Daily I pray for the unity of all believers in Jesus. Sadly the world is so divided that we are impotent in our witness for Jesus as the Christ for a fallen world. In fact we in our religious com…
Source: The Unity of All Believers
Author: MissionThailand
I have thirty-five years experience in preaching God's word. In 1980 I was introduced to a dear Brother, Lyle Pomeroy who has gone home to be with the Lord many years ago. Brother Pomeroy had gone to Rhodisia in the early 1960's as a self funded missionary, He and his wife Thelma labored there through a revolution and a name change to Zimbabwe. I was inspired by this man and his wife and determined that I too desired to go into the mission field and so here I am in Thailand.
A few years ago a friend of mine asked me why my business card said evangelist rather than minister or preacher. My response was that it defined my ministry. Perhaps you are thinking what difference does it make? If you are in a pulpit now I want you to ask yourself this question: What is my job? In order to answer that question think back to when you were hired, what was the ad looking for? Here is an ad that I see all the time”
POSITION SUMMARY:
The core responsibilities and functions of this position center on preaching for the congregation, training for new members to be effective servants of the Lord, establishing a climate of edification within the congregation, providing counseling to members as needed and executing assigned administrative responsibilities.The essential job functions of this position are as follows:
Preach: deliver Biblically based sermons that serve to enhance spiritual growth within the members of the congregation.
Edify: encourage faithfulness, personal spiritual growth, and fellowship within the congregation.
Counsel: provide effective biblical and spiritual guidance to members of the congregation.
Administration: deal with the day-to-day needs of the congregation.
If this is the kind of ad you answered, ask yourself where does evangelism fit in? How is the church supposed to grow with this agenda for the “preacher”? Anyone that studies how churches grow know this is a recipe for stagnation and decline.
It is time to wake up. I read of evangelists not mini elders in the New Testament. Some of the ads I have seen actually have listed the qualifications for an elder as the qualification for evangelists. Elders it is time for you to step up and shepherd the flock, that is what God has called you to do. Deacons, God has called you to minister to the needs of the church. Preachers? It is time for “preachers” to stop “preaching to the choir” and evangelize the community you live in.
Elders, as you look for someone to preach from the pulpit think about the following verses:
“If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.” … “These things command and teach. … be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” … “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” I Timothy 4:6, 11-16.
Steve Webb, evangelist
(c) 2016
Because we are 2,000 years this side of the cross we tend to forget heir deep need for God.ow exciting it must have been when Jesus stepped into history. Consider how for over 400 years God had not spoken to Israel. He had left them to their own devises until the time was just right for Jesus to come. Suddenly John the baptist arrives to make way for Jesus. A word from God, the first Israel has had since Malachi and the people are excited. Some supposed that John was Messiah, but clearly he was not, he even told them so. Israel is energized as they consider what this may all mean.
It is in this moment, in the midst of tremendous excitement the people begin to see their deep need for God. The Bible declares that all Israel is coming to John, to both hear him and be baptized of him. Put yourself in the place of this God hungry people and then look as Jesus steps into the Jordan to be baptized of John. I know what it is like to preach repentance and have people come in repentance to be baptized. I know the thrill of seeing people change their hearts and minds. I can only imagine what John must have felt as he watched Jesus step into the water to be baptized. This would be an Isaiah moment as Isaiah 6 describes. It is a Peter moment as he declares depart from me Lord for I am a sinner. It is a John the baptist moment in which he declares: “It is I that have need of being baptized by you.” Jesus simply says, “We must do this to fulfill all righteousness.” John simply states, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”
For the uninitiated when Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan, please notice the God whom we serve. Jesus’ ministry is to be defined not by events but by His attitude. I don’t know about you but sometimes I just don’t do too good with temptations and I have not had to deal with Satan face to face. Nor do I want to have face time with him. Read Matthew 4:1-11, what do you see? Many read this and say so what? Jesus is God of course He overcame. If you are one of these, maybe you missed the point. Jesus overcomes the temptations not by using his Godly attributes, He overcomes the temptations as a man. Satan says, “Since you are the son of God, command these stones to become bread.” Jesus answers from Deut. 8:1-5. What Satan is trying to do is to see if Jesus will use His supernatural powers for His own use. Now dig deeper into this and of course we can see Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days, Israel in the wilderness for 40 years and Jesus of course lives by God’s Word whereas Israel did not and a generation perished. Adam failed and died. Israel failed and fell. You and I both know if we are honest that we have all to the man sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus is given the same task and passes the test. What kind of God do I serve? A victorious God that can go toe to toe with Satan and win, not by using His Godly nature but by using the same weapon God has given to us, the “sword of the Spirit” the Word of God. Jesus succeeded not by miraculous measures, but by trusting in our God.
Steve Webb, evangelist
(c) 2016
The last congregation I worked with on a part-time basis recently decided to send $400.00 per month support to which I am grateful. It is a wonder, I heard today that a man in the States was arrested for human trafficking. This man an activist for Black Lives Matter evidently receives some $25,000 per month in support for that movement, but the Lord’s church can do so little to spread the Word of God.
Thank you Morningside Church of Christ in Decatur Illinois for sharing in this work. I pray daily for your success and growth.
Unity of the Faith 