A matter of soul-winning

You can evangelize a person in 20 minutes to two hours but it takes 20 months to two years to get them going so they can reproduce.

Jesus said to make disciples not just converts who struggle and are ineffective because of our disobedience in being content to just make converts.

 

TV -- Radio -- Internet has a place in getting the gospel to the regions beyond and in hard to reach areas. BIG churches, which have the means to put the gospel on T.V. for their areas, usually do this to reach the old people who do cannot get to church easily. I know what many say and have said concerning T.V. programs, but in reality it has become a means to have the “Mega-church” and fame for the preacher to be the most respected man in town.

In the past years, Churches use to run a van to pick up those people who could not drive. If you haven't realized yet, a van is much cheaper than running a T.V. program. Bringing them into church was always considered an honor for church members. However, in recent years, we've become less concerned with our neighbor and more concern with ourselves and we've overlooked the fatherless and widows. We've become very impersonal with our neighbors and unreached so what better way to excuse our lack of visitation with offering a TV gospel hour. In many ways it relieves us of our individual pressure to go to the lost.

If you find a church that is alive with "getting" the gospel out by the various means of using the "Feet" -- Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! – You will find a church that is unique in many ways. Those who are busy going: fight less, argue less, eager to help, love more, do more, give more and are usually just excited in their belief. If you want to dampen this, add a T.V. program and watch people stop going, stop giving, stop reaching their neighbors, etc.

Our feet are meant to walk in Christ and as we walk for Christ we will be able to carry the beautiful gospel of Christ where ever we go. Sitting in front of a T.V. removes the Church atmosphere and usually a preacher will be very very careful NOT to say anything that will harm the ears of those in "T.V. Land". Therefore, he will, without doubt, have to compromise the message of God to supposedly reach the masses.

Radio times are great form in getting the gospel out and have never been introduced as a means to replace church. The Internet offer means to witness to people all over the world and its offered in ways so as not to distract people from coming to Church. However, T.V. ministries, OFFER STAY AT HOME RELIGION and it cause the preacher to use great care in "how he preaches".

As in anything, the flesh is clever to find ways to have an “easy” Christian life, which is filled with “easy” ways to worship the savior. Next maybe churches will replace the pianist and organist with a DVD player or some fancy computer program. Song leaders will be a computer projection on a wall with a bouncing dot to follow over the music notes, and if the preacher desires to go fishing one weekend, he will just record his message on the computer and you can plug him in on Sunday morning.

Some are already thinking, this would NEVER happen and is impossible to even imagine, but don’t laugh, it has already happen and is happening in different Churches around the world. Don’t let your church become an impersonal message or messenger. The messenger is important the method of delivering the message is as important.

The people of God should be in Church. The people of God should bring those in who cannot get to church. That should never change. When it does, the people of God are lazy, become sorry in their thinking and need a good kick in the rear to get them moving again.

From China with Love

 

They can't be discipled until they are converted!First things first.