Comments on: Gut Check #1 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:07:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: invisible man http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-5280 invisible man Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:27:23 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-5280 A lot of people don't evangelize because they don't know how (at least that was one of my main reasons for not sharing). Mark Cahill's book "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" is a great book to get informed on ways to share your faith pratically. And His zeal is bound to infect the reader to win souls to Christ. I believe another reason we don't witness is because we are fear full of what people might think and say about us (the fear of man). If we are going to evangelize we have got to make it a priority. We have got to make oppurtunities corporately as a church and individually to meet sinners and make it a point to share our faith. Prayer is the key and first step before we witness to anyone. I would also suggest that churches stop assuming the kids in sunday school classes understand the gospel. We must warn them about God's wrath and day of Judgment for all sinners at an early age in a clear and presentable fashion. Where are they going to go? They are the perfect captive audience. You can give them little quizes on what sin is, salvation, and how to obtain salvation. It is said many kids in churches grow up not even knowing the true meaning of salvation or how to obtain it through Jesus Christ. Living Water Ministries has books and tracts that speak to kids on their level about salvation. http://www.livingwaters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=141 A lot of people don’t evangelize because they don’t know how (at least that was one of my main reasons for not sharing). Mark Cahill’s book “One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven” is a great book to get informed on ways to share your faith pratically. And His zeal is bound to infect the reader to win souls to Christ. I believe another reason we don’t witness is because we are fear full of what people might think and say about us (the fear of man). If we are going to evangelize we have got to make it a priority. We have got to make oppurtunities corporately as a church and individually to meet sinners and make it a point to share our faith. Prayer is the key and first step before we witness to anyone. I would also suggest that churches stop assuming the kids in sunday school classes understand the gospel. We must warn them about God’s wrath and day of Judgment for all sinners at an early age in a clear and presentable fashion. Where are they going to go? They are the perfect captive audience. You can give them little quizes on what sin is, salvation, and how to obtain salvation. It is said many kids in churches grow up not even knowing the true meaning of salvation or how to obtain it through Jesus Christ. Living Water Ministries has books and tracts that speak to kids on their level about salvation. http://www.livingwaters.com/Me.....t_Code=141

]]> By: Anonymous http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4724 Anonymous Fri, 28 Jul 2006 04:40:16 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4724 there is a flip side though. What about small and poor churches who can not afford more than one pastor? Doesn't this relate to your church's polity? Then, what? Isn't the church called to raise their leaders/elders/pastors from within? there is a flip side though. What about small and poor churches who can not afford more than one pastor? Doesn’t this relate to your church’s polity? Then, what? Isn’t the church called to raise their leaders/elders/pastors from within?

]]> By: Rob http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4719 Rob Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:09:06 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4719 Agreed - it is one advantage of larger churches which can have multiple pastors. The risk is that it becomes - "oh - evangelism is not my job - that's the pastor over there..". The advantage is that the Spleen can go on being a spleen and the kidney can go on being a kidney - without trying to do everything all at once. Agreed - it is one advantage of larger churches which can have multiple pastors. The risk is that it becomes - “oh - evangelism is not my job - that’s the pastor over there..”. The advantage is that the Spleen can go on being a spleen and the kidney can go on being a kidney - without trying to do everything all at once.

]]> By: Ellen http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4707 Ellen Thu, 27 Jul 2006 15:22:08 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4707 The day I realized that it is our life that is our witness was the day of my husband's funeral and my brother told me that he'd been watching us - and my mom told me that he was bringing his family to church. The day I realized that it is our life that is our witness was the day of my husband’s funeral and my brother told me that he’d been watching us - and my mom told me that he was bringing his family to church.

]]> By: David Riggins http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4694 David Riggins Thu, 27 Jul 2006 14:01:56 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/07/gut-check-1.html#comment-4694 A toughy...Perhaps this is what Jesus was referring to when He told the church at Ephesus that they had forsaken thier first love. I became a Christian at 5, and went out right away to share this with the person I thought needed it most: my 4 year old neighbor down the cul-de-sac. Isn't that what we naturally do about something we are enthusiastic about? We will unabashedly evangelize about the movie we like, the restaraunt we enjoy, or our favorite music, but what about the One who saved us? We will argue convincingly about the chances of our favorite team making it to the playoffs, but what about the need of our friends to turn thier lives over to Christ? I would imagine that our evangelistic fervour would increase if we daily recognized Jesus for who He is, and for what He has done for us. But we have forgotten our first love, and with it, our excitement, our belief, and our standing orders to live in the world, and while we are there, to make disciples of all nations. And that doesn't mean leading people in the sinners prayer. It means using the Bible to deeply inculcate a knowledge and understanding of God, His will, and the role of His son in thier lives. Some of us have greater abilities in specific areas of discipleship, but we are all responsible, and will be held responsible, for doing our part in the task we have been given. A toughy…Perhaps this is what Jesus was referring to when He told the church at Ephesus that they had forsaken thier first love. I became a Christian at 5, and went out right away to share this with the person I thought needed it most: my 4 year old neighbor down the cul-de-sac. Isn’t that what we naturally do about something we are enthusiastic about? We will unabashedly evangelize about the movie we like, the restaraunt we enjoy, or our favorite music, but what about the One who saved us? We will argue convincingly about the chances of our favorite team making it to the playoffs, but what about the need of our friends to turn thier lives over to Christ?

I would imagine that our evangelistic fervour would increase if we daily recognized Jesus for who He is, and for what He has done for us. But we have forgotten our first love, and with it, our excitement, our belief, and our standing orders to live in the world, and while we are there, to make disciples of all nations. And that doesn’t mean leading people in the sinners prayer. It means using the Bible to deeply inculcate a knowledge and understanding of God, His will, and the role of His son in thier lives.

Some of us have greater abilities in specific areas of discipleship, but we are all responsible, and will be held responsible, for doing our part in the task we have been given.

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