YES!!!

Thanks for the idea. I really think this is important. I believe strongly that a church needs to be active in worship, evangelism, and discipleship/mentoring. If a church is failing in one of these it might still grow but it is unstable and likely not real growth. I’ve seen plenty of this. Discipleship needs to be well rounded too though. Teaching on theology without practical application isn’t really discipleship. Looks like you guys are doing what needs to be done. I just wish more churches were. Heck I wish I could get my church to do this.

One way to do this is to provide tools that teach people how to make disciples. This is what my church uses. I’ve never used this workbook itself, I think I have used the “One To One”, “Experiencing Victory”, and “Spiritual Foundations” book (by the sam organization/authors) on the girl I disciple (she was not saved or churched 6 months ago, but she was HUNGRY- now she is saved, churched and an active, volunteering member!).

http://www.everynationstore.com/Detail.bok?no=71

Hmmm. Now I kind of feel like I answered your question with a “look at how my church does it, we’re so cool” kind of response… not my iintentions at all! But I wish I had a tool like this years ago.

I don’t think it really matters what exactly you use though, because all of these workbooks are basically just books full of Bible verses that you take others through. I guess what matters more is seeing it done (being discipled yourself).

I wouldn’t have had the confidence to disciple someone if I hadn’t been discipled myself in the first place, about 4 or 5 years ago- and I was saved and churched all 21 years of my life… had led bible studies and been in leadership groups at church.. i had just never seen it done!

The problem of church cannibalism is a sticky one. How much of the problem lies with the church– both the sending and the receiving. The church receiving new congregates has an obligation to know those people and the situations that brought them there, especially if coming from another church. The church losing congregates has the obligation to pursue those leaving and ask within why this is happening.

I agree there is a flavor-of-the-month epidemic in the United States in regard to the church. Is this a judgment on the church or the culture? Much has to do with the church’s capitulation with the culture rather than raising a strong body. Much of the church starts and stops with numbers, this is why I ruffle at statistics which only tends to feed the number mentality. I completely agree “a church growing because disgruntled people are filling it up from other churches is not healthy any more than a church that is losing disgruntled members.” How much is the responsibility of leadership as well as the body as a whole? The leadership of a church is responsible for discipling its members, however there is still a personal responsibility to faith. As long as Christ has allowed His Church to be run by men there will always be some problems. “In the last days there will come times of difficulty.” The church needs to more seriously heed Paul’s instruction to the church in 2 Timothy 3, but instead we start another church.

The current mentality of church planting in the U.S. is troublesome. Rather than expending the energy Paul did to restore the Corinthian church we haul off and start a new church. We fall on the sword of current culture’s three e’s: ease, expedience, and expendable.

Finally, I agree the first century church was a “community church.” However, the churches were based on community, or where one lived– not based on what ministry you fit into. The U.S. church suffers from our cultures lack of community and the church is not filling the void of a severe need for community and relationship.

Connectional denominations try to do things like that…and often fail miserably.

Methodism comes to mind immediately (as I used to be Methodist). That system you describe is basically the entire point behind the system they promote….but it only works as far as the specific ministers are NOT territorial chihuahuas.

And most are.

OK WATCH this video and get FIRED UP cause God wants to use every man, every woman and every child to carry the fire of revival to a lost and dying world!

http://www.revival.com/greatawakeningpromo/

Preach it. Seriously I strongly agree with “lay” Christians stepping up. Paul clearly teaches that the “leadership” of the Church is there to help build up the members of the Church so that they, the members and leadership, can do the good works which God has prepared already for them.

I also believe revival will be lead by lay leaders. Most recent revivals have been. I mean real revivals not just some church with a big revival service.

It is funny but the youth groups I work with have several students that attend multiple groups. I believe 10-15 of the students that attend my Youth consider another church their primary church. Their church meets on a different night so it works.

I sit down regularly with the YPs from these other churches and we do events together. We try to figure out things that allow us to reach the thousand plus teens that aren’t in church in our community knowing that if we reach them every church in our community will be full of students.

I wonder what would happen if this caught on with the “big church?”

I agree that some people leave churches because those churches are dead and dying, but I also have seen first hand where a church is torn apart (cannibalized) when other churches could help them.

I disagree that my idea isn’t a Biblical principle. When Paul writes to a church it is to a community church. We seem to think there was some big church but it was a series of smaller churches with a single bishop over them. The bishop was tasked with ensuring sound doctrine was taught in the individual churches, resolving disputes between the churches, and helping the local pastor. Fighting a bickering did happen, but Paul and James address those issues and the advice is never, “go to another church,” or “get rid of the pastor, or “close down the church.”

At no point was I suggesting that we tear apart growing churches, but rather that we need to figure out how we can increase the number of new Christians in our Church instead of shifting around the people in churches. A church growing because disgruntled people are filling it up from other churches is not healthy any more than a church that is losing disgruntled members.