Planting The Gospel / The past week has been full of God moments. Last weekend Lynn and I completed our assessment by Planting The Gospel. The assessment allowed Lynn and me to express and communicate the vision that God has layed on my heart for New England, and to take an inventory of our lives in this movement of God. We were leaned in on and ready to kick it up a notch, while God has us here in S.C.Baptism / On Tuesday, Greer area churches along with the Greer Baptist Association presented the New England planting team with a new portable Baptismal pool. To be sent to Connecticut with a baptismal is an answered prayer. We are so thankful that God is moving in the hearts of men and women here in the south in order to complete His mission in the north.
Making Disciples / This call from scripture to “Make Disciples” in Matthew 28, is a little deeper than most consider. It requires being right in the middle of people’s lives…many different types of people. I mean, I have friends that go on mission trips to build buildings for worship, and those things are needed, but what about building people? Is about making us feel significant or is it about reproducing ourselves as Christ followers? Please do not read any arrogance in that last statement. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that a person is transformed.
Building buildings has a start and an end. Do we sometimes confuse that activity with doing the Great Commission? Being a disciple and making disciples requires an investment and sometimes is a hard thing to do, because people (like me) are hard. Many are not teachable because their pride is bigger than their obedience. But, there is no greater fulfillment than to disciple someone to grow and walk with Jesus.
Planting the Gospel is not building a building, but disciple people. It’s not about having a bible study class and calling it discipleship, but living life with those who need Jesus, and be moved into action by what scripture teaches on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Does being theologically correct mean that discipleship has happened? I believe incorrect doctrine is incorrect doctrine, but I know of those who go on mission to find the MOST correct theological environment in a church, and I’m not sure that’s a journey that has an end. If the theology is correct, then the community will be transformed and the people will be coming back to God… just saying
What about you? I ask that you consider your relationships. Are you being discipled or are you discipling the ones you spend time with? In your discipling of others, is it focused on the teachings of Christ, his life, death, and resurrection?
Heading North
Pastor Tim
Pastor Tim