Church Protected Missions ignored! Part-5

 

Mark 1:17, “Follow me” Jesus told them, I will make you become fishers of men”.

In my last blog the edicts of Jesus, the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and the Great Compassion was explained. In case you have missed to read the same you may click HERE. Let me unfold what it means to be a disciple of Christ. When Jesus started His ministry preaching repentance and the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17), He starts connecting with people. The book of Mark records when He met Simon and Andrew. He asked them to follow Him. It says in Mark 1:17, “Follow me” Jesus told them, I will make you become fishers of men”. The commission comes with a responsibility.

The word "disciples" was used to describe believers over 250 times in the Gospels and in Acts. The word Christian is only used 3 times. If these two terminologies - Christian and disciple, exists in the Bible, then probably we need to seriously find out what exactly each means. The word Christian first time appears in Acts 11:26 where it records “the disciples where first called Christians at Antioch”. It was not the other way round. You don’t become a Christian because you are born in a Christian family nor because you go to Church. Maybe Church attendance makes you a Christian, or baptism, or confirmation, or having someone lay hands on your head and speaking in tongues.  However, the Bible does not define that term or establish it as the goal to become a Christian. Everyone seems to be fighting for their type of Christian to be recognized as the true Christian, even if it totally irrelevant!

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Christian this way, “Christian’s are one’s who professes belief the teaching of Jesus Christ.”. After their training the apostles were commanded by Jesus to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19b). Though Christian is first found in Acts 11:26, the word disciple is found much earlier and more frequently in Acts. So, we can safely assume that the word "Christian" was built on the foundation of the word "disciple." Not vice versa. Without a discipleship, those believers would likely never have been called Christians. Today, all true disciples are Christians. But not all Christians are true disciples. Jesus has given the Church a Great Commission. He has clearly told us what we are to do: "Go and make disciples" But, instead we focus on making Christians. The word Christian has no biblical meaning apart from the word disciple. If today's Christianity is based on a foundation other than true biblical discipleship, it is not biblical Christianity.

One Feisty Scottish Pastors says; “The savior is not looking for men and women who will give their spare evenings to Him-or their weekends or their years of retirement. Rather He seeks those who will give Him first place in their lives. –Too often we look on Christianity as an escape of hell and guarantee of heaven. Beyond that we feel that we have every right to enjoy the best that this life has to offer. We know that there are those strong verses on discipleship in the Bible but we have difficulty reconciling them with our ideas of what Christianity should be.”.

Ensure disciples are increasing as recorded in Acts 6:1 “Now in those days when the disciples were increasing in number…”. When disciples increase in number there is revival, growth and impact. But if the members who think they are Christians increase in number probably your offerings may increase but the mission would still be stagnated.

 

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Church protected Mission ignored! Part-4

 

“Go and make disciples..” Matt 28:18-20

 

My last blog was addressing Jesus’ 1-12-72 model which was taken from Luke 8:1, 9:1; Luke 10:1. You may check the same HERE in case you have missed to read the same. The mission is all about sending and reaching out the unreached. If all our activities fail to connect with the Great Commission, then the purpose of our existence and our Church existence is a gross waste. And that can also mean we have created our own purpose for our personal existence and security. Church is the combination of coming together to worship, be nurtured and to go out to the sinners with the gospel which is the outcome of coming together as body of Christ.

The mandate of Christ is that we carefully connect everything to the same. I want to call it as the edicts of Jesus. They are the 1. Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) which is the command to go and make disciples. Along with it comes the supplementary commandment which we find in Acts 1:8, to be witnesses for Him in every place. The Great Commission is not a choice or for selected few, but for every individual who is the follower of Christ. And then we have 2. The Great Commandment (Mark 12:30-31) i.e., to Love God and to love our neighbors. Jesus clarified what it means to love our neighbor in (See Luke 10:29-37). He quotes the example of the ‘good Samaritan’.  Loving our neighbor is reaching out to people in need without expecting things in return. Even this is connected to the gospel. Basically, demonstrating the gospel of love in action. And the third one is 3. The Great Compassion (Matthew 25:31-46) where, in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus emphasises the dire need to reach out to the vulnerable. You cannot just obey the Great Commission and downplay the Great Commandment because it costs your money and your time.

Krish Dhanam puts it beautifully, “If you practice Great Commission and share about Christ you are an irritant, and if you practice Great Commandment and talk about the love of Christ you are interesting, but if you do both Great Commission and Great Commandment together you are irresistible.”. Church, is all your activities and programs interwoven with Christ’s mission mandate? What percentage of offerings and resources of your Church are used for mission compared to other activities and programs? What is the Church working towards tirelessly? How mobile is your Church? Has it become stagnant for long that it is slowly becoming a monumental piece? These are some serious questions to ponder upon. Never forget this, the Church isn’t a building to be maintained, it’s people to be mobilized.

The mission is to make disciples of Jesus. Don’t settle for just well-behaved pagans or self-righteous Pharisees. The disciples are the ones who are irresistible. They cannot just be a member of the Church Community and have goals and wishes to grow in the Lord all their life yet never once shared the gospel to their Non-Christian friends.  Leonard Ravenhill has a serious allegation against the people who know God but not His mission. He states this, “Most of our people don’t know God! They know religion. They know formality. They know ritual. They know how to clap and sing.  But really knowing God-hearing his voice, submitting to his voice, submitting to his commandments- is something entirely different.”.

Church there is a huge difference between a Christian and a disciple. The regular attendees of your Church who pay the tithes and offerings, enjoying worshipping together and occasionally takes part in your Church programs yet fails to be a missionary the rest of the week besides Sunday is more a Christian with a brand. Disciples are entirely different. However today, to be a disciple they are required to go through a course on Discipleship to become informed disciples. We will be seeing the actual meaning of Disciples and the work connected with it in the next chapter.

 

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Church Protected, Mission Ignored! Part-3

 “…As the father has sent me, I also send you.”. John 20:21.

 This topic is becoming more and more a favourite of mine, as I keep writing about it. We all believe Church is the only hope for the dying world, and that means the responsibility of the Church is greater than the regular meetings and activities of the Church. Jesus’ mission mandate should need complete attention all the time. Stay with me as I take you through. We are all aware of the goal of Christ coming to this earth which says, He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), and to reconcile us to the Father (Colossians 1:19-20). And that means every individual should be given an opportunity to know Jesus is the only true God through whom they find forgiveness of God and find eternal life (John 17:3).

In the same book of John chapter 17, Jesus acknowledges the obedience to the mission His Father entrusted to Him. In verse 18 of John 17, the prayer says, “ As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”.  Jesus had already obeyed the mission for which He came to die on the cross of Calvary and provide salvation to the entire mankind (Philippians 2:8). And then after His resurrection when He meets the disciples in the closed door reemphasizes the mission of sending them to the dying souls. He says, in John 20:21 “…As the father has sent me, I also send you.”. And that is the mission given to the Church and to every individual. The verb poreuomai (“going”) occurs 154 times in the New Testament and conveys the meaning of traveling or journeying — both literally and figuratively (to die, to take a journey into the other world). And finally, Jesus leaves us all with a Great Commission. Mind, it is a commission, an order to the Church and to the disciples of Jesus which says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

‘Going’, is a serious Church business, which is the mission mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this context, I want to share with you Jesus’ 1-12-72 model. In Luke 8:1 it says, ‘Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him.’. Jesus went Himself to the city, villages and towns. And in Luke 9:1-2, Jesus sends His disciples whom he appointed for that purpose i.e., to train them and to send them. It says, ‘Summoning the Twelve, he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. ² Then he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.’. Jesus did not end there. He further appointed seventy-two and sent them for the same purpose.  Luke 10:1, “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go.”.

As we are seeing the Church a powerful force to carry out the Mission, it is important to understand the summary of what a Church is.

1.  The Church is primarily the Local rather than the Universal body of believers.

2.  The Church is a Way of Life, not a Weekly event filled with activities.

3. The Church is an Organism, not an Organization.

4. The Church is a Community, not an Institution.

5.   The Church is the Living Stones, not the Buildings.

6. The Church makes Disciples not Programs.

7.     The Church is the Hope for the World, not Focused on itself.

Church can you confidently claim that this ‘1-12-72’ model which I shared is replicated, where the “1” means that you are personally involved in the sharing of the gospel, and the “12” means your leadership team is also committed to the going and sharing the gospel and finally the “72”, that can represent your congregation is also active in carrying the gospel in their sphere of influence. Think on this line. If the mission is protected, the Church will be protected. I am not sure if the same will apply to the building. If your mission is intact with the gospel, your Church will be an unstoppable force.

  To be continued.

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Church Protected, Mission Ignored! Part-2

 

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” Matt 16:18

In the English Bible, the word that we read as “church” is generally a translation of the Greek word ecclesia. In pre-New Testament usage, ecclesia referred to a call or summons for the army to assemble. Later in its development, the word was used to denote popular or general assembly for a civic purpose, or a socio-political gathering, specifically in Athens. Therefore, this word is used carefully not only to just come together but also for a serious business. The word ecclesia occurs 114 times in the New Testament, obviously was not referring to a structure or to a building but referred to the people of the same community who belonged to God. N.T. Wright states, “The church is first and foremost a community, a collection of people who belong to one another because they belong to God.”.

Jesus presented the ecclesia as a dynamic kingdom “community,” an unstoppable spiritual force on earth, and an eschatological agent of transformation.  Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”. This concept of Church was new for the people of those times who were only used to a grandeur structure, the temple. Even though Jesus was with them, the Synagogues were happening, and people were busy in their worship service observing the regular rituals. What on earth the Temple or which is also called as the prayer house was busy worshipping? When people were rejecting Jesus the Messiah and yet busy with the temple rituals and worship, then who were they worshipping and praying to actually? 

Jesus redefined the temple with a concept of Church connecting with the Mission, but people even today want to observe and worship the activities and programs of the Church and most importantly the building and space of the Church as Church. What am I trying to convince you here?  I am certainly not discounting the Church space that is holding the people together, but I am raising a concern over the purpose of the existence of Church today and the connotation which is most often misinterpreted. Is the Church today really existing as an unstoppable spiritual force on earth, and an eschatological agent of transformation?

You need to check on this seriously to know what turned this new kingdom community from just a gathering into the dynamic, unstoppable community. These disciples, after Jesus’ death and resurrection were all confused and perturbed, locked themselves in a space, hiding from the Jews. Suddenly they were filled with amazement when they found Jesus inside the room (see John 20:19). After blessing them Jesus entrusted them again with the same mission that He gave to them while He appointed the twelve. He appointed them and sent them to preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1). Now again the same mission was reemphasized and entrusted to them.  “…As the father has sent me, I also send you.”. John 20:21. And they immediately, emerged into a courageous and powerful community — the Church. The power of the Holy Spirit began operating in and through the lives of every member of the ecclesia. The force has a commission to be carried out while they come together and worship together as Church. The going out becomes the outcome of coming in.

Luke made an extensive list of the changes that took place when the early followers of Jesus were empowered to become the church. Some examples include:

 The power of the Holy Spirit filled the new community with agape love, which in turn produced “courage.” The church became an uncompromisingly courageous community. (Acts 2:36; 4:13, 31)

• They developed a high sense of calling and determination. (Acts 5:29)
• Genuine love and deep care for each other were very visible in the way the individuals in the church committed themselves to engage in daily fellowship. (Acts 2:42; 46)
• They demonstrated extreme generosity. Their love informed their actions so that there were no needy people among them. (Acts 2:45; 4:34)
• The hearts and minds of the believers were united. (Acts 4:32)
• Their testimony was confirmed with miraculous signs and wonders. People looked at the church with great respect, awe, and amazement. (Acts 2:7, 43; 3:10; 5:11)
• From day one, the church was a dynamic growing community. (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 6:1,7)

To be continued.

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Church Protected, Mission Ignored! Part-1

 

“And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” Luke 23:45 ESV.

Any religious building today is considered as the sacred place. Religion is more often connected to the religious facility, irrespective of a religion. It is the same with Church buildings too. People turn violent if their religious structures are affected in any ways. The incidents of riots in history as a result of attacks on religious structure has cost so many lives, and we are all aware of such incidents. People are always willing to sacrifice themselves for their religious place and building because they believe it is the dwelling place of god. Usually, people are attached to the sentiments of a religion, rather than the actual essence of it.

Churches are no different. Today, with thousands and thousands of denominations all over the world, Christendom is fragmented and divided in many ways. Christians are holding on to the denominational and Church sentiments more than the mission God has entrusted to the Church and individuals.  People who are part of the Church are blissfully convinced that they are going to meet God. The members of the congregation today are willing to do anything for the church building and programs of the Church, but rarely demonstrate their obedience to Christ’s mission. Church mission is converted to activities and programs inside the four walls. Churches are called as sanctuary and the decorum of it is meant to portray and convince that God lives inside the Church building and therefore frequent visits can transform their life issues.

Let me state the significant observation the Bible records about the most noteworthy incident which happened when Jesus was on the cross of Calvary. “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” Luke 23:45 ESV. This incident is conveniently ignored, but it has so much to say about the temple of God and the new definition of Church. There is no more the holy place inside the temple, however grandeur it may be. If you read the Bible carefully, Jesus was already claiming Himself to be God in many ways, but people were not willing to accept Him at all. In one instance, He makes this powerful remark. It says in Matthew 12:6, “I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.”.  Jesus wanted to convince the Jewish people that He is the God of the Temple. In other words, He was saying the ‘place’ has been moved to ‘person’ already and the most holy temple is substituted by Jesus Himself. But they weren’t willing to accept this fact.  They wanted to remain comfortable with the Temple and its ritual than the God of the temple and follow Him. They wanted to continue holding to the concept of the most holy place, the sanctuary, because it can be used to exercise power, and more importantly money.

Jesus’ prophecy regarding the temple which was recorded in the Bible was fulfilled in 70 A.D. Luke 24:1-2, ‘As Jesus left and was going out the temple, his disciples came up and called his attention to its buildings. He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”. But sadly, today Christendom is trying to give all the importance back to the Church building and ignore what He has already replaced with. He introduced the new term Church and that too on the person ‘Jesus’ rather than on a place. Christianity is radically different than any other religion. Church can happen anywhere and in any setting. The day Christians realise it, the beginning of revival is going to be certain. Why do you think the Christians are not serious about being the Church and be part of the movement? It is just because the people are made comfortable staying true to the Church activities, like paying the tithes and offerings (Luke 18:12), and all other things become superficial.

To be continued.

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“Do something for the Lord”

 

Anytime when Christians are not living up to the standard of God’s expectations, they end up living with cheap alternatives. Religiosity will overtake and have full control of them. Today, Christians are part of Church institutions where mere visits and offerings are felt like a great service to God (Luke 18:12). And in addition, when they happen to be huge financial contributors for the Church, then the Church sees them as a great resource and a pillar of the Church. Most of the decisions of the Church are taken only with their approval. The church looks at them as a faithful dignified member of the congregation.

We are in a time, with no scarcity for counterfeits, superficialities and dilutions. Christendom is overflowing with it. Unfortunately, Churches fail to clear the heresies and mess. Week after week, sermons are delivered from the pulpit customized to suit and entertain people’s ears, and eventually lull them to Christ’s mission in all sense. Do you know what people are hearing too often? “Do something for the Lord.”. I am hearing it, since ages. The moment people are given a choice to do something for the Lord, they end up doing nothing or do whatever “they” feel like and call it service to the Lord. And most of the time this “something”, happens to be a church program that satisfies all.

Why do people downplay the Great Commission and the substitute Great Commandment (Matt 28:19; Acts 1:8)?  Was Jesus ambiguous in His Mission and in His Commission? Not at all!  It is the Churches and Christian leaders constantly in the limelight who are using the Great Commission to their benefit. And how are they successful? They just have to convince people that they are reaching the nation on their behalf and that they have to be part of the mission by committing to give offering and be relaxed from their responsibilities. And then to spiritualize it,  they are asked to pray along with paying.  A tele-evangelist, probably a millionaire, was pleading for money saying, “Your support helps us to go to the end of the world with the gospel.”.  In fact you would get to hear this from many who are in the forefront. It is possible that they are actually reaching out in big numbers, but they fail to engage the lay person towards the unfulfilled mission.

In many cases the Churches, Christian leaders and celebrities are freeing people of all the crucial mission responsibilities. The failure to the obedience to the Great Commission is because Churches in most cases have robbed the congregation members of Christ mission and purpose, and substituted with an alternative. Hardly a lay Christian has an audacity to share the gospel today. The need to present the gospel is never demanding and rarely compelling. People have no clue how to present it.

Christians are coaxed into thinking their attendance and positions in the Church by themselves are the fulfillment to Christ’s Mission. Paul in the book of Romans declares, “But not all obeyed the gospel”. Romans 10:16. And in verse 15 of the same chapter questions, “And how can they preach unless they are sent?”.  Yes, it is so true that most of the Christians are not sensitized enough or educated enough to lead a person to Christ. The other problem is most of them are never sent. I don't mean to tell you to send all people to some towns and villages but at least be informed enough to share the gospel to people under their influence. They forget that their workplace and other regular area of engagement in their daily life is a mission field. Sadly, they are misled into thinking that supporting a place 1,000 or more kilometers away from their home is a mission field.

There are no alternatives to the Great Commission. Every single person who finds Christ is commissioned to be a witness to the gospel,  preach the gospel and make disciples. Therefore, doing something for the Lord doesn’t directly or indirectly lead a person to Christ. It is a false mission. There are no ambiguities in the gospel and in the Great Commission whatsoever. Both the clergy and the laity, in other words pastors and lay people need to get this right. Can we commit our obedience to reach out?  Church, can you start sending or releasing your people for the sake of the gospel. Let's not forget, everywhere we turn we encounter people without Christ, especially in a country like ours. Therefore, our doing “something” cannot save a soul from eternal fire, but our clear message of the good news, will.

 

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When noticeable goes unnoticed!

 

We can either be the best example of Jesus in this world or a bad model of Christ’s teaching. Contradictory lifestyle is a result of superficiality and dishonest commitment towards God. When we want to follow God and at the same time satisfy our noticeable and sometimes unnoticeable selfish intentions to please the world, we end up living a life of contradiction. As we get used to it, our conscience is undisturbed, providing us with justifying reasons to hold on to that lifestyle.

In the book of Romans Chapter 2 Paul points out the contradictory behavior of the Jews and condemns them for being the reason God’s name is getting blasphemed (Romans 2:24). This is so true even today.  Beside people’s personal reason for rejecting God they give themselves valid reason to be offended by other Christians and yet live a contradictory lifestyle. Somehow we become the reasons for their offense.

Let me direct your attention to Romans 2:22, where it says,  “.. You who detest idols, do you rob temples.” Well I don’t intend to list out the contradiction concerning the Jews in this blog, but definitely want to draw all your attention to the contradictions sustained by the Christian world.  Sometimes our zeal for the Lord is so compartmentalized. Yes, you heard it right, compartmentalized. Many are upset on general evil the Bible condemns,  but overlook other evils brooding in their heart. And the sad part is that it finds approval to act on it.  Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in one of the writings states, “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of you and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every man. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

Today many Christian leaders can be so loud in their condemnation against all idolatries but still be comfortable to make Church an enterprise for a sustainable financial return. It doesn’t hurt them at all. The Mission of Christ continues to suffer because money covertly becomes a goal for the Church’s existence. The mandate of Christ in many cases has become a nice philosophy to mobilize funds and to do every other thing, beside actually reaching out to people with the good news. And Paul is right when he raises the question. It can be easy to detest the idols and still rob the church. Then in the days before Jesus the temple structure was seen as a holy sanctuary to a larger extent. But then the temple of the Lord was destroyed in 70 A.D fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus which was accused by Jesus for turning it into a business center. But today in the new testament era when God redefined the temple it culminated to a movement, a gathering, an assembly of believers coming together for a grandeur purpose. But when the grandeur purpose is robbed, we all stand condemned. Just meeting the pharisee’s legalistic requirement of not missing the Church gains importance.

Church leaders ensure that their congregation’s faithfulness is shown in the way they render their offerings and ensure that they don’t lose anyone. And the people are happy that they are fulfilling the church obligation i.e., by attending the Church and paying the tithes. Is this all the purpose of the Church? Today, by all means the purpose of reaching souls with the gospel is robbed. Just because you are pious in one activity doesn’t give you leverage of disobeying another Biblical requirement and most importantly, the Great Commission. Christians, Pastors and leaders be watchful that your Church is not robbed of its essence and the purpose and merely existing as a beautiful structure. 

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