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This is Discipling | VIDEO

• http://www.facebook.com/steveserve Steve Saunders

  Love this, great simple message

• http://twitter.com/Jerad Jerad

  The video sets up a false dichotomy. “What if, instead of meetings, we gathered in a group to pray?” That’s a meeting. “What if, instead of making demands on people’s time, we encouraged people to spend deliberately relating to each other.” Still a demand on time. “What if, instead of fundraising, we sent missionaries around the world?” Still need to raise funds.

  The art, music, sentiment, etc. are well done but I don’t see the value of the video itself. We’ve seen enough “What If” in American Christianity. We need more “Look what…”

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• http://twitter.com/JoshWaulk Joshua Waulk

  Love the heart behind the video, but that’s about all there is. It’s emotionally driven, and not very rational. A couple of observations: making disciples is indeed the church’s mission. The debate centers on how to do that. Here, we have another anti-”institutional church” message. But, given enough time, this just becomes the next institution. You can’t escape this. And if this were implemented church-wide in North America, and if it were hugely successful in terms of conversions, who would lead, manage, and shepherd all these people? Does Foursquare think you can do this at a Starbucks? Don’t be so silly. Further, did you notice the  slam on preaching? It was called “speeches.” Nice. Faithfully exegeting scripture, and expositing it for God’s people is called a “speech” in a pejorative sense. Also, Jesus and Paul lived in a dramatically different culture. Save that they breathed air and drank water like we do. To suggest that the first century church did not gather, even in large corporate settings for worship, is simply bad history or a figment of the imagination. We’ve misunderstood what the church’s corporate gathering is for: it’s for the worship of God. The mission occurs primarily outside of that setting. In the neighborhood, at work, at the sports complex, etc. I can’t believe we find this so hard to understand. Very artistic. Well made. Some really good ideas. And some really bad ones too.

• Rtbcaire

  God is great! If He can create the universe, assembe the stars, and put the planets in their proper orbits, why can’t He do that in every man’s heart.Which He did by sending the Holy Spirit in every man’s heart.Some people are just so naive that they think God can’t do any discipling without their efforts.There are many stories whereby man was touched by God and who became Christians without being touched by disciples.

• Scotty

  I agree that the video is too subjective (one-sided) in that it gives a pretty strong impression that the people are not being reached within the church by internal services and programs (the people in church in the beginning of the video do not have the glowing heart light .  I also agree with the comment about speeches (vs. preaching/sermon); I thought this was too extreme.

  But they did ask if it would be better if the church looked LESS like this and MORE like that.  So, in that sense, they are not advocating that everything we do in traditional, evangelical church is wrong.  I think they are being extreme to get the point across.

  If we only emphasize (or even put the majority of emphasis) on being attractional and doing everything within our church walls, then I question whether we are really following the great commission.  There is also a temptation to say that we are following the great commission if we do ANY type of community outreach/service at all (i.e. offering some annual mission trips, sporadic nursing home visitation, etc.).  The video goes farther than this.  The great commission goes farther than this as well, doesn’t it?  Doesn’t the great commission command us to go on a regular, consistent, on-going basis – as a part of our every day life?  This can take different forms – at work, at the grocery, in our neighborhoods, out in our communities, etc., etc., etc.  But the point is that it is happening ALL the time and that it is very intentional.  When I spend most of my time inside of my church and only participate in a couple of outreach events per year, I think I am missing something.  You can say that this is my fault because I should be taking what I learn in church and go out into my workplace/community/etc., and I would definitely agree and take some responsibility there.  But I would also maintain that that the best way to equip/teach/disciple is to model and mentor on a regular, consistent basis (a way of life).  I do not think that we can just teach/preach concepts and expect people to go out into their communities and just do it.  We need to come alongside one another consistently/continuously as we mentor/disciple/encourage/provoke and we need to consistently/continuously come alongside those that we are loving and ministering to in the name of Christ.

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• Msmith

  I think this video is a great reminder that all those “events” at church mean nothing unless giving glory to God. And if anything but him is our top priority we will lose our flavor. Don’t get to caught up in the details and learn to enjoy the video for what it really is communicating is that maybe instead of the world coming to us we should go to the world. Best Wishes Happy ThanksGiving, God Bless

• http://twitter.com/JessLJessup Jess L. Jessup

  Great video!  There are a growing number of believers who no longer see ministry as a meeting and discipleship as a class or dependency on some program.  I still meet with others, on Sunday, in a church building, but I realize that I am a disciple 24/7.  My responsibility to the Lord is not centered on the activities of an ecclesiastical organization.

  Pastor Jess Jessup

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Lamar-Carnes/100002783233971 Lamar Carnes

  The very idea we should focus on others, getting the gospel out to others, meeting the needs of others in the body of Christ and helping the poor in the communities, is certainly Biblical, but not to the extent that we not do the “first things” which is KNOWING GOD!  Knowing Him through Jesus our Lord, who is God in the flesh, is absolutely imperative if we are to be able to have power and a strong testimony for Christ to the culture and world we live in.  Let me give a personal testimony.

  I grew up after being saved at age 18, in the traditional Church group movement. We had buildings, had meetings, has classes, had fellowship, had prolonged meetings called by various names (revivals, Bible Conferences, Evangelistic meetings etc.).  But it seemed to suddenly change in the 1980′s especially.  Less meetings, less Bible classes, less Church services, less of everything, until we had only ONE service on Sunday. Then there was a development of small groups during the week.

  Now, I can say from experience, under the new system, I am more lonely, less encouraged, and really, not as strong in the faith as I was when we had all of those other things.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I realize that “none” of these things in either case should be our resting place or our faith and its development isn’t in those things at all. 

  What I am saying, is this!  I think the book of Acts and the Epistles let’s us know how important it is for the local Church to meet quite frequently.  In fact, they met every day!!  They had prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread and the study of the word every day!!  They encouraged each other every day, they prayed with each other every day, they went out witnessing with each other every day!  So, don’t tell me that this new methodology is so cool.  

  I can remember (sadly now) how that in a Church I was blessed to serve in, had as many people on Sunday night and Wednesday night as they did on Sunday morning.  And by the way, a different message each time.  And I can remember the preacher on the radio every day of the week speaking forth the word of God. And I can remember the faithful one’s who desired to witness for Jesus came together and went out into the highways and byways witnessing for Christ as well as on the job and with their friends and families also. 

  And I can say, that all brought joy, happiness, encouragement, and souls into the kingdom in a great way.  

  By the way, when they came we had classes all the time on Sunday mornings, nights and week-days also.  Yeah, we were busy.  Yeah, the families came together and we did not promote the idea that “staying home with the person’s own genetic family” was better and best for the family.  My children and I along with my wife, grew close to our family of faith members and we loved each other and helped each other more.  NOW that is all very weak.  None of this in today’s modern ACTS 29 type Churches seems to be as strong as it was back then.  Perhaps there are a few ACTS29 churches that have more going on, I don’t know.  But the emphasis on this “one message” only once per week and everyone stay home except for a small group where NOT much is taught on the deeper things of the Lord Jesus isn’t cutting it.  Yeah, we fill up the ONE time service with folks but they go home “untaught” and “weak” and don’t know what it is all about at all in terms of God’s purposes in discipleship training which includes a great knowledge of the word of God that the under-sheperds are commanded to teach them.  

  I contend that a local body is best served when they have a “place” of their own where they can meet daily if they wish, to pray, be taught, have fellowship, have meals together, praise and worship together, have counseling areas to help each other in the faith, etc., etc.!!  Getting in debt is an issue all have to deal with. Right or wrong. We all have to decide.  But, regardless, we all need our individual church meeting places eventually. Movie theaters, public school buildings, and/or other venue’s will not cut it for the long term.  As we grow, the saints are to be taught to give to the Lord Jesus for the work of the ministry and sometimes we do need physical things in order to carry out that work in the best manner!  

  It isn’t ALL just about taking the gospel to the world, it is also about preaching and teaching that Gospel and the whole counsel of the word of God to the saints in the body so they can be built up in the faith so that they can do ministry also!   It is a combined matter.  Gospel is for salvation and sanctification.  Both!  Not just one item!  To emphasize one over the other is not what the scriptures do at all.  It is a joint matter. Yes, some groups have “gotten into the holy huddle” and never darken the doors of others with the gospel message. That isn’t right, but the reason for that isn’t because of buildings or meetings, but rather a lack of the power of the Holy Spirit in lives, from the leadership on down. If we are full of the Spirit and have a balanced ministry we will utilize all the means at our disposal to bring them in and then “feed them til they mature” and send them out! 

  It all goes together.  I miss the “old days” and some mock that.  But I do!  Those days bring back sweet memories which I have not found able to sense in the new modern methods we are now using.  I hope things will change before the church is just filled with little babies who know nothing about “why” they are there and “what this is all about” because they were never taught.  I can also say ONE message per Sunday just will not do it!!  Sure personal responsiblity is involved but did not God give certain one’s “the gift of teaching for a purpose”?  Now we have “places” filled with people who listen to great music played, and some enter into singing along, and then a message and then go home. It is all over till next week.  

  I found this order worked better than most and it exists today in a part of the U.S. and God is blessing:  Two messages on Sunday morning (same message). Bible Fellowship groups meet on Sunday mornings also and folks are taught the word. Sunday evening “prayer time” and then another different message from the word. Wednesday evening a time of fellowship and a meal, then a service with a different message.  Also – prayer meeting prior to service exists.  
  Also, during the week small groups meet and serious Bible study takes place also. Then, during the year when public and private school meets, a Bible Institute class structure meets on Tuesday nights where various courses are taught on a Seminary level. A large group also attends these classes.  All Biblical allowable means are used at this Church. 

  On and on I could speak of other matters and things the Church enages in, but let it be known the Church has grown very large, God saves souls almost every Sunday and the Saints are taking the Gospel out to the community and to the foreign fields.  

  No laziness exists at that Church body!   No chance of feeling lonely because you never meet with fellow saints, not a chance folks don’t know about your life situations, not a chance you don’t have the opportunity to know a lot about God and His word – it is taught a lot.  Not a chance to not have the opportunity to pray with other Christians.  

  So, I pray that these new works being planted will begin to organize around some of the old tried and proven “means” which God gave to the Church in the past that He used. And still can use.  And then, perhaps, He will bless and make the church powerful again in this nation. 

  We live today in a television and computer driven and internet driven community.  Now we have the Smart Phones whereby all are heavily engaged in texting.  Folks don’t have time to pray, study the word, have fellowship with each other, and be taught, for their “heads and hands” are always in the technology implements created to steal our time.  We can use these things but not abuse them.
  Folks stay on Facebook so much now you know when they get up, what they eat, what they wear or don’t wear, what they do, where they are going or have been, and even the very thoughts they are thinking – all open to the public or at best to a “long list of folks whom they call friends”!  No wonder we have weak Saints and weak Churches.  We don’t have time to have more meetings for we must “write our thoughts on Facebook”!   Or we have to text all the time!!  We are a world gone mad!  

  I have noted on all the Facebook jargon I mostly see, nothing is going on about Jesus our Lord or the Gospel or growing in the things of Christ at all.  It is all about shopping, entertainment, daily activities of life centering around “other things” besides the things of Christ!  

  What a waste, it is like “picking up sea shells on the sea shore” when you retire and forgetting about God and His word and the things we should be engaged in from day to day!   What will everyone say, Lord, I spent my time on Facebook today, letting everyone know what I was doing with my life” wasn’t that great?  I don’t think He will be joyful about that do you??

  Lamar Carnes
  Texas 

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Jess-Jessup/1648023465 Jess Jessup

  Great reminder that Christianity is not a meeting and enlarging an organization is not growing the Church