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cityonahill · 08-18-2008, 11:25 PM

I second Djohnson's experience...Trying to understand that God doesn't need us as much as we really need him is a great step in reaching everyone for Jesus Christ.

I attend two sunday services (8:30-10:30) and serve in two others every sunday(5 pm-7 pm) praying and believing that newcomers will recieve salvation. It's a powerful time of prayer and praise as well as biblical teaching and encouragement. In a crowd of over 10,000, there is just not an appropriate amount of time for everyone to stand and speak.(although it is very encouraging to during prayer and worship when everyone lifts their voices...) However, on tuesdays, I'm involved in a small home-based dinner/fellowship/prayer group that is like family to me and my wife.
On Wednesday we have worship and creative arts night where we have a time of singing and worship, then we gather together in teams to brainstorm creative ideas to reach our community for Christ. Thursday night I'm involved in a "street team" which is where we go visit people in our local community in need and serve them with the love of Christ. We don't "preach" to them or "recruit" them. Rather, we serve them.(mow the lawn, clean the dishes, pull up weeds...) and tell them the gospel when the spirit leads...
Every other Friday I'm rostered to run sound at a "youth group" or "young people's" meeting. Other than that, there are various conferences and church planting missions trips my wife and I are involved in.
My purpose for this lengthy description is simply to show that a particular church structure does not decide who is a "passive" Christian. That is up to the individual Christian to decide for themself. There are passive Christians in the LC and in denominations. There are thousands of "passive" Christians at our meetings every week. I simply choose not to be one! The non-LC church is not as black and white as many in the LC paint it out to be...

While our motivation behind conversations we have should be of love and not of a "recruiter," I still think there is the danger of developing an "us four no more" philosophy. Using different means of evangelism and outreach with a motive of the love of Christ is not a "gimmick." Church life should be practiced beyond meetings and gatherings with a healthy balance of outreach, evangelism, fellowship, worship, and discipleship (or shepherding if your LC)
remember that it's not the "proper" practice that brings joy, but in the very "presence of God is fullness of joy!..."(PS. 16:11)

08-18-2008, 11:25 PM	#17
cityonahill Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 67	I second Djohnson's experience...Trying to understand that God doesn't need us as much as we really need him is a great step in reaching everyone for Jesus Christ. I attend two sunday services (8:30-10:30) and serve in two others every sunday(5 pm-7 pm) praying and believing that newcomers will recieve salvation. It's a powerful time of prayer and praise as well as biblical teaching and encouragement. In a crowd of over 10,000, there is just not an appropriate amount of time for everyone to stand and speak.(although it is very encouraging to during prayer and worship when everyone lifts their voices...) However, on tuesdays, I'm involved in a small home-based dinner/fellowship/prayer group that is like family to me and my wife. On Wednesday we have worship and creative arts night where we have a time of singing and worship, then we gather together in teams to brainstorm creative ideas to reach our community for Christ. Thursday night I'm involved in a "street team" which is where we go visit people in our local community in need and serve them with the love of Christ. We don't "preach" to them or "recruit" them. Rather, we serve them.(mow the lawn, clean the dishes, pull up weeds...) and tell them the gospel when the spirit leads... Every other Friday I'm rostered to run sound at a "youth group" or "young people's" meeting. Other than that, there are various conferences and church planting missions trips my wife and I are involved in. My purpose for this lengthy description is simply to show that a particular church structure does not decide who is a "passive" Christian. That is up to the individual Christian to decide for themself. There are passive Christians in the LC and in denominations. There are thousands of "passive" Christians at our meetings every week. I simply choose not to be one! The non-LC church is not as black and white as many in the LC paint it out to be... While our motivation behind conversations we have should be of love and not of a "recruiter," I still think there is the danger of developing an "us four no more" philosophy. Using different means of evangelism and outreach with a motive of the love of Christ is not a "gimmick." Church life should be practiced beyond meetings and gatherings with a healthy balance of outreach, evangelism, fellowship, worship, and discipleship (or shepherding if your LC) remember that it's not the "proper" practice that brings joy, but in the very "presence of God is fullness of joy!..."(PS. 16:11) __________________ "If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do..."(2 Cor. 10:7)