What’s missing in ch- -ch?

The Baptist Courier

Seen that one before? I don’t think the “UR” is what’s really missing in the church today. When we reflect on Jesus’ statement that the harvest is great and the workers are few, we quickly skip past his urging us to pray to the Lord of the Harvest for more workers.

How can we put feet on our prayers as we turn to the Lord of the Harvest for how we are to develop these workers he will send? The answer has a lot to do with being intentional. If you really look at Jesus’ ministry, his intentional process was the investment of his life in 12 men. They were his “small group.” This opened an opportunity for these men to be transparent with Jesus and each other.

Truth impacts life. Accountability is increased. That was Jesus’ method of discipleship. He was using a process of intentional duplication of “little Jesuses.” It amazes me that we become guardians of man-made tradition at the expense of the basic method that Jesus Christ started for us.

I pray to the Lord that his church will get back to the basics where we give all his children the opportunity to tell his story of love and compassion in their own words, and then check it against the authority – his word – in a small group setting of about 12 people. Be prepared to experience becoming the church described in the last few verses of Acts 2. What happens when your group gets bigger than 12? You birth a new small group, and God is glorified as his kingdom on earth is being expanded.

 

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