Today's church I have found, tends to be much like "A Bass Boat." Please don't get offended if this sounds familiar. My bass boat you see, has a lot of specialty compartments in it, each designed for a specific purpose. A lot of those compartments tend to get used for the intended designed. Nowadays, I don't even get to use my ol' bass boat, as I've heard a new calling, and have been going after a different kind of fish.
Yesterday, I heard a preacher talking on the radio, and he was putting down evangelists. And since he was talking mainly about me, I listened. He was trying to make a case that he didn't like, nor agree with what evangelism was, or caused, because according to him, "they weren't sending out the right message and following up." His point was aimed at the need for Church discipleship or a church centered training, lifestyle, and upbringing. Also he stated the need for a Christ centered Christian mentorship process.
I must say that he was almost right and nearly on target. But, he was young and as they say he was "not from around here." He certainly missed the point of the full body of Christ and the true spirit of God during his lecture. My concern is that this message was broadcasting on a national radio program and that broadcast hit or tickled a lot of ears.
I likened the need for the true Church to be more like a bass boat. For The Body (of Christ) has many members, each designed for a specific purpose. If you look at the design of a Bass Boat, they each have several different parts. A main outboard designed to get you from the landing to the spot. The outboard tends to be noisy, and once you get to the spot you'll need to use a quieter, slower trolling motor to actually get you to the beds where the fish are. You'll need to be sitting at certain times, and you'll also be standing. I have found myself between spots, contemplating how I am going to go in and where I will start my lure on a certain spot in hope of getting bait to the fish. I have found that some fish like a certain bait and if you use the wrong bait and or present it incorrectly, the fish wont bite. But once they do, you'll have to get them in, sometimes this is done quickly, sometimes the process is slower, but once you get them on your line, and in the boat, you have to keep them alive. I have even witnessed a fish that was caught but not cared for and the fish died in a livewell.
Such as it is today in our modern church. We have far to many people these days not using their gifts the way God intended them. There is a time for sitting and listening and there is also a time to put what you have learned into action. Like going out and witnessing to others, perhaps even preaching the gospel. Now try to understand I'm not advocating that anyone bring a pulpit to the WalMart. What I am saying though it that our witness doesn't have to be the way a preacher does it. It can and more likely it should be just sharing your own testimony. Our personal testimony is often powerful to those in circumstances which are much like our own. I often share my military experiences and my own testimony with fellow veterans. Most of them can relate in some way to what I went through.
One thing that I wish to emphasize more than anything else is that Christ went out with His disciples and He taught them by doing. He was a true leader which taught by example and one lesson which He presented to His followers was how to overcome their own fears. Fear being a wrong type of motivator which often causes us which are still in the flesh to recoil or hide and not kindle that burden of reaching the lost. But just as a fisherman of fish understands; some days we wont catch any fish. Some days we just go out there and throw around a lot of flashy lures, maybe the fish even see them. But a good fisherman learns from these experiences and the next time he goes out, he may even find that he is faced with a new challenge, that of what he is going to do once he actually catches a fish.
I pray that you would search your heart. Try to see what it is that you may be doing wrong. Pray for enlightenment and get down on your knees every now and then. Go out there and do a little fishing or something with the Lords blessing towards reaching the lost. Because they are in a livewell which they have grwon all to comfortable which needs a good cleaning. Their days are numbered, and soon they will have to face their own judgment. Do what God is telling you to do and stop listening to your buddies or fellow man. Man will get you in trouble, this is a promise, I have learned this from experience, while fishing...
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