Institutionalized Church / Your Input

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by houston

I just want to go on record and state that I feel sorry for both.

We appreciate you, Houston!

[Amanah]

there is nothing wrong with fervent prayer

ADJECTIVE
having or displaying a passionate intensity:
synonyms: impassioned · passionate · intense · vehement · ardent · sincere · [more]
hot, burning, or glowing.

And if I had disdain for my pastor and church I would either pray thru it or move on.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Amanah

there is nothing wrong with fervent prayer

ADJECTIVE
having or displaying a passionate intensity:
synonyms: impassioned · passionate · intense · vehement · ardent · sincere · [more]
hot, burning, or glowing.

And if I had disdain for my pastor and church I would either pray thru it or move on.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by Amanah

there is nothing wrong with fervent prayer

ADJECTIVE
having or displaying a passionate intensity:
synonyms: impassioned · passionate · intense · vehement · ardent · sincere · [more]
hot, burning, or glowing.

And if I had disdain for my pastor and church I would either pray thru it or move on.

Correct...There is NOTHING wrong with fervent prayer....However there IS something wrong with vain repetition word salad and to really top things off, throw in some false tongues that seem to pop up and drown out or compete with any real tongues that manifest and is not stopped.

I am NOT against shouting and getting loud. In the church I grew up in however, anytime God would attempt to move us anywhere deeper...Such as intercession,travail, we once had a dear country tone deaf lady break out into beautiful singing in tongues with perfect pitch, amazing range and vibrato and that got shut down but the person with the false tongues that always felt they had to compete. That type of thing was never addressed because it was a family church and the pastor didn't want to make waves. Before you attempt to crucify me over that comment, yes it's true because I went to him in love and asked why he let it continue and behind closed doors he admitted he knew it was wrong and expressed frustration that it was going on but just hemmed and hawed about doing anything.

When that dear lady began to sing I had been going through major depression for months...I was just a kid...I couldn't remember the last time I had felt His presence and when she started singing it just washed over me like a wave...I bowed my head weeping....Only to have that moment ruined by false tongues....See the spirit is subject to the prophet and when that dude started up everyone else would usually kinda back off and let him take the stage till he ran out of steam.

Do that's why I just sought God on my own in quiet places...I yearned for Him to speak to me and in those quiet places He did. I wasn't satisfied to just take the scraps that I was able to glean during service...I had to seek Him on my own and I learned that God was much more interested in speaking to me than He was wanting me to fill the air with nonstop words.

[Amanah]

Jedi, my desire would never be to tear you down, and yes it is up to the leadership to have order in the service. I'm happy for the relationship you have with God and for all he is doing in your life.

[LOVE JESUS]

I am enjoying your input brother. Sometimes, we have to use different things to start a conversation with people. If we talk about something that is interesting to people, it gets their attention and trust - your example of the guns. I think it is better to use something like that and then bring in the gospel as the Lord leads instead of just start talking about God. It can turn sinners off. We have to use wisdom. Any church would be glad to have a soul winner like you. Keep up the good work. I agree with "Go". They don't always come to us but He commanded us to go to them. I am not a good "goer", my fault, not God's. My husband can talk to anyone but I am more reserved and don't normally strike up a conversation with strangers but people maybe going to Hell because I don't.

Originally Posted by BrainWashed

Esaias,

Sorry for the late response. I was out-of-state and returned yesterday evening. What is open air ministry?

Here are a few methods I find effective.

• I have business card type tracts that I hand out when meeting people. It basically asks the reader if they're in need of emotional or physical healing (it has all my contact information).

• When God speaks to me about people's personal life, I walk up to the person and tell them. That usually gets their attention really quick.

I don't focus on a certain method. I just live life and allow God to use me anywhere. There really isn't a science to it. It's all about opening your mouth, and your willingness to open your mouth.

One of my hobbies is target shooting, and I do own a lot of firearms. Long time ago I would find myself sparking up conversations with strangers regarding firearms. Then one day God convicted me by telling me, you talk more about guns than you do about me. Yikes! That was a slap on the face that I deserved.

If you're honest with yourself, you'll notice that it's so easy to spark up conversations with strangers about hobbies, etc. However, when it comes to witnessing about God to strangers, we think there's some type of science that's involved in witnessing to strangers. That's how excuses begin. If it was so simple to speak to someone about food or cars, all you need to do is transition that mentality to witnessing.

However, people don't because they're full of excuses. Have you ever been happy over one of your accomplishments and told everyone you know?

It was simple to tell everyone because you were proud of your accomplishments.

How simple it is to talk about something that interest us, yet so difficult to speak with strangers about a God whom we profess to love.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by LOVE JESUS

I am enjoying your input brother. Sometimes, we have to use different things to start a conversation with people. If we talk about something that is interesting to people, it gets their attention and trust - your example of the guns. I think it is better to use something like that and then bring in the gospel as the Lord leads instead of just start talking about God. It can turn sinners off. We have to use wisdom. Any church would be glad to have a soul winner like you. Keep up the good work. I agree with "Go". They don't always come to us but He commanded us to go to them. I am not a good "goer", my fault, not God's. My husband can talk to anyone but I am more reserved and don't normally strike up a conversation with strangers but people maybe going to Hell because I don't.

Sis, no one's going to hell because you don't speak up. Each and every person will be held accountable and judged by God for their own actions. Sin is what condemns a person to hell, not you.

[votivesoul]

Every person must be persuaded of their own calling in the Lord. God works through people, just as He made them, and remade them, in Christ. He doesn't circumnavigate His people. The Body of Christ is the vessel the Lord has chosen.

Each member of the Body will have different callings, abilities, talents, and personalities, that can all be fitly joined together into a holy habitation, provided the love required to do so is present.

If I love a brother in the Lord, I will not unfairly put expectations and demands upon him to be or become something he is not. I will allow the Lord to address any changes He expects of the brother. And honestly, until the Lord effects the change, the brother is remiss to try and change himself all by himself, just to meet someone else's expectations or demands.

We reap where we have bestowed no labor. We ought then to not forget the laborer who did all the work beforehand to get a person to a place through which we can them reap them into the Kingdom.

One sows, another waters, but God gives the increase. Some sow in tears, through intercession and travail, in the prayer closets of their lives. Others sow the Word openly to all who would come and dine. Still others are but a friendly face and kind handshake or hug when the visitor comes to a meeting, that calms the visitor and assures him or her that love is present in and among the people he or she is visiting.

None of these, and all the rest not mentioned, are more important than the other.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Every person must be persuaded of their own calling in the Lord. God works through people, just as He made them, and remade them, in Christ. He doesn't circumnavigate His people. The Body of Christ is the vessel the Lord has chosen.

Each member of the Body will have different callings, abilities, talents, and personalities, that can all be fitly joined together into a holy habitation, provided the love required to do so is present.

If I love a brother in the Lord, I will not unfairly put expectations and demands upon him to be or become something he is not. I will allow the Lord to address any changes He expects of the brother. And honestly, until the Lord effects the change, the brother is remiss to try and change himself all by himself, just to meet someone else's expectations or demands.

We reap where we have bestowed no labor. We ought then to not forget the laborer who did all the work beforehand to get a person to a place through which we can them reap them into the Kingdom.

One sows, another waters, but God gives the increase. Some sow in tears, through intercession and travail, in the prayer closets of their lives. Others sow the Word openly to all who would come and dine. Still others are but a friendly face and kind handshake or hug when the visitor comes to a meeting, that calms the visitor and assures him or her that love is present in and among the people he or she is visiting.

None of these, and all the rest not mentioned, are more important than the other.

so very true Brother.

[LOVE JESUS]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Sis, no one's going to hell because you don't speak up. Each and every person will be held accountable and judged by God for their own actions. Sin is what condemns a person to hell, not you.

I agree Brother. But I also believe it is our part to tell them the good news. Most don't read the Bible or even go to church.. Thank you for your kind words Brother. I see a lot of nit picking on here and most of the time, I don't respond because some people are easily offended and seem to want to debate and I don't like arguing so I just keep quiet. Thanks again and God bless you.