tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33406070.post3008699134520135664..comments2023-08-10T08:15:14.368-07:00Comments on The 2 Timothy 2:2 Objective: Church Growth?Rollandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08901833934313125718noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33406070.post-35234195057146591312007-07-24T05:30:00.000-07:002007-07-24T05:30:00.000-07:00I have not read this book, but based on the quotat...I have not read this book, but based on the quotations and the points you have made I would say I agree with you wholeheartedly.<BR/><BR/>The adoption of worldly, unbiblical practices by the church in our country has become epidemic in my opinion. We have bought the lie that "success" has everything to do with size, money, figureheads, and status. When in fact, scripture is clear that the body of Christ, where He is actually the "head" and not a buzzword, is all about serving others, reaching the lost, making disciples, and becoming increasingly spiritually mature. None of these genuine issues have any resemblance or association with the "church as business" mentality of growing larger numerically, financially and in notoriety.<BR/><BR/>Isn't it sad that in so much of Christ's church in America, Christ has been relegated to a nice byword or lure while the real technicians, (us, unfortunately), have assumed headship of the body and have begun reshaping it to make it more palatable to our fleshly desires? I suppose we must begin to ask ourselves if much of what we see can really even be called Christ's church at all.<BR/><BR/>As Jesus said in Luke 18:8,<BR/><BR/>"...When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"Tony Magarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11679088187817683234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33406070.post-19606980294979889412007-07-23T21:55:00.000-07:002007-07-23T21:55:00.000-07:00Essentially I agree with your point of view. If we...Essentially I agree with your point of view. If we examine the ministry of Christ while on earth, we discover a leadership style that was loving and kind. In order to demonstrate love and kindness, one has to develop the relational aspect just as Jesus did. Sullivan seems to suggest church leaders must abandon this practice. <BR/><BR/>If we take a close look at how CEO's run their corporations, we find that the most powerful force driving them is personal success. This includes the huge bonuses they receive while some of the unskilled workers lost their jobs. When it comes to economics and business I am all for a capitalist system that rewards those who take risks and who create jobs by their managerial skills. <BR/><BR/>The problem with this approach to church leadership and church growth is that we are in the "business" of bringing others to Christ through personal witness and sacrifice, if necessary, not personal success.<BR/><BR/>Any church leader who views a congregation as a business to run has committed a terrible error in his choice of employment. Church leaderhsip, specifically the pastorate, is a vocation...not a profession.Kevin O. Gaonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17097325731302944333noreply@blogger.com