| Sure, there are exceptions. But overall, The Church | | | | incomplete - not worth living - without that individual; |
| we're so familiar with - the attractional model - | | | | Jesus, in this case. |
| whereby we spend perhaps $2 Million on a building | | | | Sadly, too many Western Christians have embraced |
| that attracts maybe 200 people but rarely duplicates | | | | the status quo; settled for Church-As-Usual. We've |
| itself to 400, 800, etc. - from a marketing standpoint, will | | | | embraced religious routine over vibrant relationship with |
| only attract a portion of a community's population. | | | | the Creator of all things. We've strayed so far from |
| Frankly, statistically, we're getting dangerously close to | | | | anything that remotely resembles New Testament |
| running out of potential patrons. What is often referred | | | | Christianity and have started comparing ourselves with |
| to as "church growth" is most often little more than | | | | ourselves, thereby, lowering our standard immensely. |
| transfer growth. As fishers of men, it's easier to catch | | | | It's been said that we've become the #1 cause of |
| 'em than clean 'em. The flesh seems to always seek | | | | atheism because we aren't making anybody jealous |
| its own comfort. | | | | for what we've supposedly found in Jesus. We are |
| God wants us out of that comfort zone. I've heard it | | | | STILL a mighty army on bivouac, awaiting marching |
| said, "God and Satan have one thing in common: | | | | orders that have already come: "Go yo into all the |
| they're BOTH trying to kill us." It's true, the only good | | | | world and MAKE DISCIPLES." |
| Christian is the dead Christian; "dead to sin, alive to God | | | | How's that coming? |
| through Jesus Christ." | | | | Healing, casting out demons, all the manifested Gifts of |
| The Church is going to have to start acting like the | | | | the Holy Spirit...these things are only difficult when we |
| model Jesus exemplified for us and start GOING to | | | | think we have anything to do with making them |
| where the people spend all their time. It's been referred | | | | happen. No, all we must be is willing and obedient. |
| to as Kingdom mobilization. Too many of us are | | | | Sadly, too many of us are fearful...afraid of being |
| passive, unengaged spectators. We may immerse | | | | laughed at, ridiculed, scorned, rejected, disfellowshipped |
| ourselves into all kinds of good Christian stuff, but | | | | or fired. |
| we're not communing with God directly as individuals. | | | | "God hasn't given us a Spirit of Fear but of Power, |
| Are we praying to Him (two-way conversation we call | | | | Love and a Sound Mind." Jesus said He would never |
| "prayer")? Are we studying His Word (looking for | | | | leave or forsake you. Dive in! |
| revelation and inspiration, or merely parroting what we | | | | What was that about a Sound Mind? Yes, that's |
| hear from "professional" ministers)? Too often, we're | | | | where the battle begins and ends with most of us - |
| motivated by a subconscious "what's in it for me" | | | | our own Golgotha, the place of our skull where so |
| agenda. | | | | many thoughts that have formed us must simply die a |
| In general, our witnesses is pathetic and we have | | | | gruesome death. |
| become, more or less, irrelevant to society. So, we | | | | "Resist the devil and he WILL flee," but NOT until he |
| settle into the comfortable belief that anything spiritual | | | | see that we are serious about winning. |
| that must take place in people's lives will occur during | | | | Today, multitudes of Christians will encounter people |
| church services and only by those who are paid to do | | | | who are hurting, depressed, confused, betrayed, |
| all the church stuff. All they have to do is go to a | | | | scared and afraid. They'll stand inches from us, in need |
| church building just as they would drive-in to any | | | | of a helping hand, but most of us won't lift a finger to |
| fast-food restaurant if they were hungry, right? | | | | help them. |
| Wrong. We need to learn to hear from God directly | | | | Are you available? If not, Jesus is being ignored by our |
| and obey Him. After all, His sheep will know His voice. | | | | willingness to do nothing. Whatever we do to them, |
| I fear that one of the greatest problems we have in | | | | we've done it to Him, right? |
| The Church is that so many who call themselves | | | | If you are in need of encouragement, training, prayer, |
| Believers in Jesus are merely Acknowledgers of Him. | | | | Biblical counsel - or have run across someone who |
| Doesn't Scripture say that even demons believe, and | | | | DOES - I am available. In fact, our ministry, The Church |
| they tremble? | | | | @ Work (TCAW) is currently endorsing others across |
| We don't even do that! | | | | the nation who are making themselves available as |
| Can you tell when you've met a person who has had | | | | well. |
| an encounter with Christ? They're changed, just as | | | | Every blessing, |
| one would be changed who had just had an encounter | | | | Michael Tummillo |
| with a beer truck. Like any other relationship worth | | | | A servant of God |
| having, we must pursue the other person relentlessly, | | | | PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE NOW! |
| out of desperation, as though our life would simply be | | | | |