Have you discovered yet that second only to the blessing of experiencing Christ in biblical worship first hand, comes the great J-O-Y, fun and priviledge of tactfully sharing Jesus with another person? I say go for Him full-on and for sharing Him (see Mark 5:19)? Use whatever you appropriately can! Hey gang, I've got some questions for you ..if you don't mind. How will you be involved in God's plan? What will the web and fishing tools of tomorrow look like.. yeah, if those tomorrows arrive pre-rapture? Can U adapt to all the changes that are happening around you? Can I? An old Message with new trends n guidance—can such a combo glorify the God who through it all wants more kids in His is family?
Do you use the net to fish with or people to walk on? Do you care about high tech gadgets more than the peeps they were designed to help? I like and find some gadgets pretty helpful, but I still haven't caught on with the GPS devices yet.
What are you into, after, about and why? I feel like engaging people while I can. I want to be with em long enough to hear their hearts and see their needs. Where are they hanging out today ..on networks? I never knew so many of my cool friends were into e-farming and the Mafia, did you?
In these upcoming decades, I am totally looking forward to some more face to face and cyber-interaction minus the mouse and keyboard aren't you? I'm looking forward to better tools—more drag-n-drop evangelistic tracts, clear-vid-tracts, insightful literature and relevant audio Gospel e-tracts that don't smack of tacky boring dead religion.
Of course ya gotta know that e-fishing will never replace face-to-face fishin', but why not prayerfully be involved in both starting today ..zealously pointing-em to Christ and then to your sound Christ-honoring church? Friends and maintaining right priorities is so crucial in these times!
Fishin' tools, people or even "the ministry" aren't really worth bowin' to when Jesus alone is! We should love the Lord most and then others, but wisely use technology for em rather than love technology and use the Lord or people!
"Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them" ~Habakkuk 1:16
Are you over-enamored with your PowerPoint, Blu-ray, flat screens and social widgets? Man, do wanna go from a rustic hand sickle to big fat well-oiled combines for harvestin'! I do want to employ tasty up-to-date non-religious bait that the fish actually like! Do want to drop more appropriate lures n stuff in the water that righteously attract rather than scare the people away. Hey, the more wisely you prayerfully prepare, the more confident you'll be and communicate! The more hooks and nets you use in the right locations, the more fish you'll more than likely catch! With all due respect pastor, how many relevant Bible-loyal services do you.. or can you offer—the AMC Grand Theater in the hood near you offers many worship services with a wide range of appeal from morning to late night. Is it too hard business person for your clients to discover who you are committed to? I challenge you to trust the Lord. It doesn't cost a fortune to get creative with excellence! Do you put a Gospel-hook in every Message, a sly tract in the crack, or do you allow services to elapse without any form of salvation appeal to be presented?
Willing-all-out-Christ-worshipin' hearts are needed badly today unlike in any other day in history! Real-sinner-concern is a must-have for all Christians. Passionate-heart-to-voice-to-text-to-unbelievers kinda technology is also needed in our day, but not all the techy-distractions that are barraging us all! Methods seem to change fast (will we also quick enough?), but the Message never does!
Qs: Is it possible in this online culture that you can pray and be a servant of all.. seeing exponential results for God's glory? If your friends and their friends really do matter, how can we best reach them with the Gospel? How can you, with the same effort as you now employ one-on-one, edify, witness and win more people with truth and love simultaneously?
Consider it; knowledge shall be increased near the end! The Internet we know—that complicated series of protocols, the interconnected networks of various types, the now smaller than ever servers, the colorful cables, the slim laptops and desktop computers—it has all advanced so quickly in almost 20 short years since the first site was created ..to what we use daily now to interrelate with other by via browsers, email, youtube, hulu, linkedin, twitter, facebook etc. You've heard the story of how that U.S. Department of Defense research project into the foundation for the www (world wide waste of time.. no I mean the World Wide Web).
After the 4G wireless network craze starts to fade the web will become accessible almost anywhere if they Lord tarries. Now the embedding of the web will happen outside of your computers and all your TV and Media-Centric puter stuff will gradually merge into one. Your car, your city, and then America will more than likely become Wi-Fi hot spots in the next couple decades (Lord willing) and almost every appliance and wall in your house could become a useful touch-screen interactive interface (or probably a talk at screen interface). So how will the Church prepare for this more social world coming upon us, keeping others in mind and prayer? I say we, the Church, safely jump in to learn and minister now!
Pastor, the primary key to your church's growth aint Social Networks and other tech junk, nor has it ever hung on door-to-door or e-marketing. Undoubtedly, the so called sheep near your locale are already supplementing their fellowship and witnessing with great e-tools now, but the Key actually hung on the Cross. Yes, a Person who cares more for the lost than any state of the art buildings or wired and wireless infrastructure—Jesus brings the increase spiritually and numerically (and the later will follow the former, if the former is aimed at right)!
You know all this, but still do we spend enough time alone away from technology ..talking with Jesus about this? Are we listening attentively and hearing the Lord's specific directives for each unique fellowship and congregation? Do we still ask the Head many pointed questions and wait on Him for a flock's guidance sake? He doesn't mind tons of questions.
You know that Christ has a specific roll and calling for each person, each family, and each local church to fulfill, so merely mimicking the cutting-edge cyber tactics of sheep-shed-B in your home town ..won't automatically bring God's favor, touch and blessing within the four walls where you are.
Sure, we are to still rely more upon Jesus than on good tools, other's methodology or on our own minds in world evangelism today!
But remember that every year old fishermen fill boats with scaly, slimy, gilled, flopping creatures at real lakes near you by simply practicing ..and by becoming more tool and bait savvy. Can we learn from them too? Ya gotta know what the Lord wants you to apply, work with, and then gain good proficiency with the tackle box and contents that He give to your flock. Why not trust God to show you exactly which tools to invest in, and practice with. Why not expect God to use you as you utilize these things for net casting and even building His Kingdom up (instead of yours) short of sin?
"..O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" ~Daniel 12:4
THINK before ya flap your gums, shoot and send your pic, or click-clack your fingers: T – Is it truthful? H – Is it Helpful? I – Is it Inspiring? N – Is it really Needed? K – Is it Kind?
Churches grow when Christians pray, obey and go..
when we each sow, water n know that it's God who answers every prayer and thwarts every foe!
Every member can still share n care and be fair, instead of just be bored n stare. Hey God might say No, or Slow.. Grow or Go, but He gives the increase after prayer ..yes n much better than any pro!
It's directed-service from above that guides us like a gentle dove. That's what motivates pastors to preach n teach n live the Word ..and to reach out those who have not heard!
"And He [Jesus] said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish." ~John 21:6
"Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox." ~Proverbs 14:4
Qs: What's your objective with following, friending or subscribing to someone in Social Media? Why do ya or don't cha? Are you merely money motivated, lonely and want to make a love-connection, want to make a sale for your company, want a position, or want to become more "popular"?
Do you long to enlarge your circle of holy love to take in more needy people for the glory of God? Do you primarily hope to see the ones you friend one day regenerated inside and then grow on multiple levels as they listen to and respond to truth ..or do you yourself want to grow as you listen to and apply the truth that you read or hear from them? Do you pray for and encourage the people you friend?
Christian, "friending" people doesn't mean you make everyone—even closed-minded full-tilt reprobates—ur close friends (we need on-fire balanced Christians and those wanting to be.. as close friends). It does mean that you are willing to wisely risk, to give some people a chance, that you're willing to hear them out while wisely protecting your family and existing friends.. that you're willing to reason with em in the Spirit for an eternal purpose.
It should mean that you primarily have an aim to give rather than to get.. I mean to help and add value to people's lives rather than to be like a leach. Leachy people fixate on people and are unwilling to look to Christ to meet their needs as He promises to do. They have a hidden deficit that other people are expected to fill.
Please be on the give rather than on the take and let the Word, not others, define you. Jesus was and still is inclusive, but we are not to allow others to pull us downwards morally and spiritually. Following everyone back automatically defines you as an autofollower.. someone who can be easily influenced. Why follow instead of block a stubbornly committed pervert? Jesus said follow Me. Sure people you follow can change for the worse and then post the wrong photos etc (it has surprised me at times who I needed to confront and sometimes block). But following many of your new followers back could mean that you are someone who wants to positively influence many in love ..by planting, watering and cultivating seeds of truth in them. Do you boldly pray for God to reap others through you?
Listen, you define yourself by who you Friend, close-Friend, block or subscribe to ..virtually or face to face. Some will reject becoming your friend by seeing who you friend. Have you made Jesus, Facebook, Twitter, a peer or a puter-game your very best friend? Who do you talk about the most? Where do you spend most of your time and money? Have you made your spouse your second best friend? And then do you graciously keep em in that second slot? Who or what do you put ahead of them or ahead of your relationship with Jesus? With social networks, do you sit, stand or walk in the counsel of the ungodly? See Psalm one.
"They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship… So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" ~Acts 2:42, 46-47
A church or fellowship whose members Worship Jesus in public and in private, Evangelize on or offline, Learn from every verse and situation, and Love God and all kinds of folk.. will be a WELL church, rad-effective in the community, and much appreciated by all those in the neighborhood!
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." ~1 Corinthians 3:6
Those are some words that you and I can meditate upon for awhile ..within their own context huh. May God give us keen insight and fishing courage!
RU inChrist? Ynot? UcanB2day!
