I Believe Most Of “Christianity” Today Is Lost

[Jemidon2004]

There are those who will open the door, but they're dwindling more and more...it's just another sign of the times. I believe that we are living in the time of the Laodicians. When they are neighter hot nor cold, but lukewarm. I'm sure all of us have had lukewarm water. it's nasty and i can see why Christ would spew them out. I pray as much as I can that I am not that person. I honestly ask Christ to let me know what it is i'm doing wrong and what it is that I can do to further his kingdom and His will. I pray that this is all God's children's prayer. If it's not, I think we need to examin ourselves so that we may be presented Holy and Blameless in the sight of the Almighty through the Work and Word of the Lord Jesus Christ. God Bless

Joshua

[MalkyEL]

original question:
1. Is the church supposed to preach to the unsaved at[sunday/saturday] gatherings?

AV wrote:
1. Yes, I believe it is the duty of the bishop, pastor, minister, etc. to be sensitive and be prepared to get the gospel in for the following reasons:
a. He should be aware that even some the most faithful members may stlll be unregenerate.
b. There could be visitors
c. Even the truly saved need to hear again the good news for reflection and review

nana:
perhaps I did not make my question clear.  Let me rephrase it.

Do you think the original intent of the church was to preach to the unsaved at a gathering of the assembly?

[Soldier4Christ]

It is the Pastors responsibility to preach as the Lord leads them, too. Is it wrong to give a little milk with the meat or to give meat with the milk? A good Pastor, Preacher, etc., should go according to the needs of his congregation.


1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?




Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

[MalkyEL]

It is the Pastors responsibility to preach as the Lord leads them, too. Is it wrong to give a little milk with the meat or to give meat with the milk? A good Pastor, Preacher, etc., should go according to the needs of his congregation.

nana:
I am not sure what this has to do with the question.

 Was the orginal intent of the church to preach to the unsaved when it was gathered together?

[cris]

To me, it's sounds as if it's a part of the predestination theology, some were born to die and go to hell, and some were born chosen to go to heaven.  I really hope I'm wrong.  

Grace and peace,
cris

Almost, but not quite. These people were written about in the older times, they were known of by the prophets, and certainly were known of by God from the beginning....it's more foreknowledge than fore-ordination, or caused.

The greek for "before of old ordained" is
prographo palai prographo. Prographo is shown below:
1) to write before (of time)
a) of old set forth or designated before hand (in the scriptures of the OT)

2) to depict or portray openly
a) to write before the eyes of all who can read
b) to depict, portray, paint, before the eyes

So you can see it's not what you hoped it wasn't.  

Thank you Evangelist--------Whew, I am so glad what I hoped it wasn't, isn't.  

Grace and peace,
cris

[cris]

It is the Pastors responsibility to preach as the Lord leads them, too. Is it wrong to give a little milk with the meat or to give meat with the milk? A good Pastor, Preacher, etc., should go according to the needs of his congregation.

nana:
I am not sure what this has to do with the question.

 Was the orginal intent of the church to preach to the unsaved when it was gathered together?

MalkyEL,

IMO, the answer is no, because there probably were no unbelievers when they gathered. The Church is comprised of believers, not unbelievers. The purpose was to go out and preach the good news to unbelievers.  Once converted, they became members of the church. The church (called out ones), also known as the body of Christ, gathered to bring glory to Jesus Christ, edify fellow believers, care for one another, and equip to evangelize non-believers.

Now, the Church began at Pentecost.  It comprises all believers, from inception at Pentecost, until the end of time.
This is the "body of Christ" universal church.  Out of that universal church there were formed small groups (local churches).  IMO, these local churches should be streams of living water.  I think they started out this way, but something happened.  They don't resemble the early church, IMO.

Grace and peace,
cris

[felix102]

It is the Pastors responsibility to preach as the Lord leads them, too. Is it wrong to give a little milk with the meat or to give meat with the milk? A good Pastor, Preacher, etc., should go according to the needs of his congregation.

nana:
I am not sure what this has to do with the question.

 Was the orginal intent of the church to preach to the unsaved when it was gathered together?

MalkyEL,

IMO, the answer is no, because there probably were no unbelievers when they gathered. The Church is comprised of believers, not unbelievers. The purpose was to go out and preach the good news to unbelievers.  Once converted, they became members of the church. The church (called out ones), also known as the body of Christ, gathered to bring glory to Jesus Christ, edify fellow believers, care for one another, and equip to evangelize non-believers.

Now, the Church began at Pentecost.  It comprises all believers, from inception at Pentecost, until the end of time.
This is the "body of Christ" universal church.  Out of that universal church there were formed small groups (local churches).  IMO, these local churches should be streams of living water.  I think they started out this way, but something happened.  They don't resemble the early church, IMO.

Grace and peace,
cris

That is true brother. Something I didn't realize till now.

"The church (called out ones), also known as the body of Christ, gathered to bring glory to Jesus Christ, edify fellow believers, care for one another, and equip to evangelize non-believers."

This is exactly what the church is suppose to be like. For non-believers it was while each  brother was prophesying that lead them to be convicted by the HOly Spirit. "Surely God is among you."


the local church today is very different. There are three essential things to the gospel but the local church only focuses on one. Most churches today focus only on salvation (Jesus as the Lamb of God) and not growth and our building up (Jesus as the Bread of Life and Jesus who is building us up into a dwelling place for Him).

[Soldier4Christ]

It is the Pastors responsibility to preach as the Lord leads them, too. Is it wrong to give a little milk with the meat or to give meat with the milk? A good Pastor, Preacher, etc., should go according to the needs of his congregation.

nana:
I am not sure what this has to do with the question.

 Was the orginal intent of the church to preach to the unsaved when it was gathered together?

The original intent and purpose of the church was to preach the Gospel (milk) to any unsaved that may be in their midst and to preach directions (meat) to those that were already saved. There is nothing changed with this as this is still our objectives.

[nChrist]

Pastor Roger Said:

The original intent and purpose of the church was to preach the Gospel (milk) to any unsaved that may be in their midst and to preach directions (meat) to those that were already saved. There is nothing changed with this as this is still our objectives.

AMEN BROTHER!

Keeping these objectives in balance is a matter of prayer in every church building trying to do the work of the LORD. Reaching the lost will always be a highest priority, and building the saints simply provides more laborers in JESUS who are properly equipped and strong enough in JESUS to also reach the lost. Every pastor should pray about this at least daily that God will guide and direct the efforts in a balanced way. If a pastor wishes to do everything all alone, they shouldn't be a pastor.

Love In Christ,
Tom

I Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

[Soldier4Christ]

Brother Beps,

If a pastor wishes to do everything all alone, they shouldn't be a pastor.

Amen to that. Any Pastor that tries to do it all alone is not a pastor to begin with and will not ever be one. It requires God working through him and those that God reaches through him.