This famous verse in Holy Scripture about sending out laborers for preaching the “good news” is found at Matthew 9:37-38.
In Matthew 10:1-15, Jesus commissioned his apostles and gave them authority to preach the gospel. Then Jesus appointed and sent out 72 disciples ahead of Him, two by two into every town He was about to visit to preach the kingdom of God. The apostle Paul reflected on this sending work, emphasizing how essential preachers are at Romans 10:14-15 when he wrote: “And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”
Jesus gave them instructions on what to pack and how to handle rejection. Paul instructed to support those who do the preaching work.
In the last two churches I’ve attended the pastors have done no such thing; none of the above. The pastor in the latest local church I attended is so lukewarm that when he gave a sermon on Revelation chapter 4 which is about the magnificence of God’s presence, the glory of God’s throne in heaven and the 144,000 former Israelites to be appointed in heaven as kings and priest, he literally talked about his own achievements for several minutes and was comparing verses to the “Lord of the Rings,” and other times he’ll spend minute after minute speaking about soccer. The pastor has absolutely zero zeal. The only thing I’ve seen about the disciple making work at this church is on a flyer passed to attendants coming into church with a line at the top about quoting the great commission at Matthew 28:19 which says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” All it says is “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”
There are no teaching disciples how to preach. How to teach. How to start Bible studies. How to conduct a Bible study. Nothing; nobody goes out to make disciples that I’ve heard about at these churches. They conduct studies with children at one church during church hours. I spoke to this pastor and brought it to his attention and all he did was correct me when I said the preaching work, he said the disciple making work as though gaslighting me. He’s comfortable with his paycheck and appears to have no intention of sending disciples out in the disciple making work. He doesn’t want to make more work for anyone than necessary, especially himself it appears. It’s a small town and possibly the churchgoers have nothing to compare with?
How long can a church linger before being spit out? It’s all gatherings of food or fun with each other and not disciple making with those on the outside. At Revelation 3:15-16 Jesus warns the church at Laodicea that because they have become complacent and half-hearted in their faith, He will “spit” them out of His mouth.
In these critical urgent times in these ‘last days’ we’re living in, it is mandatory urgent dire that we take as much time every day in any way we can to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”(Book of Matthew chapter 24)
Always Christian with love at Anne Fisher Foundation. Women Protecting Women and Children