Guest man Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 The scriptures tell us that the HOLY SPIRIT gives different gifts to different people. These are then collected into groups, we call them churches. The purpose of the gifts is for training and equipping the saints for ministry. What is your definition of ministry? Does everyone get one of these gifts, or is it just certain people? If a church is not motivating it's people for ministry and sharing the gospel, then I would say it is not fulfilling the call of a Christian church. Shouldn't that motivation come from within the heart of the individual, and not necessarily from within the church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted October 12, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Does everyone get one of these gifts, or is it just certain people? Everyone gets AT LEAST one gift to be used in the edification of the church. Shouldn't that motivation come from within the heart of the individual, and not necessarily from within the church? The motivation often comes from the move of the Holy Spirit in a life upon hearing from a person whose ministry is to teach and exhort--motivate. You get that best in church. God makes it easy for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Does everyone get one of these gifts, or is it just certain people? Everyone gets AT LEAST one gift to be used in the edification of the church. With over 200 million people who claim to be christians in the U.S., why is the church the messed up institution that it is today? Other than a small church here and there, I see no edification of the church. Shouldn't that motivation come from within the heart of the individual, and not necessarily from within the church? The motivation often comes from the move of the Holy Spirit in a life upon hearing from a person whose ministry is to teach and exhort--motivate. You get that best in church. God makes it easy for us. Kross would beg to differ with you. There is One Teacher, and that is Christ Jesus. The Gospel is not confined to a building. If more people understood that, the world would be a better place in which to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted October 12, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted October 12, 2008 With over 200 million people who claim to be christians in the U.S., why is the church the messed up institution that it is today? Claiming to be Christian doesn't mean much. It is THE Church of Jesus Christ that is in GREAT shape. Individual churches --well, some are having problems. Other than a small church here and there, I see no edification of the church. There's a big difference between the Church and churches. Shouldn't that motivation come from within the heart of the individual, and not necessarily from within the church? The motivation often comes from the move of the Holy Spirit in a life upon hearing from a person whose ministry is to teach and exhort---motivate. You get that best in church. God makes it easy for us. Kross would beg to differ with you. There is One Teacher, and that is Christ Jesus. The Gospel is not confined to a building. If more people understood that, the world would be a better place in which to live. The gospel is not confined to a building and no one who is a member of a great church who preaches and teaches the Bible would ever say otherwise! But Jesus set up the church and the habit of us meeting together for our benefit and to balk at it like some stallion balking at the reins is plain rebellion. We are actually commanded not to disassemble. It is for our teaching, edification, and for our own training in ministry, and for fellowship that we must be a part of the gathering of the saints meeting together as "churches". Opting out of being part of a local body is not an option for a Christian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kross Posted October 12, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 44 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,773 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/04/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/27/1957 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 Most people are not equipped to do all of the tasks of any ministry. The purpose of a church is to equip and empower. That empowerment includes teaching and exortation. It also includes establishing an environment where people in the church can comfortably recommend that the people they lead to the LORD will like it there and will get the proper discipleship needed to become assets to the kingdom of GOD and the church. THE HOLY SPIRIT also raises up preacher/teachers who are gifted to understand and convey understanding to others so that HE, THE HOLY SPIRIT, can then use that to teach, guide HIS people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Most people are not equipped to do all of the tasks of any ministry. The purpose of a church is to equip and empower. That empowerment includes teaching and exortation. It also includes establishing an environment where people in the church can comfortably recommend that the people they lead to the LORD will like it there and will get the proper discipleship needed to become assets to the kingdom of GOD and the church. Is it your belief that those who don't attend church are not assets to the kingdom? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted October 13, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted October 13, 2008 One is not a Christian by virtue of attending a "church" on Sunday anymore than he is a car by living in a garage. All genuine believers have the same life in common, that is the eternal uncreated divine life of God. The OP seems to imply that being a "Christian" necessitates the salvation of "souls." It is God Himself who regenerates the human spirit with His life. As believers we only have the duty to proclaim the Messiah. In any functioning gathering of saints ("church") there are ones who actively preach the gospel and others who do so through their testimony and living. God's life has an expression, and that expression is displayed in those who live Christ day by day. By living Christ believers become living testimonies of the saving grace of the Triune God in His all-sufficiency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kross Posted October 14, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 44 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,773 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/04/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/27/1957 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Most people are not equipped to do all of the tasks of any ministry. The purpose of a church is to equip and empower. That empowerment includes teaching and exortation. It also includes establishing an environment where people in the church can comfortably recommend that the people they lead to the LORD will like it there and will get the proper discipleship needed to become assets to the kingdom of GOD and the church. Is it your belief that those who don't attend church are not assets to the kingdom? Just curious. If they do not attend church then that would mean that they do not meet with other Christians for the purpose of discipleship and evangelism. What other value is there? after all, our charge is to go and make disciples as we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kross Posted October 14, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 44 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,773 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/04/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/27/1957 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 One is not a Christian by virtue of attending a "church" on Sunday anymore than he is a car by living in a garage. All genuine believers have the same life in common, that is the eternal uncreated divine life of God. The OP seems to imply that being a "Christian" necessitates the salvation of "souls." It is God Himself who regenerates the human spirit with His life. As believers we only have the duty to proclaim the Messiah. In any functioning gathering of saints ("church") there are ones who actively preach the gospel and others who do so through their testimony and living. God's life has an expression, and that expression is displayed in those who live Christ day by day. By living Christ believers become living testimonies of the saving grace of the Triune God in His all-sufficiency. More to the point, the OP indicates that in order to be an asset to the kingdom of GOD a person needs to live by the guidlnes established in the scriptures. The key to those guidlines being; An active member in a congregation of believers (if you get your imputs from the world only, you will not be an effective servent of JESUS) That the church is to equip and send out preachers and teachers (evangelists) to reach and save the lost. (yes GOD does the saving and HE has chosen who HE is going to save) Create an environment in which growth in knowledge and power exist for the new convert as well as the veteran. create an environment in which members of the kingdom of GOD are empowered to be involved in the effort to spread the gospel. One is not a Christian by virtue of attending church and a congregation is not a church by virtue of being attended by Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted October 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted October 14, 2008 One is not a Christian by virtue of attending a "church" on Sunday anymore than he is a car by living in a garage. All genuine believers have the same life in common, that is the eternal uncreated divine life of God. The OP seems to imply that being a "Christian" necessitates the salvation of "souls." It is God Himself who regenerates the human spirit with His life. As believers we only have the duty to proclaim the Messiah. In any functioning gathering of saints ("church") there are ones who actively preach the gospel and others who do so through their testimony and living. God's life has an expression, and that expression is displayed in those who live Christ day by day. By living Christ believers become living testimonies of the saving grace of the Triune God in His all-sufficiency. More to the point, the OP indicates that in order to be an asset to the kingdom of GOD a person needs to live by the guidlnes established in the scriptures. The key to those guidlines being; An active member in a congregation of believers (if you get your imputs from the world only, you will not be an effective servent of JESUS) That the church is to equip and send out preachers and teachers (evangelists) to reach and save the lost. (yes GOD does the saving and HE has chosen who HE is going to save) Create an environment in which growth in knowledge and power exist for the new convert as well as the veteran. create an environment in which members of the kingdom of GOD are empowered to be involved in the effort to spread the gospel. One is not a Christian by virtue of attending church and a congregation is not a church by virtue of being attended by Christians. Actually it's not a church by virtue of being attended by Christians. All Christians are the church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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