By faith through God’s grace, true Christians want to tell the whole world the Good News, that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God come in the flesh, sent to be the Savior of the world that God loves and is ready to forgive those who believe on His Son. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all will come to repentance,” even pastors, (2 Pet 3: 9). God makes overcomers complete in Christ, and they will join Him in Heaven.
Their tradition may be right, but their traditional evangelical church may have changed toward secular liberalism.²² Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death, (Prov 14: 12). Heed Jesus’ call to ‘Come unto Him.’ He gives fruitfulness, fulfillment, purpose, and joy. Believe God, and you will see. David Haskell revealed in his research that conservative evangelical churches were growing, but liberal churches are dying.
Many people are attending a church near where they live regardless of the belief system or theology of that church; they believe, falsely, they are on the right path to Heaven, having been taught in a non-biblical church. On one Sunday morning, this author and his wife saw an acquaintance, who is a long-term, faithful attendant at another evangelical church, so called, in the city. We know of the pastors by name, and the attendee boasts of having a good friendship with one of them. He boasted of being a Christian and that he believed the Bible. This author asked, ‘Well, when did you receive Christ?’ and asked how his faith in Jesus Christ was treating him, since being born-again. The man, in his eighties, said, “Oh no! I have nothing to do with that born-again stuff. I don’t talk about Jesus and being born-again. I don’t believe in it.” What has his pastor-friend been doing for all these years? How will he answer God for such negligence? Has he been teaching boldly and fearlessly the way of peace with God the Father in Heaven for salvation to his friend (the parishioner) that he might know in his soul that he is known by God and is truly ready for the transition to eternity? Just because he is a friend, God calls and still holds the pastor responsible, to be focused and faithful in presenting the Gospel regarding that man’s eternal destiny. To share truth for assurance would be true friendship shown toward his friend. Being a friend and not bold, in the Spirit, about salvation, is not being a good friend. Caring about the final state of others is a gift to God’s servants, who are given the responsibility of the ministry of reconciliation should be right in the case of a pastor, as one might expect.
How are religious leaders purporting to be doing church, by doing an appearance or form of church? They need to reexamine themselves and study the Scriptures to know what God means by doing church according to His doctrine of Ecclesiology (Church). God places them for caring for the sheep; to help them find the Great Shepherd, for holiness and authentic Christian living, and conducting discipleship to develop another person’s true Christian testimony. Jesus commands us “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” (Matt 28: 19-20). Take a look and perceive what you see. Spiritual leaders, ‘are you taking into consideration what is obedient action toward God, by faith in Jesus, referred to as the Word?’ God calls us to examine ourselves. The safe place for us positioned by His Holy Spirit is “in Jesus.” Are you there?
The subject, in this case, is viewed through the subject’s childhood eyes in hindsight, and what he saw in the natural was distasteful, indiscriminate, and brutish. The findings that this author found in his research are cause for a re-evaluation of vision, one’s position in Christ, and purpose for doing church, and for the true Church to grow as God wills. God seeks for those (singularly or collectively) to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Jesus Himself, when tempted, said to Satan, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve,” (Matt 4: 10). Changing the church through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and reviving true Christianity is needed in leadership and ministry that are Christian, to participate in turning the world around 180 degrees, to impact society with God’s righteousness. God, through Jesus, gives believers His Holy Spirit to empower them in the ministry of reconciliation, soul-winning, the addition of converts for the true worship of God in spirit and truth in our churches. Only by the Spirit of God, are souls won to worship God, through compassionate spiritual leadership, whether that be through a preacher, teacher, Sunday school superintendent, counsellor, life-coach, or an educated lay-person.
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