Survival Of The Fittest

Picture this. Imagine applying for a job in which you had no experience. The corporation hired you knowing you lacked experience. You attend the new hire orientation where you learn about the vision and mission of the corporation. They also tell you the corporations history and how you're part of their future. They finally verify all of your information for their records. You go home with a feeling of excitement and nervousness about getting involved the next day. When you arrive to work you are provided with a handbook, given a welcoming reception and then everybody goes their separate ways. What do you do? Is someone going to train you? Where do you go? Are you able to survive?

Now think about this in context of the church. People come to church and give their lives to God. They attend a new members orientation. They are given a bible, greeted by other members and then they are left alone to survive on their own.

For the past few weeks our bible study has been used as the platform to develop our Gospel Outreach Community Church's "New Disciple Orientation." Our Director of Christian Education is leading the charge in giving new Christians an environment to gain a better understanding of the decision they made, strengthen the foundation of their knowledge of Christ and give them a peace of mid that they are not on this journey alone.

Churches need to recognize that this is not "every man for themselves", "survival of the fittest" or "Hunger Games".  This is a journey where mature Christians help new Christians to stand on their own two feet and become mature Christians themselves.


Besides a New Disciples Orientation, what could we do to disciple new Christians on their new journey?


Pastor JB Marshall
Email: pastorjbmarshall@gospeloutreachcc.org
www.gospeloutreachcc.org
www.twitter.com/RevJBMarshall
www.facebook.com/GospelOutreachCC

No Signs Needed

(Judges 6:36-40) 

³⁶ And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

³⁷ Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

³⁹ And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

⁴⁰ And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

What I find interesting about Gideon is that he sought a sign after God told him that He will save Israel by Gideon's hands. God did show him two signs to confirm that He will use Gideon.  However, the reality is that the signs shown to him did not change the fact that God had spoken to him. Gideon knew it was God who was talking but he did not believe that God could use him.

When we keep asking God to show us a "sign" or "confirm" what He has already told us, we show a lack of faith in God's ability to use us. I know from experience.  I could use the fingers of about ten people to help me count the amount of times I asked God to confirm my call to pastor a church. I've asked God to confirm the confirmation that confirmed the confirmation of the original assignment and then asked for more confirmation. God's answer never changed.

We need to get to a point that the original assignment is confirmation enough. How do we do that?

1. Lose the Fear: If you do not let go of the fear and doubt, you will not be able to let go of the need for confirmation.
2. Trust God: God chose to use you because He knows you better than anybody else. He knows you better than yourself. He knows that you're capable. He will supply you with everything you need.
3. Know Who You Are: You are a Christian which means you suppose to be a follower of Jesus the Christ. Follow the examples He left for us. Jesus walked with faith in God, spoke boldly, believed in what He was saying and moved according to God's will. 

Let's make a declaration that we no longer need a sign from God. Let's move in His will based on what He said and not on how many times He had to tell us.


Why do you think we look for signs or confirmation? What else could help us move to God's initial call to us?

Pastor Jeremiah "JB" Marshall
Gospel Outreach Community Church
Website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org

Blog: www.jeremiahmarshall.blogspot.com

Personal Study

Study to she thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)

I'm bi-vocational. While always on the ministry front I did have the opportunity to take off from my secular job yesterday. During that time, I spent some of it finishing a book that I started reading and completely reading another book. I left the couch feeling like I have gain knowledge and understanding that I did not previously have on those topics.

While I have not conducted a scientific survey on Christians reading the bible, it would be unfair for me to state if it is done a lot or not. What I am permitted to say is that we should take the time to read our bible translations, other commentaries, and the biblical text in their original languages. Why should we do this:

1. Upgrade In Transmission: Just like the postal system does not use horses to deliver mail from one location to the next, the scriptures are no longer transmitted via oral means only. The scriptures are available in book or electronic format. We do not have to wait for the next sermon to be preached to us or bible study taught to us.
2. Read to Study. Study to Learn: Reading initiates the process to learn. We should not expect someone to do the reading and studying for us. Educational Institutions do not simply expect teachers to have their books and students take their word for it. They expect the students to have their own books, go to their "quiet place", read the lesson, study the lesson and learn the material. We are to do the same.
3. Sharing: We have to fulfill the Great Commission by spreading the good news (Gospel) of to all. You cannot share what you do not know or have. Sharing what someone else knows or have will only get you so far. 

Take the time to study the holy scriptures and other books. Hopefully you will get off the "couch" like I did feeling like you have gain knowledge and understanding that you did not previously have.

What other reasons should we read the bible translations, other commentaries and the biblical text in their original language?

Pastor JB Marshall
Gospel Outreach Community Church
Website: www.gospeloutreachcc.org
Blog: www.jeremiahmarshall.blogspot.com/