My observations from True Vine in the park
Our every other week gathering of the True Vine family (we meet weekly in homes and other venues) was held last Saturday at Quiver River State Park, the same place that God gave birth to the True Vine family. It was awesome.
Two disciples, the two that took us to the fourth generation were baptized by those two dear people (Steve and Judy) who discipled them. Imagine the joy of Tim and Kate and their disciplers Steve and Judy baptized them.
Around 50 people gathered for the gathering. I call it a gathering because we gather to go into the world as we are the Church into the world everyday in the lives of those God brings to us. We don't go to church to gather because we are the Church in the world. We do not "go to gather" "we gather to go" into the world. AWESOME HUH?
Aside from being blessed to see discipleship work the way Jesus calls all of us to, I was struck by what God did in Brian's life. Brian came to us with His dear family through a God ordained path. Had not God connected us, they would not be with us. An incredible miracle in and of itself. Brian came to True Vine with his wife and children as God connected us together.
Brian was held at bay by Satan. His voice was tied up with fear so much so that in a group of three or four he would remain silent with sweating, fear, and trembling. But something happened, he was healed. I mean it when I say Brian was healed. Before he could not speak even in a small group of two, just months ago, he froze, he fled, he was defeated. But God healed him, a story I cannot begin to tell in this post. But a story worth telling. Brian and Lori are God appointed servants and God has something great for them.
Brian was healed and at this baptism he shared the gospel (for about 20 minutes) without fear in a way all could understand, it was anointed. He spoke as one who has done it for years. I know few pastors who could have done what He did last Saturday. A miracle!
In this disciples making disciples movement here in St. Louis miracles are commonplace. We see them and we recognize them as God at work. What was for me in 24 years as senior pastorate as something rare, I see monthly or weekly and even daily.
The God of Africa and Asia and China is our God and what happens over there is happening here. I wish all could see it for themselves.
This I know! When we make the making of disciples the supreme focus and main thing, we see miracles of transformation every time. May God help us to stay on His mission without the clutter and distractions of the American church. Let's do what Jesus commands of us and the rest will always follow.
I pray you will hunger and thirst for what I describe here.
posted by Bob Carder @ 11:22 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Bob... why can this not be done in
today churches? It happened in my childhood church. I believe it is not the church per say, it is the head pastor and the people setting in the pews. We do not have spiritually what it takes to see and get these things done. Is it because the HEAD person or persons will not allow this to happen today?
Not the church but the head pastor and the people in the pews??????
It can be done if the Church, you-me-the leadership-and every other believer would get off our cans and start obeying the supreme command Jesus gave us before He ascended following His resurrection. The command, "Go and make disciples..."
That's for all of us! And we will all answer God on why if we don't.
It is good to make disciple, but you can not just make disciples and let it be at that. He also commands "feed my sheep". That is where the church of today must step up. I agree we must make disciples and appreciate your work in this area.
John, John, John, you have it backwards. The church in America and around the world already spends 90% of their time in the feeding frenzy. We have more spiritual buffets to choose from and we have already become spiritual porkers. We are a bunch of spiritually fat people sittin on a couch or pew waiting for more carbs.
Apparently you do not understand what it means to make disciples who make disciples. I'm sorry if that has not been clear to you and others. As we are used by God to bring people to Christ we immediately walk with that new Christ follower and Feed them by teaching them to obey all things. We have so much to feed them and as we feed them or teach them to obey, the new Christ follower begins obeying. The first act of obedience is baptism. We hold to the supremacy of the Great Commission. Out of the fulfillment of the Great Commission all other commands flow out of that in the teaching to obey part.
In our disciples making disciples movement, disciplers meet with their disciples weekly and even more because whenever the new Christ follower needs us we go, the disciple is always our priority.
We always give it up for the disciple in the process.
We also meet as a total body every other week for worship, praise, communion, sharing, teaching etc.
All of our community meets in small groups for accountability and study during the week in homes and offices, parks and restaurants etc.
But in all of this -making disciples is the main thing. We are disciples making disciples by living in the world in such a way so that the world can see Jesus through us and so that through us Jesus can redeem them.
Sounds simple because we do not need church buildings, large budgets, more programs and more butts in pews. Just think what we can do with our tithes and offerings. I don't even have to spend my entire week in meetings and planning for the next Sunday gig.
What I am doing is freeing, just to be able to do what Jesus did and what He demands of us always flows out of the supremacy of the Great Commission.
Feed my Sheep is a lame excuse for not fulfilling the Great Commission. I grow weary of feeding those to their full and then watching them do nothing or very little with it. We have believers who consider knowing more important than being and obeying so that others may believe and obey.
Flip it over and make discipleship the main thing and the feeding will follow because it has too.
The average believer is already educated & fed way above their level of obedience.
Making disciples who make disciples never stop feeding the sheep to obey all things Jesus commands of us.
Focus on feeding my sheep and you'll just have fat sheep. Focus on the Great Commission and you will have more and more fat sheep who have more baby sheep (lambs). Disicple making sheep are always gaining to have more spiritual babies. Which would you prefer, FAT and FATTER SHEEP or Healthy Sheep making more sheep who make more sheep who make more sheep.
The dead sea is dead because fresh water flows into it but never out of it. Sounds like only feeding sheep has led to lifeless believers. There's more to living for Christ than the feeding frenzy at the best and better spiritual buffet.
You stirred my passion on this one.
I wish we would could just hide laxatives in the spiritual buffet and then at least the sheep would have to do something besides sit their and demand more rights.
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