Is it Time for a New Testament Church in America?
As we attempt to begin a multiplication revolution in St. Louis and Kansas City our goal is not to just plant churches. What? You heard me right! Our goal is to make disciples who make disciples who make other disciples. From what I see in Scripture if that happens those disciples will allow God to give birth to many more new churches. So when you hear me state that we are now trusting God for 15-20 churches in St. Louis and 15-20 churches in Kansas City in the next 6 years, what I mean is, I am praying for a harvest of people to come to Christ and lead others to Christ so God can give birth to many churches.
Please understand me here, Church Planting is not the main goal. Making disciples who make oher disciples is the main goal. If we make disciples who make disciples God will birth new churches. My job and your job as as believers is to make discipes who understand and take responsibility for making other disciples. It's God's job to build the Church, His Church, His way.
What would happen in America if going to Church wasn't the main goal and making disciples was? What would happen if every believer in America today began investing in someone who needed Jesus? What would happen if every week the goal was to spend time with someone in a one on one discipleship relationship so as to lead them to Jesus and teach them to lead others to Jesus? What would happen if everyday we prayed for God to give us a discipling opportunity? What if instead of just living for Sunday, we would redeem the time and seize the opportunity to be the church and make disciples who make disciples?
The work in Kansas City and St. Louis is going to be different. It will look very much like the New Testament Church because we are going to focus more on people than buildings and by-laws and structures. We will keep it simple and we will make disciples as the main priority. So I don't need a building right now, I just need for God to lead me to people who need Him. And, we need God to send us leaders who feel the same way. We need leaders who are more concerned about making disciples who make disciples than all the other stuff.
posted by Bob Carder @ 8:22 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Hi Bob!
Thanks for including me in your blog ring. I love what I read here. Reading your words here lets me know that I'm not crazy after all for having the thoughts I've been having about the changes needed in the way we carry out the mission of disciple-making in this time and place.
Many blessings to you!!
Bill
The Planter said:
What would happen in America if going to Church wasn't the main goal and making disciples was?
I answer: We'll never know.
Bob
It is a matter of paradigm change. The "Willow Creek--Saddle Back" paradigm of church planting dictates drawing a crowd. The New Testament paradigm is to resist the urge to draw a crowd as the sole end and instead focus time and resources on reaching the lost. Reaching the lost is not a matter of mass production (despite what the 80's and 90's church model tells us) but instead it is done person to person one at a time. I read an editorial in the KC Star the other day written in response to the current "Christian" political climate in our government. I think it illustrates well the churches mandate. The writer wrote that Christians are seeking to change laws because laws are easier to change than hearts and the church is failing in changing hearts. I thought as I read this how true and how sad that it takes a non-Christian to see what we, believers in Jesus Christ, should be addressing. Heart change is slow, at times frustrating, and belongs to God alone. We cannot plan for it, demand it or use any of the various prepackaged programs to make it happen. We are not in control and that makes us mad (and does not sell many books either :). I confess that I have done ministry this way for a long long time. God Bless as you seek a new way to change hearts one person at a time. Jim
Jim, you are right on the mark. It is not about building churches it is all about making disciples who make disciples who make disciples. What you are doing is what we need to be doing and will be doing. It is possible that a new kind of church will be birthed by God as we make disciples who make disciples. But it is only my job to make disciples. God builds His church His way. In fact, everytime a disciple is made the church is birthed. We are still the church. Amen?
I can "Amen" that! But who's teaching us how to be disciples who make disciples who make...well, you know!
I mean, many of us were raised not only in churches that didn't preach salvation (yes! It's true!), but in churches that wouldn't have Idea #1 about how to disciple.
Evangelization is someone else's job (the Southern Baptists', I think...) -- why else would the Bible say "some" are called to evangelize? (Eph. 4:11, I think...) "Some" necessarily implies that some are NOT called, or else it would be "all," right?
Mike, Some are especially gifted to reach lost people but all are called to do it. I know that is true because I believe in the supremacy of the Great Commission. It is a mandate that God issued to each and every on of us.
How can we disciple? By prayin gfor the Holy Spirit to lead us to someone who needs Jesus. Then lead them in the truth, whatever God leads you to share wherever they are in their understanding of Jesus.
Disicpleship is not a program it is a way of life where we just pout our lives into the lives of others. There is no right or wrong way. We just ley God lead us to the people and then us to share what is needed. After a month or 6 months of sharing you will be amazed at how you and your disciple will have grown.
If you don't believe me -try it out for yourself. As for me, I'm praying everyday that God will give me someone to disciple.
He has! He's answered your prayers! Here I am!
OK, but I want a program. 10 Steps to Making Disciples. Disciple Making For Dummies. 40 Days of Disciple Making.
Oh, wait...that's the wrong approach! I AM learning ... lol!
Oh, and I knew you would say that about my Eph. reference. Just yanking your chain...
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