thoughts, Mr. Yeshua will make sure that one encouraging thought after another fills your thought factory. But Mr. DeCeefer is always hiding out in the shadows...just waiting for something negative to enter your thought factory. And when it enters, he immediately starts with the discouraging, destructive whispering that will have you believing demoralizing and life wrecking ideas about yourself. Like "You only have bad luck" and "the world is against you".

You must understand one important thing. All our thoughts, whether positive or negative, grow stronger each time we think them. That's why some people stay in that negative, depressive mood . . . and why some people always seem to be in a positive good mood. Their thoughts are always the same.

If every day you put some water in the gas tank of your car, the engine will start running rough and sooner or later it will just stop running altogether. Dead on the side of the road... in the world. And Mr. DeCeefer will be waiting with open arms.

But if you put only gas in the tank, your car runs smoothly and gets you where you want to go. And Mr Yeshua will be waiting with open arms to take you all the way home.

By now, I'm sure you have probably figured out that Mr Yeshua is Jesus Christ and Mr DeCeefer is Satan. I thought it may make this more readable to some people and less of a "sermon".

We must remember above all that our thought factory has two "bosses". But one "boss" has a super great foreman... and his name is the Holy Spirit. So if Mr DeCeefer is the boss of your thought factory, may I suggest you quit working for him and go to work in Mr Yeshua's thought factory.

You'll be amazed at how smoothly your “factory" will begin to operate under your new leadership.

Opposition. We must overcome it!

Paul and Barnabas were doing just fine in Iconium. Some liked what they heard and others not so much. Some of the Jews who weren't convinced started bad-mouthing them and then started a plot with some gentiles to stone them.

But Paul and Barnabas heard about it, got out of Dodge and split to Lystra and Derbe where they continued to preach the Good News. What a difference! Then Paul healed a cripple and it really freaked out the local yokels and they started calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes because Paul was the one doing most of the talking. Well P & B put a stop to that! Acts 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15"Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them...18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Then along comes Bubba and his buddies from Iconium and starts trouble in Lystra and Paul ends up getting stoned tossed to curb and left for dead. You're gonna have to read your bible to find out what happens after that. Acts 14

But the point is, if you are really intent on following Jesus command to spread the Good News, the odds are pretty good that things will get tough for you. But don't give up. God will use those tough times toward His purpose. The way people hear the Word and come to faith is dependant upon you spreading the message in the face of opposition.

It sounds strange that opposition can strengthen your conviction to spread the Good News until you remember who you are talking about. I'm not saying you will be stoned or boiled in oil because you spread the good news or that you'll face the kind of opposition Paul and Barnabas faced. At least not in America!!

Just look around you and see what is going on concerning anything regarding Christianity nowadays. There are many, many people, groups and organizations who want to shut us up and keep us from spreading the TRUTH.

Even some of our churches in a lesser degree.

Some of today's churches lure non-believers to them with promises of not being " too churchy", with contemporary music and a "feel good" message that does not convict them by showing them their sin and making them uncomfortable in their sin.

These type of "seeker friendly" churches see people come and go and most of those leaving are still looking around to fill that God sized hole in their lives.

They tell them Jesus loves them and they should repent and be baptized... but they fail to tell them WHY!! Or what happens to them if they don't! Or that they are going to hell if they aren't born again. Soft sell makes soft Christians, I believe.

These type of churches intentions are good and they do draw a crowd. But they lose as many people as they bring in. So in a way, their style is the "opposing forces" because of their failure to give them the WHOLE Good News. By not telling the down side of not accepting Jesus as your savior. By not explaining to them about eternity without God. By not telling them about their sinful ways. By not deeply convicting people.

They bring 'em in, save 'em, baptize 'em and lose' em. There are too many "converts" to be able to "follow up on" and keep track of, I guess. Whatever the reason, the "converts" ain't stickin' around for long. And that's an "opposing force" to some believers.

Those churches should be considered as well stocked lakes for "fishers of men" and should not be looked at as"opposing forces" but as "easy pickin's" for reaching out to new believers and unbelievers. They are full of chances to bring unbelievers and new believers to a closer relationship with God. Let the church draw the crowds for us and then we convince them, encourage them in their walk and do our best to make mature Christians out of them.

We must organize groups to build them up and teach them to be "fishers of men" so the spreading of the Good News continues on.

Paul told the Good News to the people who were about to stone him and God had it written for us so Paul's story could be read by all and lead us to Jesus and to discipleship.

The least we can do is carry on with what Paul started. Opposition in any form can never and will never silence the Good News of Jesus Christ. God's word changes hearts!

The Gathering and what it does...

"Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." Acts 2:46-47

The verses above give us a look of one way that people came to the faith in Acts – they saw the church being the church, they liked what they saw, they wanted what they saw, and they came to faith.

Seeing the church in action is what leads people to salvation. It;s not about the church opening a soup kitchen, although the hungry people we feed certainly appreciate the meal. And it's not about collecting donations of gently used business clothes to give to women and men preparing for job interview…but it sure helps them on the interview.

This is about Christian people showing the love of God and what He wants us to do – it's about giving, serving, sharing, praying for and encouraging one another and the world around us. It's about letting Christ shine through us for everyone to see.

It doesn't matter who you are, there is something irresistible about a place where everyone is welcome, a place that where you come from doesn't matter, where rich people shake hands with, hug and laugh and smile with poor people, where every old person is treated like your grandparents by younger people – there is something irresistible about it when the church is just being the church. And people want to be part of it.

Why? Because we are all children of God with a God-sized hole in our lives and only God can fill it. And that's what people are looking for when they come to church. That's the reason they're here! To fill that hole. They just don't know it.

How do we get them to join the team? By whatever we do in our our daily lives and our lives together in church. That by showing them love, fellowship and our faith it gives us way of witnessing to people who are looking for what we have. Everything we do to make our church life more inviting by letting God's love shine through us, makes a difference.

And it's not about entertaining the unbeliever with various activities the church has to offer. It's us showing the unbeliever or new believer what Christ has done for us and what He can do for them. THAT is the attraction that fills the God sized hole in their lives. It's not the music, not the activities, not the soup kitchen, not the super elastic bubble plastic and all that razzle-dazzle. It's God's word that will lead them to salvation and He's using us to show them the way.


The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892 Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats.

We have to get past our petty little squabbles over nothing that matters, the little resentments we feel toward others and the looking for the faults the church or that people may have. All of that is so meaningless and all of that blocks God’s love from filling us and that prevents others from seeing Jesus in us... which prevents us from being able to plant the seeds in the unbelievers hearts.

Lets Pray. Father I ask that I may make positive changes in my personal life and church life so that I may plant the seeds of the Spirit in others not yet convinced of your Glory. Use us as we gather in church and in our daily lives so that others may see the wonderful light of your love shining through us and want to be part of your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen