Feb. 26, Marines vs babes
While in Georgia one of the speakers hit me right between the eyes with a statement. I'm going to try and quote him,
"As a Pastor, you must love the babes as much as you love the marines."
You may be wondering what this means so let me explain. As Pastors were driven to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm telling you right now, there isn't much that excites me more than seeing people get saved. But as Pastors, we also desire to see people who are driven to become more and more like Christ. But that isn't the case with a lot of people. Churches are full of people who have been saved 20 -30 years and still haven't read the Bible or led someone to Christ. As Pastors, its easy to appreciate the person who once saved is ready to attack hell with you and take nothing but a squirt gun. In other words, they become the marine style Christian. Their attitude is, "I don't care what the world thinks, I'm winning the world to Jesus." That is the correct attitude but it doesn't come to some as easy as others.
Now here is the tough part, who does Jesus love more? The marine who has nothing but a squirt gun and his Bible or the person who is growing but at a MUCH slower rate. JESUS LOVES and DIED for them both.
The speaker asked all of us if we loved marines any more than the others and if so why? He continued to point out that if we were about names, we loved them all the same as Jesus. But if we loved numbers, we loved them more because it helped draw more numbers into the church.
As a Pastor, I am guilty of loving the marine more than the slow developer and one of the reasons (just being honest here no matter how painful it is) because he can help me grow a church, not the kingdom.
What I've come to realize through all this is that I will never apologize for wanting to draw as many numbers into this building as possible. Each number has a soul, but I must slow down and recognize each number also has a name and Jesus loves them both equally and so must I.
As Pastor of this church I can promise you we will continue reaching as many as possible, but we will also put names with each one as we disciple them to become the marine Jesus expects of them.
Some other thoughts:
* Awesome new members class Wednesday night. One of the main reasons, a woman admitted to not knowing Jesus Christ and was saved. It was amazing. I had to regroup to keep teaching.
* Having a home group (calling life group) meeting in the morning. I want to see people getting plugged in and one of the first places were starting is life groups.
* Had a meeting with the elders this morning about some major decisions for the church. More later.
* Thankful for my elders. Their wisdom and maturity is always a great help.
* Just finished recording part three of the New Believers DVD. Hope to finish next week.
* I truly believe something awesome is going to happen this Sunday morning.
* See you there and bring a friend with you.
"As a Pastor, you must love the babes as much as you love the marines."
You may be wondering what this means so let me explain. As Pastors were driven to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm telling you right now, there isn't much that excites me more than seeing people get saved. But as Pastors, we also desire to see people who are driven to become more and more like Christ. But that isn't the case with a lot of people. Churches are full of people who have been saved 20 -30 years and still haven't read the Bible or led someone to Christ. As Pastors, its easy to appreciate the person who once saved is ready to attack hell with you and take nothing but a squirt gun. In other words, they become the marine style Christian. Their attitude is, "I don't care what the world thinks, I'm winning the world to Jesus." That is the correct attitude but it doesn't come to some as easy as others.
Now here is the tough part, who does Jesus love more? The marine who has nothing but a squirt gun and his Bible or the person who is growing but at a MUCH slower rate. JESUS LOVES and DIED for them both.
The speaker asked all of us if we loved marines any more than the others and if so why? He continued to point out that if we were about names, we loved them all the same as Jesus. But if we loved numbers, we loved them more because it helped draw more numbers into the church.
As a Pastor, I am guilty of loving the marine more than the slow developer and one of the reasons (just being honest here no matter how painful it is) because he can help me grow a church, not the kingdom.
What I've come to realize through all this is that I will never apologize for wanting to draw as many numbers into this building as possible. Each number has a soul, but I must slow down and recognize each number also has a name and Jesus loves them both equally and so must I.
As Pastor of this church I can promise you we will continue reaching as many as possible, but we will also put names with each one as we disciple them to become the marine Jesus expects of them.
Some other thoughts:
* Awesome new members class Wednesday night. One of the main reasons, a woman admitted to not knowing Jesus Christ and was saved. It was amazing. I had to regroup to keep teaching.
* Having a home group (calling life group) meeting in the morning. I want to see people getting plugged in and one of the first places were starting is life groups.
* Had a meeting with the elders this morning about some major decisions for the church. More later.
* Thankful for my elders. Their wisdom and maturity is always a great help.
* Just finished recording part three of the New Believers DVD. Hope to finish next week.
* I truly believe something awesome is going to happen this Sunday morning.
* See you there and bring a friend with you.
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