Chronicles of a Fisher of men: Are We Doing Church The Right Way?

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Are We Doing Church The Right Way?

Since time past when I left the institutional church, as we know it - the traditional church, by the grace of God I am now in fellowship with other believers who are also pursuing the organic Church that we read of in the New Testament. I am learning what it must have been like in the first century Church that we read in the Book of Acts and Paul's epistles. God is gracious in that the Holy Spirit has us continually repenting of our sins. Many of us - if not all at some time - have been raised to see church through the eyes of man's traditions and have failed to experience the life of Christ in His Body.

There are two books that have started to help us as we come together under the Headship of Jesus Christ. God is doing a work and we are coming to the realisation that what we perceive to be church practice is in fact missing the ekklesia practiced in Scripture. There must be more that Father wants to give us than what we are receiving in the church buildings. We know God works in every situation, but are we allowing Him to work as He intended or are we following after a whole new set of rules ordained by man? If so, we are then creating a false god in how we do church - we are following after man and his traditions rather than the True God of the Bible. (As Paul said, “The manifold wisdom of God – which is Christ – is known through the ekklesia.”)

We need to start asking the correct questions. Why do we see the vast majority of Christians sitting comfortable in the pews on Sunday and are idle in their love and pursuit of the lost? Or possibly showing no growth and lack of Spiritual fruit? Can the reasons be because we are not doing Church by the Bible?

Here are some links to challenge us believers -

* Reimagining Church Blog by Frank Viola

* Pagan Christianity? and Reimagining Church

* Audio Interview with George Barna and Frank Viola

* A Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

MISSION

The mission of this blog is to encourage Christians to be obedient to The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8) given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ and to Glorify our God by proclaiming the Law and the Gospel of Grace to the unsaved.

This blog is to give all praise and glory to the One and only True and Living God Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

I hope to be faithful "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15b) in recording sound biblical doctrine and theology and that the posts are not to solicit personal praise, but to give rightful honour and glorious praise to all the victories belonging to our Lord and Saviour - King Jesus.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness; But to them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:22-24

And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
~ Matthew 4:19

Let Down Your Nets
There is no exclusion put upon any tribe or clan, no classes are laid under ban, no individuals are exempted. Therefore, Church of Christ, by the love you bear to your crucified Master, by His wounds and death for you, and by His living love to you, seek out the lost and gather together the outcasts. You fishers of men, launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught. You sowers of holy seed, go abroad, and sow the untrodden wastes. You consecrated builders, break away from old foundations, and lay fresh groundwork for a larger temple for your God and King. Surely the Spirit of love in a church will suggest this.
Spurgeon Gold