Greetings,
Thank you for taking a few minutes to read my blog. The reason I'm starting it is to create a place to think about and discuss church structure. This topic may not be the most exciting to everyone, but it is to me.
In 1993, when I was eighteen, I had an experience that changed how I thought about church and God. I sold devotional books door to door in a summer program called Seattle Youth Challenge. That summer God became real. Even though I had known Him before, actively sharing my faith changed who I was and my picture of who God is.
I decided to go into full time ministry as a pastor, because I wanted to devote my life to sharing the Good News that our Creator loves us enough to provide healing for this disease of sin we all have.
I studied, got the degree, got the job. It was a good experience. I don't regret it. However, in the twelve years I was in paid ministry, much of the time I found myself taking care of the needs of those who were part of the church, who already knew Jesus, rather than devoting my life to sharing the Good News with those who don't have a saving relationship with Jesus..
As I read, and studied, and prayed, I began to realize the way we "do church" may affect how effective we are at reaching the lost and misguided.
So the reason for this blog. I'd like to hear your comments as we go along. My goal is to post once a week, but no promises.
Thankful to Him,
Lonnie
Too much of our energy is taken up with "navel-gazing," and not enough is spent on the commission. Of course it could be argued that Jesus expected a great deal of teaching to take place AFTER baptism, based on the chronology of Matthew 28:19-20. [19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.]
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. It is interesting that teaching comes after baptism in the Matthew 28 chronology. We will have to explore this issue more down the road.
ReplyDeleteKeep the good info coming...
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