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Your Opinion

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Servent, Dec 22, 2003.

  1. Servent

    Servent Member

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    In your opinion what are some of the things lacking in most churches today.What is the one thing which is most lacking.
     
  2. 2Timothy4:1-5

    2Timothy4:1-5 New Member

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    Sound, Biblical preaching/teaching.

    Kenneth
     
  3. Walls

    Walls New Member

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    A sincere commitment to Christ in all areas. Most people come to church for fellowship, programs or just to say that they have been.
     
  4. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    Faith and a servant's heart. I think most people (especially in the 'Bible belt') go to church because that's what you DO on Sunday!

    Ps 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
     
  5. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Solid biblical exposition in the preaching/teaching ministry. There is way too much fluff and babble proceeding from our pulpits.
     
  6. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    Servent said:

    In your opinion what are some of the things lacking in most churches today.

    Sound exposition of the Scriptures and, almost importantly, the inculcation of a Biblical worldview in every aspect of life.
     
  7. ScottEmerson

    ScottEmerson Active Member

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    We've become radically churched, instead of radically changed. Our lives are spent within the walls of church doing all sorts of activities, and not ministering to the world around us.
     
  8. Me2

    Me2 New Member

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    Faith OF CHRIST, rather than belief of man
     
  9. Thankful

    Thankful <img src=/BettyE.gif>

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    Love for one another!
     
  10. Jailminister

    Jailminister New Member

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    1) Sound doctrine
    2) Movement of the Holy Spirit.
    3) Obedience
    4) Lack of commitment
    5) Being in one accord(Unity)
     
  11. Servent

    Servent Member

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    Why is it that so few people in churches today are unwilling to share their faith,before you begin fear of rejection is a copout,being bold is not the absents of fear but the presence of obedience.I love to share my faith with others & yes sometimes I get scared, but I dont quite because I believe this is being obedient to Gods word. but after tring to get several witnessing weekends of the ground with no sucess, no one seems to be willing to give up even 3-4 hours of their time to do Gods work. something is very wrong with this.Any comments.
     
  12. Karen

    Karen Active Member

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    Maybe you would be better off praying about one or two people to directly invite, to go with you for a specific time period, to witness in a specific way. And then let it grow.
    And be able to adjust your schedule if they are willing but cannot go at the first time you wanted.
    I have spent a lot of time asking people to do things, and the more concrete the better.

    I am not saying you did this, but if people perceive that you are looking down on them if they say no, they will run the other way if they see you again. Quite often people have very good reasons for telling you no that time, but they don't want to tell you all their personal business.
    I am speaking really generally here. But we expect people to give up, on demand,several hours to help with our project. The person who turned you down may very well be going to work on the ministry project you and others turned him down on. And one of the ministries you may need to be doing is helping that person with a personal struggle, rather than imply that he is not committed enough. Once again, I don't know how you came across, but often what counts is how other people PERCEIVE what you meant.

    A small example: my husband witnesses often and as he can on his job. If you asked him to take off on a Saturday for several hours, and he had had to work 90 hours that week (sometimes you have no choice) and he had long promised the kids to spend time with them, he would tell you no.
    Doesn't mean he doesn't witness or care about it. Just means that the bulk of his life is invisible to you and that he has commitments at the exact time you wanted him to be available.

    This is one of my pet hobby horses to respond to on the BB. Because I think that it is too easy for us to make assumptions about the other people around us in church.

    From Karen's husband:
    "An additional problem is the differences in the way God prepares people to "witness". Some of us work everyday as friends and mentor to various people. The timing for effectively talking about God and His Son is very important. God's time for leading the person to ask questions and listen to my responses is different from my forcing the issue when they are not ready to listen. One leads to interest and inspection and the other leads to confrontation and rejection.

    There are times for both, but some of us are better at friendship than confrontation.

    A suggestion is for you to make it clear how you plan to organize witnessing in your ministry for this Saturday time. Is this confrontational challenging, crisis counseling, preaching, or long-term friendship development, etc.? Many of us will join a plan, but want to understand the methods you require first."

    Karen
     
  13. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    I think too often we lack preachers with something to say and have more preachers who feel they need to say something.
     
  14. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    If He has our heart, they rest of us follow.

    Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
     
  15. Servent

    Servent Member

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    Maybe you would be better off praying about one or two people to directly invite, to go with you for a specific time period, to witness in a specific way. And then let it grow.
    And be able to adjust your schedule if they are willing but cannot go at the first time you wanted.
    I have spent a lot of time asking people to do things, and the more concrete the better.

    I am not saying you did this, but if people perceive that you are looking down on them if they say no, they will run the other way if they see you again. Quite often people have very good reasons for telling you no that time, but they don't want to tell you all their personal business.
    I am speaking really generally here. But we expect people to give up, on demand,several hours to help with our project. The person who turned you down may very well be going to work on the ministry project you and others turned him down on. And one of the ministries you may need to be doing is helping that person with a personal struggle, rather than imply that he is not committed enough. Once again, I don't know how you came across, but often what counts is how other people PERCEIVE what you meant.

    A small example: my husband witnesses often and as he can on his job. If you asked him to take off on a Saturday for several hours, and he had had to work 90 hours that week (sometimes you have no choice) and he had long promised the kids to spend time with them, he would tell you no.
    Doesn't mean he doesn't witness or care about it. Just means that the bulk of his life is invisible to you and that he has commitments at the exact time you wanted him to be available.

    This is one of my pet hobby horses to respond to on the BB. Because I think that it is too easy for us to make assumptions about the other people around us in church.

    From Karen's husband:
    "An additional problem is the differences in the way God prepares people to "witness". Some of us work everyday as friends and mentor to various people. The timing for effectively talking about God and His Son is very important. God's time for leading the person to ask questions and listen to my responses is different from my forcing the issue when they are not ready to listen. One leads to interest and inspection and the other leads to confrontation and rejection.

    There are times for both, but some of us are better at friendship than confrontation.

    A suggestion is for you to make it clear how you plan to organize witnessing in your ministry for this Saturday time. Is this confrontational challenging, crisis counseling, preaching, or long-term friendship development, etc.? Many of us will join a plan, but want to understand the methods you require first."

    Karen
    </font>[/QUOTE]Karen you have some very good points
    1)pray for who to ask --- always + its open to anyone
    2)Adjust you schedule --- have done that more than once
    3)Im not saying you would do this but--- Im glad your not saying I would do that never.
    4) We expect people to give up on demand several hours--- always give 2 to 3 weeks notice.
    5) say we had to work 90 hours that week ---- would never ask anyone that worked that many hours to do anything.
    6)Karens Husband A suggestion is for you to make it clear how you plan to organize--- How much clearing can this be, were going door to door to pass out bags of popcorn that stickers on them that say pop in and see us sometime, ahd if they would like to talk we would be more than happy.

    It all sounds just like a bunch more excuses to me.
     
  16. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Too much talking and very little doing.

    Go feed a homeless person.
    Send Christmas cards to prisoners.
    Help build a house for an underprevileged family.
    Volunteer for the Red Cross or similar organization.

    And do it while keeping your mouth shut. You'd be amazed how much further the Gospel gets spread with closed mouths and open arms.
     
  17. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Belief.
     
  18. Baptist in Richmond

    Baptist in Richmond Active Member

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    Too much talking and very little doing.

    Go feed a homeless person.
    Send Christmas cards to prisoners.
    Help build a house for an underprevileged family.
    Volunteer for the Red Cross or similar organization.

    And do it while keeping your mouth shut. You'd be amazed how much further the Gospel gets spread with closed mouths and open arms.
    </font>[/QUOTE][​IMG]
     
  19. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    Preachers that don't know how to minister to a Post-Modern world.
     
  20. sandrocksam

    sandrocksam New Member

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    Someone else said, "We are trying to be a 21st century church when in fact We should be a 1st century church"
     
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