Who will you fellowship with?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by jaamez

I think jaxfam6 and RevDWW have hit the nail on the head as to how I would answer these questions. If we are always surrounded by light, how is anyone going to see our individual light? And what if one is going dim? Would it even be noticed? Light, by definition, is for the sake of illuminating darkness. We need to get out there and light our world!

We are salt! Jesus is the Living Water! The world may not know how thirsty they are until we "salt them" with ourselves and give them a craving thirst for the rivers of living water that will flow out of their bellies. If the salt has lost its savor (if we hide it or keep it to ourselves), how or with what will the earth be salted? We need to get out there and salt our world!

This is an awesome topic and one that has been on my heart for quite awhile. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse sometimes when I teach our congregation nearly every week on this same thing - just a different spin.

There are some of the older saints who would so proudly proclaim that they would "never walk into a bar." But where are we going to find the drunk who is in bondage to the bottle? Do we honestly expect them to just come to us? Do we really believe that is what the "great commission" is all about? We have to go to where they are first... then show them what freedom is and invite them to come to where we are. We'll only make them thirsty for the living water once we have displayed to them the benefits of living under grace, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. And, let's face it, that will sometimes take us to places where we are uncomfortable, or places we don't want to go.

RandyWayne, thank you for this thread. It's a breath of fresh air away from the gossip and standards dramas. We need to be more concerned with winning souls!

Amen ....and I bolded the phrase that stood out. Do we expect to find a job by having perspective employers cold-call US instead of seeking out the job? Yet that is how so many in our churches expect to find saints.... they expect them to find US. And so many rejoice in our 'separation' and total lack of any fellowship with anyone other then our close associates.

[RevDWW]

I remember as a kid going to the Dairy Queen with some buddies. We thought it would be funny to undo the lid of the salt shaker to the point it would fly off when someone shook it. After leaving I realized that what we had done was to ruin someones perfectly good meal. I felt bad about it and never did it again as I recall.

We are to be the salt of the earth, that is true, but all too often instead of just a sprinkle to bring out the flavor and cause thirst, we want to pour on the whole shaker in one serving and wonder why the lost choke.

[Tina]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Now, I don't ask this question in the political sense. Such as a pastor officially "fellowshipping" with people he or she does not agree with, but rather I ask in a much more personal way.

Do you have friends who are sinners to the core?

As a pastor would you invite a prostitute over for dinner?

Would you invite a gay co-worker? (Such as my immediate supervisor)

Would you GO to either of their homes?

How about spending an evening with a man who did you great harm in the past?

....Or left your denomination?

I am really curious.

One of my close friends is an atheist, another is agnostic. Several friends have been raised in churches and drifted away. It doesn't keep me from being friends with any of them. How can I be a light to people if I only have Christian friends?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Tina

One of my close friends is an atheist, another is agnostic. Several friends have been raised in churches and drifted away. It doesn't keep me from being friends with any of them. How can I be a light to people if I only have Christian friends?

My immediate supervisor at work is gay (and has been with his "partner" for 17 years now....). Obviously I do not condone the lifestyle but he is a very nice guy and we are good friends. At the beginning, I have been not-so-subtly reminded that my faults in totality are probably much worse then his.... the only difference between us is the cross.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

My immediate supervisor at work is gay (and has been with his "partner" for 17 years now....). Obviously I do not condone the lifestyle but he is a very nice guy and we are good friends. At the beginning, I have been not-so-subtly reminded that my faults in totality are probably much worse then his.... the only difference between us is the cross.

That is a profound and true statement!!!

[jaxfam6]

Originally Posted by RevDWW

I remember as a kid going to the Dairy Queen with some buddies. We thought it would be funny to undo the lid of the salt shaker to the point it would fly off when someone shook it. After leaving I realized that what we had done was to ruin someones perfectly good meal. I felt bad about it and never did it again as I recall.

We are to be the salt of the earth, that is true, but all too often instead of just a sprinkle to bring out the flavor and cause thirst, we want to pour on the whole shaker in one serving and wonder why the lost choke.

You have something with that thought. I like it.

[RandyWayne]

Maybe I should start another thread entitled "Who will you NOT fellowship with (and be proud of it)?"
That is the attitude I detected that made me want to start this one.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Maybe I should start another thread entitled "Who will you NOT fellowship with (and be proud of it)?"
That is the attitude I detected that made me want to start this one.

I generally try to avoid worshipping with spiritually abusive people, but I would go out to dinner with them provided they could just chat about life.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Maybe I should start another thread entitled "Who will you NOT fellowship with (and be proud of it)?"
That is the attitude I detected that made me want to start this one.

I will be friends with you Randy.

[Cindy]

Seriously answering your questions, I fellowship with some of the mentioned because they are in my family. When one came to our church, (drunk) he was welcomed. Mineola has a great church.
I also have friends that are sinners, but I am not in daily contact with them. But I do love them and would not shun them.