Today, March 5, 2014, the North Region launches its Weigh-In-Wednesdays forum. Each week, we will post a question in the blogs, and we encourage your participation. Scriptural references, biblical examples and your experiences will help us learn more as we believe in Each One, Teach One.
Today's Topic:
Jesus gave us a Biblical Mandate in Matthew 28: 19 - 20. However, today's churches seem to be content behind the four walls.
- Has the church lost sight of its cultural mandate?
- Is the church still relevant today?
- How can we in the sacred arts and intercessory ministries help the church to get back on track.
WEIGH IN: Let us hear your voice!
Comments
@Godz Chozen. Welcome to IDC; we are so happy to have you on board. Thank you so much for sharing your comments. Yes, many unbelievers say that Christians are hypocrites and site this as the reason they don't want to come to church. Interestingly enough, the work right alongside hypocrites (whether churched or not) and they still go to work. I think it is because they readily see a reward - the paycheck at the end of the week. But the reward for complying with Christ's commands are far more significant. We as Christians have a responsibility to set the example for the unbeliever to follow - NOT US BUT CHRIST! When we live a life of holiness, our testimony is more powerful. Yes, we are human and subject to error but we should still strive to present Jesus in our daily lives. The aroma of the fragrance of the Holy Spirit should be on us to the point where people see Christ in us. Obedience is our first act of worship. When we obey the command to Matthew 28:19-20, we are committing ourselves to the things of God.
@ Mechella. Well said. We have to go beyond our comfort zone and minister to the lost, the downcast, the needy, the widows, the orphans, the sick, oppressed, depressed, etc. Let's look at the life of Jesus. Jesus was and is unconventional. In His ministry life here on the earth, He sat and met with the undesirables. In John 4, He went out of His way to go through Samaria for an appointment with the woman at the well. Most of His earthly ministry was not spent in the synagogues as the Bible records, but in the highways and the byways. And He certainly was not popular among the religious people of His day.
When we look at the early church, we see that after the Holy Spirit came upon them, they preached and conducted ministry with boldness. Dare I say that the modern day Christian tends to act like the disciples prior to Jesus' ascension into heaven and the Holy Spirit coming upon them. They spoke with boldness and did NOT love their lives so much that they ran from punishment. No, they stood up boldly before those who came against Christ and the Gospel message even to the point where they became martyrs because they so strongly believed in the message. They were witnesses of the Glory of God.
One of the things that I would add to your position is that we are sacred arts ministers need to employ Romans 12:1-2. When we present our bodies as s living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, the accuser of the brethren has no choice but to be silent. We often open the door to the enemy and because we are so ashamed of the lifestyles we are living, we do not stand up for holiness and righteousness.
I wholeheartedly agree with you and look forward to the day when the remnant will stand up and declare the glory of God... with our feet like flint.
The Bible says that the earth is groaning, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. It is about time we be about our Father's business
To me church today is still relevant but we as christians and children of God we have to prove thid to the non-believers. I say this because being and college and talking to people around my campus some how we start talking about church, and one of the questions would be "how come you dont go to church?" And so forth.........the replies come back as
1.) The people act the same way I do.
2.) People in the church like to Judge
3.) People act one in church, but then act another way outside of church, I can do that and be around people like that at home...............these were just a little bit of the answers. I feel we have to do more than just follow traditions and religion, we have to take what is poured in to us within those four walls, and go beyond those four walls and share it with others, and not just with people we know but with people we do not know as well. We have to also stop being Judgemental in the church and learn how to be transparent so that others will feel more comfortable in coming to church and wanting to give their lives to Christ instead of them thinking following Christ is a scam type thing.
We as ministers of sacred arts and intecessors can help get the chuch back on track by not just ministering inside the building but we must go beyond, and have and host different community events. We We can go out with our God-Given gifts and minister to the homeless, non-believers, and those who have a desire to believe help persuade them and show them that we are not just out hear trying to put on a show or just wanting to be center of attention, but we are about kingdom buisness, this is the real deal. "If God did it for me he can do it for you as well, If God brought me out he can bring you out as well, If God provided for me he can provide for you.
I believe that sacred arts ministers need to understand that we are to be set apart for God, and that being a sacred arts Minister calls for consecration - a holy life. As you mentioned, we need to fully and -daily- appreciative of the sacrifice that was made for us, and our "reasonable service" is to then be a living sacrifice, setting ourselves apart for our Father. It isn't hard, once we love Him. Then, Gods power will manifest in the ministry as well as in Intercession. Without commitment to God and commitment to the calling, he will not anoint it, and it wont be consistently anointed. We must be unwavering. In my own personal experience, when you waver, you can lose credibility. Diligence and the spirit excellence on our part is also key, with Gods anointing, it will become real ministry in our churches, and in other venues, in warfare, individual (personal) worship time, and as a testament that God is bigger than what the masses believe. Some may not be reached by a minister in the pulpit or on the Word network, but they'll watch a dance. Dance is always been on the big screen, in our school's programs, on TV, and with street performers... If we can evangelize by witnessing and giving out bible tracts, or setting up prayer stations, why cant we minister in dance on the sidewalks, on the beach, and in other areas in our community? The enemy is reaching our youth with his devices but we can't reach outside the walls of the church with what God ordained as a worship tool? We live in a country with the freedom to do so... These are just my humble thoughts... I am still learning, and tend to think out of the box. What do you think Rosanda:) ?
@ Mechella, you have hit the nail on the head. We as the general church body offer a watered down gospel. Yes, we are not to beat people up with the truth, but at the same time right is still right, and because we are not living holy lives (not by what you wear but by aligning ourselves with the Word of God), we are not preaching and teaching and baptizing for fear that our stuff will be seen. BUT GOD is raising up that remnant who will go boldly into the world and reach out to those who are lost. What parent, whose child is lost, wouldn't go looking for them. Well, we are God's foot soldiers here in the earth and it is time that we truly appreciate the sacrifice that has been made for us by doing what was commanded of us.
I agree that many of us do not know how to pray, how to fast, how to read the Bible and rightfully divide the Word of Truth. If we don't know these basics, how will we cast out demons, trample scorpions, and heal the sick. What is happening is that many of us (as a Body) are powerless and apathetic. We would prefer to go to church and come back home without really exhibiting any true discipleship. Let's get on with the mission for Christ. Thanks so much for sharing. I am truly blessed by your post.
So now, Mechella, how can the sacred arts ministers and intercessors, help the church to get back on track?
I do believe that the church as a body has lost sight of the commission to win souls, bringing the lost to the house of God. Part of the issue is that the Pastors with the vision to 'Evangelize' in the community, regionally, and internationally spend so much time "preaching to the choir" because we as a body are not where we are supposed to be. We are not praying like we should, fasting like we should, reading like we should, and we are still on milk rather than eating meat. Many are ill-equipped to do the work that Christ has called us to do...
However, there is a generation that God is raising up that will go forth and preach the gospel. There are saints that are bold, on fire for God and truly love the Lord in such a way that their light shines so that no man can deny that Jesus is real. They will be the ones God will use to do great works in the land today, they will not be afraid to say what thus sayeth the Lord, will not hold back when it comes to speaking the truth to dispel myths, lies and darkness. The devil is busy trying to discount in every way that Gods word is valid, and the only way we can show that it is true, is for more of us to truly live it, and love others to repentance as God did for us. I am blessed with the comments so far, that we need be aggressive, using everything we have to God's glory, and not as a performance to cause men to look at us. God says if "He" be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. Honestly, this message is soooo for me as it also addresses a general issue for the body of Christ.
Hallelujah! You preach, Evangelist Bethea! I like how you break down the mission into each aspect so that one does not negate or gloss over the totality of the mission: evangelism, baptism, and education. I especially like what you said about the church being spiritually militant and evangelistically aggressive. And yes, we must uphold God's standards for His Church. After all, none of us gave our lives for the Church universal to be birthed nor for us to be reconciled to the Father. Too often, bylaws and other rules and traditions override the mission Christ set for His Church. Well said. That is definitely enough food to chew on.
In reference to the scriptures Matthew 28:19-20, speaks about "The Great Commission
The Great Commission bring the first Gospel to it's grand finale. Christianity is not represented here as the mere reverential devotion of disappointed men who honor their martyred leader. Here is a far different scene in these scriptures. The triumphant, living Lord sends forth His ambassadors to proclaim His gospel throughout all the world. The Great Commission is not just an order pronouncement of victory (mundus regium Christ) by the risen Savior through His disciples. All power or authority (Greek - exousia) is now in the hands of Christ, in heaven and on the earth. On the basis of that authority and power the Chrisitan disiciple is to carry out the Great Commission of the church. Go ye, though a participle, conveys the force of a command: "Go," In other words, the idea expressed is that yo must go and make disciples. Teach all nations can be translated "disciples all nations." Thus the converting influence of the gospel is indicated here. The "all nations" clearly indicates that the commission to the church is a world-wide one, encompassing the entire missionary effort. The church is not merely "missionary-minded." The church is the vehicle of Christ's mission to the world.
Baptizing - the converted disciples is the first step of outward obedience to the Lord. "Baptize" (Greek - baptizo) is an English transliteration, and means to "dip," or "immerse," thus indicating its proper mode. No where does this term ever indicate "sprinkling" or "pouring." These converts are to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. TheThe "name' is singular, followed b an elliptical clause indicating that one name is the name of each person in the Trinity. While baptismal reference in Acts refer to being baptized in Jesus' name emphasizing His deity as Savior, the in now way eliminate or contradict the significance of this formula given by Christ Himself.
The closing promise in this scripture, though given to the apostles, is transmitted by every generation of believers (John 17;20) Christ's promis of His presence, I am with you alway, guarantees the success of the church's mission because it is really His mission carried out by His called-out disciples. The phrase "unto the end of the world" means until the end of the "age". Therefore Christ empowerment of the church to evangelize the world is available in every age, even unto the end of the church age. In comparing the Great Commission with Jesus' promise to continually build His church (ch.18), we must conclude that He intended His church always to be spiritually militant and evangelistically aggressive as we take His claims of lordship to the entire world of our generation.
"This is the Great Commission. The purpose of the local church is to make disciples of all kinds of people. Those who are evangelized and converted should then be baptized, attesting to their identification with Christ and the local body of believers. The final phase of the Great Commission is to train disciples in Christian knowledge and for effective service. A church cannot choose one aspect of its responsibility and neglect the others. The Great Commission is a simple command with three steps - evangelism, baptism, and education. Illustration: The Great Commission is the strategy by which the church in Jerusalem saturated its community with the gospel. Application: Every Christian should determine that his ministry for Christ in the church upholds God's objectives for that institution. (First Reference, Matt. 16:18; Primary Reference, Matt. 28:19, Phil. 1:27)
I believe the church is still relevant today. We do need to move out from the 4 walls of the church or the church needs to extends itself outside because we are preaching to the choir. We are needed more on the outside of the church to bring lost souls to Christ. Jesus said He came for those who are sick, not for the well. He said to go out to And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ~ Luke 14:23. This scripture right here let's us know that we should be doing a work outside of the church as well as the inside.
There will be many ways to reach souls for Christ. Not just one way. I believe and therefore include the sacred arts is one of those means by preaching and evangelizing through gift of spiritual dance which is a powerful tool to win souls for the Kingdom of God!
(That's it for now)
Excellent point Terri, So many Christians still think that the church is the building. But how do we make church relevant to the world, for whom we should be seeking, teaching, and baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
We the church, who is the church? we the people who are called by" Hi"s name would turn back to the directions given (scripture) then the church would not look like the world but the world would like the church
Church will always be relevant, He created us we are the church not the building..
Understand the difference between ministry and performance. Not focusing on a song but focusing on the word of God which give us clarity and understanding as well as movement, color, and all aspect of arts to deliver as a gift from God to the people of God who would in return give back and/or come back to God by sharing Him to the world and be very happy to be a servant of His. Pray does change things!