Often times when I reflect on my experience starting a church at 25, I realize that I was naive. There was a lot that I didn’t understand about the church, the gospel, the Spirit, the mission of Jesus, leadership, spiritual authority, disciplemaking, preaching, worship, sin, accountability, and spiritual transformation.
In 2007 I posted several posts on the state of the Church in America.
Jesus was the first apostle. He was sent by his Father. He, in turn, sent the Twelve. They went to people who would then take the gospel to the rest of the world. Whoever received it would understand that they, too, had been sent. With the gospel being what it is, the church as bearer of the gospel is bound to be apostolic. The Insider by Jim Petersen and Mike Shamy (p 83)
Jesus never started a local church or commanded anyone to start churches. Jesus made disciples and instructed His disciples to make disciples. Churches are communities of disciplemakers, not places to worship. Churches are the natural outcome of disciples making disciples.
I have found it very beneficial to be a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF). I am currently credentialed as an Associate Certified Coach and intend to submit my application for my Professional Certified Coach credential this month.
I think each village was meant to feel pity for its own sick and poor whom it can help and I doubt if it is the duty of any private person to fix his mind on ills which he cannot help. (This may even become an escape from the works of charity we really can do to those we know.)
Six months of posting every day to my blog has been quite a challenge – but I’ve enjoyed it. I hope you’ve been encouraged or challenged by some of what I’ve posted. Here are the top posts so far for the month of June 2012…
I love this verse. I love the implications of Jesus’ words. If you are following Jesus, you will be fishing for men. If you are not fishing for men, you are not following Jesus well.
