Gathering and Keeping vs Equipping and Sending

Good Afternoon!

Having been involved in the Pastoral role and the inner workings of large ministries, I am acutely aware of the pressures put on by peers and also the insatiable requirements for funding the “machine” demands. It takes money to do ministry in North America these days and too many of the leaders have become experts at marketing and fundraising. Funds and their importance are motivators that drive the growth/gathering/keeping of congregates. We reward pastors and leaders based on how well they can accomplish this task, ie. “last year you had 120 and this year you have 150; you are doing very well.

New Testament biblical Christianity is quite different. Ephesians chapter four speaks about five equipping arms with the primary purpose of equipping the ekklisa and sending them rather than gathering and doing everything to keep them. This gathering/keeping mentality, breads the, “my sheep”, “my people”, sheep stealing declarations. These are so contrary to the biblical focus of His sheep and addressing the church (ekklisa) of Galatia, Ephesus or even the church of Calgary or Toronto.

I believe that the Gathering/Keeping mentality has been another element of the sterilization and lack of growth in the Canadian Church (ekklisa). Of course, if the tide actually does change and head in the right direction, it means that each of us will have to accept the responsibility that God has entrusted to us but if we don’t change and come in line with the biblical model, our great grandchildren won’t have a Christian structure as we enjoy today. There are forces at work that want to eliminate the church and its place in Canadian society.

It’s time to stop going to church and to be the equipped (by the 5 arms of Ephesians) ekklisa effecting their spheres of influence. This has nothing to do with going to Bible School or University and all to do with influencing and transforming those around us. When influence and transformation take place, growth of the corporate celebration centre will be a natural organic bi-product rather than a forced requirement for survival.

Jesus said, He would build His church (ekklisa) so why are we working so hard at building something that is not our responsibility and so little time, resources and energy “going into all the world”, beginning with our Jerusalem, our own sphere of influence.

Jesus’ final instructions said to make disciples of the nation of Canada. That will be done, one Province at a time, one region at a time, one sphere of influence at a time.

Blessings, George

Comments

10/28/2016
So true!! One step at a time one sphere of influence at a time.