The other night I got together with a dear friend. The main thinking of the night was going to be business oriented. And while we were getting together on it, I said something and he excitedly said “write that down”. I did. Here it is.
The things that made us great can connect us.[tweetthis]The things that made us great can connect us. Lee Johndrow[/tweetthis]
I was talking about a social media approach to build for history to be recorded. But I realized this morning it had another application. In the church at large.
A non-visitor to church told me the other day. “I have been to a lot of churches around the world. There is a shaking of heads, a nodding of understanding, but at the end of it, in asking people they did not ‘get it’. Maybe you ought to pose a five question poll after you preach on Sunday.” I laughed. But I thought about. Clearly not “every one” gets “it”, whatever it may be.
Many times our “success” is because we are living on someone else’s dime. Someone else prayed, labored or pushed through before us. My children live a lot on my prayers. Like a child it is important to be in prayer for the younger, immature, until they get it. Find their understanding. And begin to do that which you taught them
Clearly education is not really instruction. A list of instructions for a cake is different than the idea of educating someone about cakes. It is more “precise” if you will, a concept now being tested. (Make a cake from the bottom up and find out your understanding of measurements and supplies!)
There is a process in the church we have been lacking. It is the process of discipleship and making disciples. It is relatively easy to get someone saved, a lot harder to walk with them and shake their thinking to a new way of thinking in Him. It is wonderful when your child takes his or her first step, but it opens life to all new possibilities and training. Grandma says “yay for you” and mom and dad start putting everything up and out of sight!
What are people learning about Christ and His way?
Let me tell you some things I uncovered during the week. This is not to demean the person or people, but makes me wonder if I have done my job.
- Why do we need the Old Testament if there is a new covenant?
- “I have to think about this” when I pointed out that the words in “red” of Jesus were pre-new covenant and sometimes what He said was in keeping the law that He might be found sinless and not applicable to our life necessarily.
- I think it is okay for a believer to marry an unbeliever.
- If we are going to be married why can’t we live together?
- Aren’t all church leaders pastors? (Are all pastors leaders?)
I am not going to answer any one of those. I hope you will take the time to study and find your own answers. Or reach out to folks who will sit down with you and a Bible.
Lately I see a lot of hanging out(Really good.) but with out much emphasis on why we can hang out or one of the purposes of hanging out. I was super pleased to have someone show up at my home with a bottle of wine and crackers and ask if they could take communion with my wife and I this week. A principle applied.
Education is sitting in a room and hearing concepts a lot of time. For these concepts to have value they must be tested.
Instruction is taking what is learned and applying it.
I have seen a lot of people sit under concepts and never apply it. (Do you lay hands on the sick or do you reach for a medicine bottle? There is nothing “wrong” with medicine, but your answer may well answer the application part.)I have seen people know the need for sharing their story or testimony about Him to another. But then that person is killed in an accident. Were they saved? Quite possibly not.
Our country has a lot of values that are Christian in nature. Those values her or abroad are what connect us. If we know the verse that “they will know we are Christians by our love” and yet people do not know we are Christian…
It is time to return to some basics. Some practices of the church that have been laid aside. It is time to start bringing principles of God in to our home, our workplace, our community.
I have a couple of ending questions here. Where do you receive instruction from? Do you regularly apply principles of scripture to your life and the lives of others? (Healing, praying, worshipping and studying.)Who are you instructing, walking with, mentoring? Once we figure out the value of “why” the “how” will come on its own.
We have a great harvest ahead of us. But many have set down their tools, their understanding, as if they are retired. We must prepare for what is coming. We may not even “have time” but there is no time like the present.
Written by Lee Johndrow
Lee is the Senior Leader of Abundant Grace Fellowship Church in Keene, NH
He is the father of five wonderful children. Married for over 26 years to his wife Tina. Loving life with family, friends, faith, fun and food!
This was the beginning of my thought process on this…
Things no one wants to talk about..
One of the hardest things to talk about if you do not feel safe or you are insecure, is failure. Today I was sitting here thinking about meetings I did in the 90s. (Gosh, just saying that sounds weird!) I remember all the tent meetings I did and was involved in. At some point I remember thinking what was most powerful was not the meetings but the relationships that were kindled. The other day my thinking was challenged by this simple question. “Were it not for church gatherings would you hang out together?” I also remember a well known speaker and friend I was sitting with one time, and we were discussing world evangelism. He said that another “famous” speaker saw a hundred thousand “come to the Lord”. His statement was “there will be no discipleship” and “the muslims will come in and collect on their investment”.
It is hard to admit you are wrong, especially when you are “up the ladder”. It takes more to admit failure, tons to steer the ship. But I think we are seeing something new. Clearly we have to see “new”. A few days ago I spoke about the ramifications of the current supreme court discussions for a church. But would it not be better if we could implement and initiate change in people? Whether they be riot, gender identity or economic issues? We can do this. A large tent simply gathers the people. A good speaker simply perks ears and sparks fires. But relationship wins.
I read yesterday a terrible number. Less than 1% of the population is discipled. I read a similar fact about schools and education. There is a parallel. We are dealing with “low information” understanding when in fact we need to show people truth, walk with them and help them find another.
Who are you feeding from? Who are you feeding? It is a serious question. Your gift mix is not the issue. Your thinking is. There is a huge difference between education and instruction. Even the Bible talks of the difference. Who cares if we can gather them if we can not “keep” them.
Just a simple thought from a simple man.
A friend wrote this in response…
When working with Russ on Evangelism in the early days of New England relocation, I said many times, “who will continue showing them Jesus.” There was no solution because they were not welcomed in the general church body.