KENT'S PERSPECTIVE
What Would Have Been Paul's Take on G.P.S.?
Much has been written and spoken about God's Plan for Sharing (G.P.S.) in recent months. By now you are
aware that G.P.S. is not a program, but an emphasis or initiative by the S.B.C. to simply say, "we need to get
back to making the main thing (sharing Christ with everyone), the main thing!" This initiative comes as our
beloved convention is experiencing years of a lack of growth in this key statistic representing souls being
"born again" into God's Kingdom! A recent survey by Parade of spirituality in America revealed that although
69% of those surveyed said they believed in God 59% said that all religions were valid and 50% said they
seldom attend religious services. The truth is that we live in a time where Americans believe that any belief is
valid and where syncretism or a mixture of beliefs is prevalent. Americans are in deep need of Jesus Christ as
Savior and Lord.
This summer while reading through the book of Romans, it hit me what I believe would be the Apostle Paul's
take on this plan to share Christ with our fellow Americans.
The text is Romans 15:14 - 22.
> Paul began by reminding the Roman Christians that just being good, knowledgeable and able to teach the
truth about God and His Good News was just the beginning. He reminded these believers that along with
the gift of grace to be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles came the responsibility of being His
witness.
> In verse 16 Paul spoke of his offering of the Gentile believers souls to the Father, just as in old testament
days a priest presented an offering before God. As I read this passage the question hit me "Who will you
present to the Lord one day as an offering?" There was a song recorded by Ray Boltz a few years ago with
the title "Thank You." It tells the story of a faithful Christian who dies and goes to be with the Lord. When
he arrives in heaven there is a line of people waiting to thank him for his faithfulness in teaching God's Word,
witnessing, living a godly life and giving his tithes and offerings, so that others could hear the Good News
about the Savior! They were there to greet him and thank him! One day when you get to heaven will there
be people there to greet you and thank you for teaching His Word, giving of your finances and witnessing of
the Savior?
> In verses 17 & 18 Paul says that in Jesus he has found reason to boast about what God has done! How
long has it been since you bragged about the changes the Father has brought in your life and in the lives of
others that your know? Paul never boasted about himself, but he often bragged about the power of God to
transform lives! Earlier this year the Father touched the lives of Grand Valley Baptists who have a passion for
God and for His great outdoors. These believers organized an outdoors event and brought in an outdoors
author, editor and photographer, who is a great witness for his Lord. That night in the midst of good food,
great family fellowship and a great evening of entertainment, Charles Alsheimer shared what Jesus means to
him and 33 precious souls prayed to receive Christ as their Savior. Since that night at least two others who
attended the event have prayed to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord! Like Paul, we need to brag a lot about
what God has done and is doing!
> In verses 20 & 21 Paul talks about proclaiming the Good News where it has not been heard. The Apostle
said that he had preached the Gospel from Jerusalem (in the east) to Illyricum (in the west) so that those
"who had no news of Him shall see" (Is. 52:15). As I read these words a haunting question came to me,
"Do I have the right to repeatedly hear this Good News when others around me have never heard?" We
gather week after week in our comfortable church buildings and hear this precious Good News. We should
continue this practice, but we should also, take this message of salvation to those outside of our buildings,
who will never come until we first sit down and share the Gospel message with them outside our facilities!
Paul told Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist." Sharing Christ is work we need to recommit ourselves
to because it is an imperative!
> In verse 22 Paul says "for this reason I have often been hindered from coming to you." What was Paul's
reason? What was Paul's meaning? Paul was saying that he desired to visit and enjoy the fellowship of the
Roman Christians, but he had been hindered from visiting the Roman Christians, because of the priority of
proclaiming the Good News from Jerusalem to Illyricum! To Paul fellowship with the Roman believers was
important, however, fellowship with these Roman Christians was NOT AS HIGH A PRIORITY IN HIS
Life AS PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS WHERE IT HAD NOT BEEN PROCLAIMED! Paul had
his priorities right: sharing the Good News took precedence over fellowship with other believers! As
Colorado Baptists, if we truly want to see thousands of our friends, acquaintances, coworkers, neighbors
and family come into relationship with the Savior, we must make sharing Jesus our top priority. As
Christians, what is our highest priority? Is it sowing Gospel seed or fellowship with other's like ourselves
(believers)?
> As Colorado Baptists we will never see our beloved state impacted with the Good News until we
intentionally and regularly begin sowing the powerful life changing seed of the Gospel! We will never
reap the great harvest, which we want to reap, until we begin daily asking the Holy Spirit to give us daily
encounters with the lost and daily ask the same Spirit to speak through us the truth in love! As Colorado
Baptists we must realize this fact and recommit ourselves to daily "doing the work of evangelists!" When
we learn to sow with tears then we will reap in joy! "Lord, as Colorado Baptists break our hearts over the
spiritual need of those around us every day. Give us the intentionality, focus and courage to daily share
the love of Jesus with those you bring into our paths!"
(The precedeing is a message preached by Kent Shirley in several of our churches in western Colorado during the time of the SMO offering)
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Eight Signs of Spiritually Dead Churches
...and Six Signs of Resurrection (condensed from an article by Bill Easum from ChurchCentral.com)
Bill has spent much of the past three decades promoting seminars and programs aimed at church revitalization. Yet, he states in this article..."after years of trying to revitalize these churches, the vast majority of them are still declining." Thom Rainer says that roughly 62 % of S.B.C. churches are in decline. Easum says that "reformation, renewal and revitalization assume some preexisting foundation of faith from which to raise up a new church." He goes on to ask, "But what if that assumption isn't correct? What if the assumption is a part of the problem? What if being a member of a church for 40 years doesn't automatically guarantee any spiritual depth? What if holding every office in the church doesn't automatically mean someone is a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ?" Easum continues, "based on the conversations and actions of the thousands of Protestant leaders with whom I worked over these years, I have concluded that most of them are spiritually dead and their institutions have ceased being the church. They have the form but not the substance of what it means to be the church." Easum defines spiritually dead churches as follows: "If your church spends most of its energy on itself and its members." He continues, "Such churches are living corpses. They are physically alive; some may even be growing; but they are spiritually dead to the mission of the New Testament church - to make disciples (followers) of Jesus Christ."
Here are his 8 death clues. Spiritually dead churches:
1. Have lost their sense of mission to those who have not heard about Jesus Christ and do not pant after the Great Commission;
2. Exist primarily to provide fellowship for the 'members of the club (church);'
3. Expect their pastors to focus primarily on ministering to the members' personal spiritual needs;
4. Design ministry to meet the needs of their members;
5. Have no idea about the needs of the 'stranger outside the gates;'
6. Are focused more on the past than the future;
7. Often experience major forms of conflict;
8. And watch the bottom line of the financial statement more than the number of confessions of faith.
Resurrection
Easum continues, "The starting point for unfreezing a stuck organizational system is the development of a solid community of faith and includes spiritual leaders, the absence of major conflict, trust and a desire to connect with the unchurched world....It is not just that our churches are stuck; they are spiritually bankrupt....there is no discernible spiritual power, just good Christian people...."
He summarizes, "The only solution for spiritually dead congregations is resurrection. You can't revitalize something that is dead. They must be brought to life again! And that is resurrection."
3 Stages of Resurrection
1. It usually begins with a new pastor;
2. The resurrection of the leaders through transformation or change of leadership; and
3. The church is resurrected and turned around through some tactical change.
6 Signs of Resurrection
If resurrection happens, our behavior changes:
1. The church turns outward in its focus;
2. Jesus, not the institution, will become the object of our affection;
3. The Great Commission will become our mandate, and we will measure everything we do by how many new converts we make, rather than whether we have a black bottom line;
4. Membership in the Kingdom will replace membership in the church;
5. Pastors will cease being chaplains of pastoral care and will become modern-day apostles of Jesus Christ (Kent's words, "missionaries of Jesus Christ"/not apostles in the authoritative sense);
6. And those (pastors) who try to control the church with an iron fist or intimidate the church at every turn of the road will be shown the door.
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What Makes 'a church' A CHURCH?
- A Message by Kent Shirley
Introduction
A. Is it the word 'church' in a name that makes 'a church' A CHURCH? NO! (example: The LDS use the word 'church' in their name, but their doctrine and practice is far from the Biblical teaching with respect to A CHURCH).
B. Is it the 'heritage' or 'denomination' of a church that makes it A CHURCH? Does the word 'Baptist' or 'Methodist' in a name make 'a church' A CHURCH? NO! (examplee: The true Biblical teaching with respect to A CHURCH has nothing to do with denominational affiliation any more than putting a Ferrari emblem on the hood of my Pontiac will make my car a Ferrari).
C. Is it longevity of 'a church' that makes it A CHURCH? Does the number of anniversaries that 'a church' celebrates make it A CHURCH? NO! (example: The RCC has been around for centuries, but doctrinally it fails the New Testament test of A CHURCH).
D. Is correctness of doctrine alone enough to make 'a church' A CHURCH in the New Testament sense of the word? NO! Although doctrine must be Biblical for 'a church' to be A CHURCH, doctrine alone without Biblical function is insufficient for 'a church' to be A CHURCH! (example:A recent study of evangelical churches in the USA revealed that over 80% are in a state of decline or plateau. Many SBC churches have not baptized anyone in years! Thom Rainer of LifeWay reported that 62% of SBC churches are in rapid decline. These disturbing facts reflect problems with unbiblical Function rather than false doctrine).
E. In addition to correct Biblical doctrine the essential element in the DNA of 'a church' that makes it A CHURCH is found in the FUNCTION of A CHURCH! It is what 'a church' does that makes it A CHURCH according to the book of Acts!
What Are the Primary Functions of A CHURCH found in the early chapters of the book of Acts?
1. A CHURCH boldly proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:14-36, Acts 3:11-26, Acts 5:42)
2. A CHURCH is continuously devoting itself to the teaching of God's Word. (Acts 2:42a, 5:42)
3. A CHURCH is a community (fellowship) of like minded Believers in Jesus devoted to one another in Him. (Acts 2:42b, 46)
4. A CHURCH regularly remembers the Lord through the breaking of bread. (Acts 2:42c)
5. A CHURCH continually devotes itself to prayer. (Acts 1:14, 2:42d, 3:1)
6. A CHURCH continues in joyful praise & worship of God. (Acts 2:46 & 27)
7. A CHURCH consistently & boldly shares its faith. (Acts 4:13, 29, 31 & 14:3)
8. A CHURCH obeys God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
9. A CHURCH is a partner in starting new churches. (Acts 13:1-3, 14:19-23)
CONCLUSION: 'a church' is A CHURCH when it consistently functions as A CHURCH according to the New Testament! The essential element found in the DNA of A CHURCH is found in its FUNCTION! The crucial question is "Does 'a church' function as A CHURCH???"
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