Twentysomethings Leaving The Church??

The point is Andrew himself was simply the instrument to get an unbeliever to Jesus. Believers can serve as instruements to get people to Jesus. Sometimes that may simply involve an invitation to come and hear a message.

The whole witnessing concept in the NT is both life and word. Inviting people to come and hear the gospel is evangelism. Are you suggesting believers should NOT invite people to church?

And the reason I point out your straw men is b/c there is no reason to defend false assumptions such as the ones you raise in those points.

 

If you accept the New Testament teaching that the church is the Body of Christ on earth (the world sees Jesus through us), then we certainly have a very strong biblical mandate to invite lost people into the fellowship of our community and share with them the good news of Christ. And because Jesus used many different metaphors and ways of presenting the good news of the Kingdom of God, the church should seek to do the same.

 

In our culture, the unchurched are likeliest to attend a Sunday service, along with the pew-warmers. The core group of the church--active members--tends to show up for the members' meetings: a weeknight service for believers only, some Bible study groups, the prayer meeting, etc.

 

Tauf, at a women's seminar last night I heard a new term that seems to fit what you're saying. Pew Potato!

Listen to the song CLICK HERE

 

Excellent song!!!

For the record. (Since people only like to remember SOME of what I have said)

I have never said we should not invite anyone to church, what I said was, that if a person is YOUR guest in a church, they should have heard the gospel at least once already. Now I am being attacked for expecting Christians to actually share their faith. To do as Andrew did and tell people to come and meet "Jesus!" Everyone is trying to defend the right of a christian to ignore our command to go and make disciples. We are equating an "invitation" with "making disciples". Is everyone of the belief that the great commission does not apply to every disciple???

If we go and make disciples and teach them EVERYTHING the Lord commanded, then one of the things they are taught is to GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES.

The "Unchurched" are likely NOT to come to church. That is why we need to go and witness and share Christ where they are.

Of course it is easier to have them come to you. At least then you aren't wasting your time with those who aren't "interested", right? Oh, we try to fix up our churches to be as appealing as we can to the world, to "bring them in" to hear the message. This is simply because we don't want to go to them. That isn't OUR job, that is the pastors job. Only the pastor is supposed to preach the gospel. Our job is to merely "bring them to church." That is hardly a NT teaching and no one has yet to show even one scripture that implies it is.

The whole witnessing "concept" involves sharing Christ with those you meet wherever they are! If my belief "implies" that I don't want people invited to church, then realize that your belief implies that you only want them to have the gospel message given to them inside the church building. You are encouraging and enabling Christians to shirk their duty to share the gospel. Witnessing isn't just a "concept" it is something we should all be doing.

You have my opinion and obviously disagree. Unless you have scripture to prove me wrong, there really isn't any more to say.

~Lorelei

PS. I was saved by a christian (Not a pastor or even a deacon) who shared Christ with me in his home. What if he had only invited me to church and I didn't want to go? Where would people like me be if everyone followed your example?

 

Lorelri,

It is obvious from your post that you are not understanding what we are trying to say. That being the case, there is no further need to continue this discussion. Re-read the thread and maybe the light will come on.

 

Why do 20 year old's leave the church? Well, here's a couple reasons that might apply:

1. They see it as full of cannibalistic hypocrites. We preach love then spew venom at those we claim are part of our family. Just look at the "I am curious" thread, or look at the music ministry forum hymns vs. P&W, or look at the Calvinism vs Armenianism forum.

2. They're looking for love; instead they find judgment. They have a problem and can't even talk about it because they'll simply be condemned for being so sinful.

3. Can't relate to the music, it's completely alien. Might as well be singing in French.

 

OK---I think I have it--the solution, that is!

With everyone's permission--we take roll--we herd up everyone between the ages of 20 and 30--with their consent, of course--and we tell them, "OK! You guys! Since there ain't nobody here but you guys, we'll give you the style music you want, we'll give you all the love of Jesus without any form of judgment whatsoever----

you know what?? Those twenty somethings will still have problems! You think your problem is not being able to get along with the rest of the church---that ain't the problem! In a church full of 20 somthin's---20 somethin's are gonna have problems with 20 somethin's---and soon some of the 20 somethin's are gonna "High Tail It" somewhere else because they didn't like somethin' in particular with the other group of 20 somethin's---

The Lord Jesus Christ filled the Bible with the church epistles to teach the 20 somethin's how to relate to the 90 somethin's and visa versa---its what we all want to do with this thing called obedience thats the bottom line!

So, twenty somethin's out there---get you a church goin'---if that's what you feel led to do---but the bottom line is---in whatever church you form--she's gonna have internal problems--whether its filled with only twenty somethings or eighty somethings or a mix of the bunch---just sounds to me like many of the folks "yah-yahin'" have a problem relating to folks they ought to be lovin' and dyin' for!

That twenty somethin' church web page that was posted earlier---did everybody see it??? Looked like and sounded like everybody was "gettin' along" and "buddy-buddyin'" and huggin and kissin' and hangin' around and feeling good, didn't it?? If you get honest with me---go ahead and join that church--then decide you're gonna move yourself into the "inner circle" of the church----when you do--you're gonna find it has more problems than you can "Shake a stick at!!"---why? Well, because they may all be twenty somethins---but they are also fully human---with sin in their lives---and the sin will manifest itself---twenty somethin' against twenty somethin'!! Anywhere you have humans--there's gonna be friction---there's gonna be a group called "Cain"---who'll run interference with the Able bunch every time!! Its a Bible fact!

Blackbird

[ October 05, 2003, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: blackbird ]

 

Amen Dr. Bob. Seems JDT needs a social club, not a church.

 

I've been out from posting for a while, although I've still been watching the board. I wasn't sure if this should be posted as a separate subject or not, but it seems that it would fit into this thread. Why is it that some of the same people who speak out against legalism in the form of excessive dress codes, dictating Bible translations, etc. will still oppose the use of CCM in the church? Isn't this really just another extension of legalism in churches where only traditional music is allowed?

 

Well, I'd just finished reading some of the other threads like the one about who you're most like. Scarey stuff, how much hate we can sling at each other. My church really isn't that bad. However I am a PK, so I've seen a couple spats within churches.

But showing them they are sinners can be done without pounding it relentlessly into their heads. They already have law, they already know they've broken it, it seems like that's the only message the church has been able to convey successfully.

If you were going to go to Africa as a missionary, would you force the natives to sing in English or would you translate the songs into something they understand? Would you force them to sing accapela or with a piano or would you encourage them to play with their own instruments?

Really? You've been to First Baptist of Morrisville? When?

Seems you should lay off the ad hominen attacks, they aren't tolerated even on the secular sports board I post on.