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I have to some conclusions about "churches" in general and what I believe about them.
Having been involved in music worship ministries of various types at various levels for the last 13 years, I have seen all kinds of internal "going's on" within the ministries and within church leadership.
One thing that really disturbs me is a pattern I am seeing and have been a part of for some time.
THE CHURCH SCENARIO
- An inspired preacher/teacher gets the call from God on his life to plant a church or start a church from scratch.
- The church springs form a bible study or from an established bigger church that seeks to plant more churches.
- The people are excited as they share this new ministry with friends and family.
- The church begins to grow and people are appointed as ministry leaders in the body.
- The teacher/preacher is anointed by God's Holy Spirit and the body of believers grows in faith.
- Pretty soon the congregation numbers swell to uncontainable.
- The church leadership seeks a larger building to contain the abundance.
- The church gets a building and more ministry staff are added to handle the expected growth.
- The ministry staff and pastor/teacher/preacher become more and more insulated from direct contact with the body.
- The leadership and pastor can not possibly keep in touch with everyone in the body.
- Well intentioned deacons, elders, and ministry leaders are assigned the task of dealing with issues in the congregation.
- They themselves become overwhelmed with the amount of personal work and counseling required.
- The church has become to big in number to deal with all the needs of the people.
- People begin to leave because the church has become a big boxy machine of ministry.
Has this ever happened to you? If you have been a Christian for years...chances are the answer is yes.
SO what do you do? I have found myself wandering around from church to church...looking for some kind of spark from the Holy Spirit so that I can engage in a work that is beneficial to the body of Christ.
I can not deny that these seasons of ministry have helped me to grow in my faith in God and my understanding of human nature. And I would imagine all believers need to go through seasons like this.
It seems to me that the beginning of a work is the best place to be, when people are getting ministered to by the authentic work of the Holy Spirit and the leadership is flexible and led by the Holy Spirit. But when the church gets too big this seems to go out the window.
What happens when there seems to be nowhere left to go where such a work is happening?
ALTERNATE CHURCH SCENARIO
- A small church was planted by an ambitious pastor.
- He has continued faithfully preaching God's Word.
- He draws in people to help in the ministry.
- The people, after working with the pastor find out he is a controlling micro manager and leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to expand ministry.
- The people or persons (myself) try to confront the issue.
- The pastor exercises his authority (as a pastor) to enforce his own ideas and quenches the Spirit in a believer.
- The believer leaves...disappointed and disenchanted.
ALTERNATE CHURCH SCENARIO
- A large "non-denominational" denomination...trains up a student through school of ministry.
- Sends them out to plant a church somewhere.
- The church gets planted.
- The church's doctrine is questionable.
- The church's doctrine is challenged by someone attending the church.
- The pastor rather than searching out the answer as a good Berean, relies on his denomination's interpretation.
- The pastor enforces the authority of his denomination's interpretation as scripture.
- The challenge goes unanswered and the believer who challenged the pastor is dismissed as disrespectful to authority.
- The believer leaves....disappointed and disenchanted with church.
Thus far these have been some of my personal experiences in church's where I have served and ministered as part of the leadership.
Having studied scripture as a good Berean, I come across doctrine which does not match up with the teaching of these churches...what am I supposed to do? Sit quietly and submit to false teaching? I think not.
Should I start a church of my own? No thanks. I have seen what happens. And I am not called to start a church.
MAKE DISCIPLES
Jesus told us to make disciples. He did not tell us how that was to be done...or that it should be done in a certain denomination or in a big body of believers organized by out of touch leadership.
The problem really is that imperfect "people" are running the churches. I am part of those people. People will disagree about scripture and it's doctrinal interpretation and not be able to resolve those issues. It just happens.
I know from experience that the only way one can disciple another is to spend time together in a relationship and friendship. Discipleship is an agreeable relationship where one sees the wisdom in another and desires to gain from that wisdom. It also requires the one who is discipling to know they are called to reach out to this one person.
Discipling is the process that happens after evangelization. When an unbeliever becomes a believer...having been evangelized...they will have questions and they will need guidance from mature believers. A good teacher will point them to God's Word, and have deep discussions with them about their questions. Leading them to repentance and an acceptance of walking in the Spirit so that they can be sanctified by the working of the Holy Spirit in their own hearts.
Churches so often become a place where people put up facades of holiness. Because they are afraid to share with those around them the hardship which they are experiencing as they walk through this world.
This is why discipleship happens between two people who have built a relationship of trust. Jesus discipled his 12 disciples. He ate, drank, walked, and talked with them. They lived together, encamped together. Jesus rebuked and exhorted and prayed for his disciples. THEY SPENT ALOT OF TIME TOGETHER!
I am convinced even of this moment that God has and will continue to bring people to me whom he expects me to disciple. From my wife and kids, to friends that come and go through the seasons of life. He will also hold me accountable for the actions which I take, the judgment I cast, and the example I provide to those whom I disciple in His name.
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Christian World View 
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