Bottom line: Are you engaging the Great Commission?
This blog continues to be about fulfilling the Great Commission (the MISSION) Jesus left us when he gave it following His resurrection, with the authority as God, with priority as God, and with the power of God..He meant for this to be taken seriously.
We do point out deficiencies that are hinder this fulfillment in the church (the location).
Are you engaging the Great Commission personally?
How so?
My only thought here is this: Will we draw zero comments on this post and what does that mean if it happens.
Here's that TONE again. Darn it!
posted by Bob Carder @ 10:56 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Yes
By gathering with people who are far from God every week and leading them into the scriptures, into relationship with God, and into relationship with one another.
By being conscientious of my attitudes, conversation, and work ethic in the work place for the sake of making room for the fruit of the spirit to be evident.
No, that's not the TONE.
Unless the tone today is smart aleck-y. :)
Yes, I am. By using my gifts to communicate His Story. By leading a small group that WILL get out and engage in hands-on service (we're just now beginning to form the group). By being present in the lives of my friends and family and others in my community.
I'm just taking my baby steps in that last part of this, but yeah, I'm there. One book I'm reading now is helping me see things in a way i never have before: "Evangelism Without Additives," by Jim Henderson.
Hey Mike,
That's a great book. You'll enjoy it.
I haven't forgotten about your request in a recent comment on my blog for me to "unpack" the issue of proximity in making disciples. It certainly can be a challenge for many of us who find ourselves inside the Christian bubble. I will unpack this soon in a future post. Stay tuned!
Great, great, great! Isn't this a great tone? Keep the light shining for those in darkness to find their way.
I've always been a smart alec...:)
Yes.
To both your question and your comments.
I was talking to someone at the Rocky Mountain Cafe a few months ago who was not a Christian, but was very much a seeker and someone whom I would say was in the beginning stages of having a relationship with Jesus. His reasoning for not being in Church was mainly that in his past upbringing Church equaled brutality and pain. He had seen so many people emotionally torn apart by Churches seeking to control behavior rather than helping people continually restore their lives to God's best. I was reading the story of Jesus eating at Simon's house, and the woman coming to wash his feet with her tears and perfume. I told him that all the Churches he had ever encounterd were probably more like Simon. Simon smelled the waste in the perfume, the money that could have been used for ignoble or even noble purposes. But Jesus smelled her brokenness, and let her pour it out on him. I told him that in my mind, and in my understanding of the scriptures, Jesus was all about allowing community and people to be imperfect, allowing there to be brokenness, and being ok with that because at the heart of true brokenness is repentance and restoration. In his mind, Church was not about this at all. But was in fact about people lying to themselves that they had it all together. I read the passage in Mark 2, where the 4 guys lower the guy paralyzed through the roof, and I just told him this: The paralyzed guy was only able to meet Jesus because his friends had faith for him, they brought him there because they loved him. Brokenness was at the heart of their bond. I told him that in the Church there has to be both, people laying on the mat, and people carrying the mat. This discussion ended up lasting over many meetings. I eventually asked him to come visit my small group, and he accepted. Over the course of about a month he met with us regularly and I met with him a few time each week. After many many talks about brokennes and restoration, he gave his life to Christ.
Beautiful, Gary. Just beautiful.
Ditto to Nike's comments. Gary.
Oh I love to see the church in Great Commission action without a program to get people to do it and with the Holy Spirit leading it.
Gary, I will be in touch soon.
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