Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/15/07 03:43:42 PM |
Age 42, MN |
Thank you so much for this article. I did not understand this concept until we left a seeker church after 17 years to attend a Bible based church. Now I know the difference. I wish I would have read an article like this many years ago!
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 06:25:43 PM |
Age 53, IA |
Thank you so much for this article! I am so tired of pastors who encourage their flocks to bring the unsaved to church to get them saved,leaving them with the impression they have no responsibility but to bring people to church.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 04:02:09 PM |
Age 65, KY |
The "net" is the Kingdom of Heaven.
47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 12:40:34 PM |
Age 42, TX |
Great article! You're right! We, as Christians, need to be out there in the world "catching fish" to bring them into the church. That is exactly what Jesus did.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 11:06:51 AM |
Age 69, NH |
This is an excellent well thought out article. Thank you coach for stating the obvious. If we can't reach people 'where they live' we are unlikely to snare them into any net that would hold them. If we are unable to 'preach the gospel' one on one, without an entertainment center behind us to 'make it interesting' we are the most sorry of men/women. Thank you for speaking the truth with love
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 10:56:47 AM |
Age 39, TX |
Thanks for the interesting article. I have observed the unbiblical notion of the building being the net, though I never put it in those terms. You got it right when you say personal one-on-one evangelism is the net. Public preaching (when opportunity and Spirit leading agree) and face to face giving of the reasons 'for the hope that is in us' are clearly the God-ordained and time-proven means of winning the lost to Jesus. If people ever catch on to this idea, the folks with deeply vested interest in their buildings and the money that supports them, are in trouble. The poisonous notion of professional clergy is what has led to the current state of inactive pew-fillers content to let the pros handle their study, their witnessing, and their care for the poor. A few programs here and there let people safely dip their toes into the waters of Life without being expected to actually live it full time. Thanks, Coach. The things you've pointed out are just the tip of the iceberg of what has befallen the modern 'church'. If, like you, we dig deeper and ask a few questions, I think we will rediscover what God gave us in the beginning at Pentecost - an uncomplicated, spirit-led, and fulfilling body life where we each are connected to Christ as our head, beholden to no man for our communion with Him.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 08:21:44 AM |
Age 53, CO |
You have a valid point about the need to go out to the lost to take the gospel to them. I agree wholeheartedly. Many seeker-sensitive churches try to attract people into the church rather than focus on the serious business of growing up into Christ together. The net and fishing analogy is useful. I find it difficult, however, when talking about "bait". I don't think the gospel should be compared to bait. It is the real thing, life itself, and the power of God unto salvation. It not something tempting that is used to "trap" someone. Consider these verses in 2 Corinthians that remind us that we are not selling anything, but sincerely persuading men toward the kingdom.
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
(2Co 2:15-17 NASB)
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 07:48:11 AM |
Age 43, NE |
The Church building is not the net, Total agreement on that,Jesus is the way truth and light of the world,I believe the true fisherman of man, truly live the word he gave us and we will see the true bait to be used for catching fish,so he can have all the glory not some building.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/13/07 04:25:51 AM |
Age 91, VA |
This article is interesting and well writen. The thing that I find in a lot of churches is that they are useing the wrong kind of bait. There are programs of every kind, too many like the world uses. Songs, or what I call 7/11 chorses, 7 words repeated 11 times,to music that deafens people, and keep people standing, singing words that have very little meaning, for thirty minutes. Too little time is spent preaching and teaching the WORD OF GOD. Some times we have 2 altar calls in the Sunday Morning Worship service, one that takes up 20 or 30 minutes, before the WORD is brought. THE SCRIPTURE, GOD'S WORD should be the bait. What did Jesus do to catch people? He did not use youth to teach adults. People need to be taught how to BELIEVE and OBEY God's commandments. You cannot do that by entertaining with programs like the world present. Our God is a jealous God. We are to worship Him only. Too little time is spent on THE WORD OF GOD. Thank you.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/12/07 11:50:03 PM |
Age 28, TX |
Coach Dave, Kudos on your excellent article. I agree. We in Churchianity think of "if we build it ,they will come". The Lord Jesus said we are fishers of men, to go and make disciples. God's true Church made up of all denominations, all who put there faith in Christ for forgiveness of sins, and live by faith in the Son of God. So simple, yet we make it hard. Maranatha!
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/12/07 10:55:15 PM |
Age 36, MI |
Coach, it sounds like you're missing the entire point of why people are turning to the net for 'church' or at least good teaching. In many cases these 'programs' or 'lures' are all that the local church is, and they're so caught up in trying to get fish in the boat (in the church) that they don't even consider which kind of fish they're getting into the boat. The fishing analogy isn't quite the same today as when Jesus used it, remember. They didn't ust 'lures' or bait of any kind back then, they used nets, as you suggest is only good for one demographic group. Jesus' message implies that the same thing is to be used for catching all fish. The message is always compromised when we focus on 'programs' to 'lure' people into the church, effectively quenching the Holy Spirit by not utilizing the ONLY means by which he works-- the Word preached rightly. The Holy Spirit is what adds people to the true church, which may be a lot different than adding bodies to a local assembly that calls itself "Christian."
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/11/07 12:19:02 PM |
Age 46, ME |
Yes, thanks. This is very clear and well done.
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Re: The Church Building is Not the Net
| Posted On: 04/09/07 09:49:18 PM |
Age 48, TN |
This article should be read by every professing Christian. How easy it is to become complacent in witnessing. God will help us if we pray sincerely and put one foot forward. Thanks for a great new outlook.
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