Church protected Mission ignored! Part-8

 Boasting on experiences than Christ’s mission!

 2 Corinthians 12: 2-7 “I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago…”

Experiences can be misleading when it is preached and forced upon to be a doctrine. Today, in Christendom there are innumerable expressions and each denomination cling on to one which best suits them and make it a mandatory requirement to be part of the Church. It becomes an identity for the Church.  We Christians and Churches are gravely divided over our personal spiritual experiences and vision. Ecumenism is a superficiality in Christendom. Just coming together once in a while and talking about unity is not what Jesus emphasised.

Christians are supposed to be united in the mission; God entrusted us with it. There is one mission given to all and i.e., to go and make disciples. Why are we so choosy over doctrines and mar Christian faith before the world and create an offense which prevents them to stay away from Christ the Savior? I understand that there are many doctrines and cults that prohibit giving glory to God and don’t acknowledge Jesus as only way and the Savior of the world. I am not referring to them.  But dividing over experiences, liturgies, worship & expression of the Holy Spirit are creating a void from the actual mission Christ gave to the Church.

There can be various expressions of happiness, for example, one may jump with joy, another may just be excited without any physical movements. Let me quote few examples, King David was leaping and dancing with joy before the ark of the covenant. It was an expression of extreme happiness and gratitude before God (2 Samuel 6:14,16). Does it mean this experience is the copyright of true worship and that it should pertain to a particular Church denomination? Not at all! Expressions are not a theology.  The Bible says, King David was wearing an ephod made of fine linen consisting of two pieces covering both back and front (Exodus 28:6-8, 31-32) And there are some serious comments referring him to be almost naked. Are we then ready to follow even that? Another example I wish to state about King Saul, which is recorded in 1 Samuel 19:23-24. It says, “So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The spirit of God also came on him and as he walked along, he prophesized until he entered Naioth in Ramah. Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesised before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked all the day and all that night. That is why they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets?” How do you translate this? Now, can this expression be a standard for prophesying? Stop confusing expressions and experiences to the Biblical mandate entrusted to us.

Today, Churches are fighting over so many doctrines. One major thing is over tongues and prophesying. Though Bible has given a clear parameters over the operation of spiritual gifts, yet there are many who are ambiguous and contradictory over this. How do you bring this all together? Let me take you to Paul’s revelations who at one instance narrates a little on his vision to third heaven. But most importantly want to refer a sentence that he emphasises. 2 Corinthians 12: 2-7 “I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the  body I don’t know God Knows . . . was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak. . . especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore , so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me. . .”.  The most important thing in this for me is when he says this happened fourteen years ago. If it was us today, we would immediately develop a new language, a new doctrine and a new theology with a Church denomination and a training school. For Paul that was a revelation and a personal experience, and he did not tamper with the main mission to spread the gospel.

Church, your mission is not your spiritual experiences and your personal vision, but rather being successful in mobilizing your Church to win souls for Christ. Enough of building frameworks and walls to secure your Church. Let Christ’s mandate, the mission be nurtured and released.

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Church protected Mission ignored! Part-7

 

image by amenic181

John 12:24 “… unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”.

I recollect my experience working on a social project for a tribe in India. The terrain was not conducive at all for farming due to the extreme unlevelled land. Moreover, this terrain received very less rainfall compared to any other places in the state. Hence, our organization granted funds for levelling the ground and introduced hybrid seeds for a high yield. This initiative brought life among the tribal people because the yield was unimaginably high and helped solve few perennial problems like family migration, school dropouts and other issues. As a sustainability plan, the concept of seed bank was adopted where the seeds were preserved for future sale and use.

I thought I will use this concept of seed bank and draw parallels to unfold the work of the mission through the Church. The seed bank is not a preservation storage cell where the seeds are supposed to remain there forever. There may be variety of seeds, which are preserved in the seed bank, but all seeds are there to be sowed in the field. Unless we just want to have it for a public display, I am sure it is never meant to remain that way.

Seed is life and seed belongs to the field. Every person who finds the Savior and becomes a disciple is a seed to be sowed. This however is downplayed in Christendom, more specifically by the Churches today. Churches preserve the seed in their bank and ensure their yield is converted to money and benefits the Church institution. Let me remind and quote of what Jesus said about the concept of sowing. In John 12:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”. If you know the context in which Jesus says, you will notice it was said in response when the gentiles expressed their desire to Philip by saying this, in Verse 21 “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”. If you want to see a desperate life wanting to see Jesus then you should be prepared to sow the seed in the field, there is no other alternative.

Paul says the same in 2 Corinthians 9:10, “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [h]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”.  Notice the words “seed to the sower”. Pastors and Missionaries, if the seeds are supplied to you, it is for a divine grandeur purpose connected with Christ’s mandate, the Great Commission. Do not over-preserve it to make it useless. Many members today are seeds who are and who will never be sown back. They will be taught to stay inside the box and be there faithful all their lives, like fishes in the aquarium. And then we hypocritically and superficially declare we need revival in our churches and in our cities. We Churches and Christians involve in all kinds of prayer, like, intercessory prayer, Esther’s prayer, Nehemiah’s prayer, etc. and plead for souls, but least bothered with the seeds God has already entrusted to us. Are you seeing the deception dear people? I am deeply concerned and mourning over the grave superficiality of Christians today. It is time we repent. We are happy over the Sunday celebrations because it gives us power, adds wealth, and adorns us with status. At the end of the day seeds are wasted away. The members come and go week after week as a ritual. Churches are happy with the numbers because their institutions are preserved. The fertile land is ready, but the seeds are withheld from sowing. Church, since you are the seed bank, preserve it but then soon find ways to sow it back. Preserve the Mission not your Church institution.

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Church protected Mission ignored! Part-6

 “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. ". Luke 10:2 CSB

This article will emphasize the position of Missions today. It states the understanding and misunderstanding of Churches regarding the mission of Christ. Mission is the most misunderstood term in today’s Christendom. Everyone is deriving their own definition to suit their existence. The definition of Mission eventually culminates to one broad field i.e., “Ministry” and it is classified as Church ministry, worship ministry, Music ministry, media ministry, etc. Quickly each ministry gradually is institutionalized and thrives for its own purpose.

Let me remind you the incidence of the Babylon Tower where people came together to build the tallest tower in the city for themselves that would be matchless, reaching the sky. The need to exhibit ultimate power is seen through this incident. We all know how the Lord disrupted the whole thing and brought it to an end. I want to call this the Babel Tower Syndrome. Even today Pastors and leaders are running pillar to post to mobilize people for money so that they can establish their own kingdom and call it a Mission centre. Facility, property, resources, money are constantly shown as the biggest need for Missions. I do accept that these are necessities indeed and that we all wish to have enough resources to do many things pertaining to the Church’s mission. But these are not the actual reason due to which the Great Commission is ignored and has become redundant.

It looks like all have the same reason, the lack of funds to blame for the failed mission. When Jesus pointed out the biggest concern for unfilled mission, it was the lack of laborers (Luke 10:2) and not the lack of funds. It is we who have created and amplified the financial needs as a big problem. Churches and people become the means to achieve the financial target. Today, you see anywhere, Christian leaders and Churches are advertising their financial needs and mobilizing the funds at all costs. Paul comments in 2 Corinthians 2:17 “For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.”. It is unfortunate to see leaders are not hesitant to beg, borrow and steal to establish God’s kingdom. It is a hard observation, yet a stark reality.

If financial need happens to be the roadblock for your ministry to reach out to people, then technically God is to be blamed, not you.  When a mission is given, the resources need to be provided by the one who gave the mission. God cannot be wrong. He did not introduce a ‘Fund model’ for effective ministry but brought in the ‘Disciple model’. We all know it doesn’t always have to be financial stability to share the gospel. All want a mega program where the turnover of money is the goal. We think we should accelerate the gospel work and therefore, we need to accelerate financial mobilization for the same. God never thinks that financial need will pose as a threat to mission rather it is the disobedience to the call. What percentage of your believers are successful in reaching out and leading a new soul to Christ? Based on Jesus' 1-12-72 Model   is your Church excited and equipped enough to reach out to the non-Christians?

Mission is the cooperative act. The ones who are rich with resources have a greater responsibility, to join hands in mission work and spread of the gospel. The Gospel is holistic and therefore the mission approach should be holistic too.  Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 9:13 “.Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity  in sharing with them and with everyone.”.  It is required that people demonstrate their obedience to the gospel and with their resources to create a holistic impact. In verse 12 , Apostle Paul acknowledges the ministry of service, which is overflowing in many expressions to reach people with the gospel. Let Christ’s mission flow through each member in your congregation so that the Church is a movement to impact lives and transform communities.

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