Imagine a firefighter that has to bring a burning house to the fire station before anything that can be done.
Or, an EMT that doesn’t do anything in the field but has to bring an injured or dying patient to the hospital before anything can be done.
There would be a lot of homes destroyed and a lot of people crippled or dying for lack of life-saving care.
Sounds familiar?
The industrial church teaches us to bring people to “church”, that when you encounter them to refer them elsewhere (to a pastor, a service, a class, a program) -to send them somewhere else.
That’s what the disciples said to Jesus in Mark 6:36,
“Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”
But, what was Jesus’ reply in Mark 6:37?
“But He answered and said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.'”
We are called to be disciples of Christ, not merely members of a club.
Disciple, μαθητής, means “learner, pupil, student”.
What are we learning?
We are being taught by God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) The Way of the Kingdom of God and to do what our Master, Jesus, does (love: preach the good news, heal and set people free -Luke 4:18).
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
-John 14:12
We should be disciples, learning to do that work, making the Father known through the revelation and ministry of His Son and making disciples –not recruiting people to an organization.
Our Lord has given each of us, every one of us, all of us work to do and gifts to do them. And the greatest gift of all is the Lord Himself, resident in each of us through the Holy Spirit.
Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5) and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
We have the bread of life. If you don’t, get it.
Don’t send them away.
Our Lord commands,
‘You give them something to eat.’
The industrial church has lulled you to sleep.
Repent!
Stop being a “church” member and start being a disciple.
I love you.
#industrialchurch #discipleship