It focuses on evangelism, and intentionally leaves out other aspects of the faith, including worship and serving the poor. As you know, it’s impossible to cover everything in a single post.

Finally, while I would not agree with everything Rick Warren or Bill Hybles say, I find them both to be strong Christian leaders living our their calling in a Biblical and Godly way. It’s my duty as a leader to learn from all kinds of people.

I am fully aware of what is happening at YOUR particular church. I’ve been listening to Oak Leafs sermons for almost 2 years.

The Biblical preaching of Oak Leaf is the exception NOT the rule when it comes to Seeker-Driven churches.

This post however, is guilty of passing along the purpose-driven party line and propaganda that pits discipleship against evangelism.

Keep in mind that the church not only survived it thrived and grew LONG before Rick Warren and Bill Hybels brought Peter Drucker’s business, leadership & marketing theories into the church.

How was that possible? Real simple. Well fed mature Christians naturally share their faith out in the world where the live and work. Well fed, well read mature Christians have been and always will be the best evangelists.

If you truly care about reaching the lost then feed and mature the sheep God’s put in your care. People naturally talk about and share the things that are important in they’re lives with other people. Deep Christ-Centered discipleship creates an army of evangelists.

In fact, its become so frequent for us to get families visiting our church because they’re sick of the stupid shallow relevant culture shows of their previous churches that we actually have come up with a name for them. We call them “Purpose-Driven Refugees”.

You boyz keep it up. Keep name calling and accusing those who insist that their pastors do what God’s word tells them to do of being selfish and you’ll be growing OUR churches for us.

We actually understand that God commands His Pastors to preach the word 2 Tim. 4:1-4, and feed Christ’s sheep, John 21:17.

Ya’ll have bought a lie and think that Christ calls pastors to be innovative entertaining, change agents / CEOs.

Jesus calls shepherds NOT CEOs to disciple and feed His Flock.

1. What is the purpose of gathering together on a given day of the week as a group? In other words, what is the purpose of the Church service? Discipleship or Evangelism? Both?

2. What is the difference between the content that a lost and a disciple needs to hear?

3. Would you agree that evangelism is the process where one goes from being lost to being saved? Or is evangelism the process one goes from being lost to being a disciple? Are they both processes?

4. How does the world discipline and disciple relate to one another?

Lets agree that we will use the bible as our final authority in the discussion.

Also, if your churches are going to try to evangelize, please do it with the true gospel.

I’d give anything to worship with 50 sheep than 25,000 goats. Please turn from where you’re headed. You’re killing us out here.

Luke 10: 38-41

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Although what Martha was doing was good and intended to serve the Lord, Jesus calls sitting and His feet and being “spoon-fed” His word the BETTER thing. (And remember, Mary is already a disciple!) We shouldn’t make going deep into God’s Word and spreading that Word an either/or proposition, especially not when Our Lord so clearly commends this sitting and feeding on His Word.

Also consider this in John 21:15-17

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

The apostle is here commanded not just to “go and make disciples” but also to FEED those who are already Jesus’ sheep! I don’t think that one can make the argument that it is bad for a pastor to guide people in deeper study of the Bible FROM the Bible- only from the mistaken mindset that too much Bible study will somehow prevent people from evangelizing.

But here’s the bigger issue I have with this post: it assumes that once you have been converted, you are spiritually healthy and do not need a physician. Nothing could be further from the truth! Doesn’t Paul talk about his struggling against sin even after he is not only a Christian, but an apostle? (Romans 7). Because Christians still sin, they still need to be confronted with God’s Word on a regular basis to rebuke their sin, and then reminded of Jesus’ victorious death and resurrection to defeat sin. We all need to depend on the Great Physician until the day we die.

I’m NOT trying to say that evangelism isn’t extremely important- but the necessity of a pastor taking the time to really feed his sheep can’t and shouldn’t be underestimated. Maybe I’m misreading the whole post- forgive me if I am. But I just don’t see it as appropriate to ever discourage people from asking for more and deeper teaching in the Word, even if you are doing it in the process of trying to encourage more evangelism.

I went 2 that church for 4 years & never heard the Gospel. As a new believer I was not discipled & therefore I had no idea how 2 war spiritually. I was saved. When I let someone know that I felt starved & alone(confessing ones sin to one another is what we should do to hold eachother up as a body right?) I heard sermon after sermon that “if you feel you are not fed go elsewhere”. I cried because I loved my Pastor & I thought I was his sheep. I was starting to fall on one of the cliffs, being bound by guilt & condemnation of the law that was preached without the Gospel. I am still very hurt. God is teaching me & keeping me but, there is something to be said about discipleship & building a family with other believers.

Now my family & I do not have a church. I still read my bible at home but, we don’t really have anyone. We were let go to wander away. God Himself is wonderful because through it all He has kept us. He Himself will lead us & guide us & I have total faith in Him. I do want to say though this post is wrong. The call of a pastor is to feed Jesus sheep. If you can’t do it then get off the pulpit or rather should I say stage.
Church is now one big entertaining show. The body is left without & scattered. Repent & preach the word of God!! His words not yours

I agree with Clay. Christ calls us to make disciples. It is a personal charge to spread the Gospel. But Christ’s Body meets together to encourage and prepare each other for that mission. How are we to be prepared to defend the true Gospel in all of its miraculous detail without going deep enough to understand what it really entails? I’ve met plenty of Christians with inch deep knowledge that were not effective at all, and the people I know who have a deep understanding of the Word are passionate in following Christ and spreading God’s Word! Pastors who only preach spiritual milk and deny their congregations the meat of the Gospel lead spiritual infants unprepared to stand on their own in Christ.