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Pastors – Let My People Go

Below is an excerpt from a chapter entitled A Church of Spectators. Reading this reminded me of Isaiah 1:18 where it says “Come now, let us reason together”. Enjoy!

For 1700 years the traditional church as a whole has become filled with spectator Christians, people who do nothing more than sit and watch, sing songs, listen to sermons and give in the offering and sit some more.

In other words, the Church as a whole has become passive, inert, ineffective and inept. That is what the one man rule within the Church has caused.

Satan has also for 1700 years paralyzed the church by making the believers watchers of ministry rather than doers of ministry. The result has been weak, selfish, baby Christians, who if they don’t get their way can run off to another church and sit there and watch.

I myself can’t just sit and watch someone else minister to people year after year and not get involved myself. I know I have been called and I know there is something for me to do and I know that daily there are many opportunities for me to be used by God.

I cannot be a spectator. If the opportunities are not in the big church setting or I am not approved by man in their system, I still have a job to do for God. Whether this book accomplishes what I hope or not, I still have been given the task of writing it and believing God for what He does with it.

I refuse to be a spectator on the sidelines, watching someone else, sitting idle and refusing to get involved. My goal is to be actively involved in ministry until someone carries me to my final resting place.

With all of the sermons that we hear and all of the lessons etc., what are we suppose to do with that? Is it all just for our own comfort? Is it there so we can stroke our own conscience and feel good about ourselves? Or are we supposed to actually do something with what we’ve learned? When I hear a message from the Word of God, I think of how I can apply it in my life. What is the life lesson and how can someone else benefit from this lesson?

Christianity is not a spectator event, Ephesians4:11-16. It is not only there for our comfort. It is who we are and what we are. Our Christian lives are to be lived out and shared with others. We, the body of Christ, are all ministers of the Gospel. Jesus commanded us to “Go and make disciples.”

I feel that spectator Christianity is a crime against the Kingdom of God because IF YOU’RE NOT TAKING GROUND FOR GOD YOU MUST BE HOLDING GROUND FOR THE DEVIL. Being a sitter in the Church is ultra boring to me. Why even go to church if there is nothing to contribute or share.

I am a part of the Body of Christ, a minister of the Word of God, not a piece of furniture. If I can’t contribute or if I am not allowed to, I go my way to where my gifts are celebrated and used. I know there are people who prefer to sit and do nothing, but I also know people who hunger for the day when their ministry will be recognized. God recognizes your ministry, He gave it to you.

Shame on the pastors who perpetuate the one man, professionals only type church. You are actually standing in the way of God’s plan and purposes.

You as pastor say you want more people to get involved in the church, then why don’t you recognize them for who they are, ministers of God and your spiritual equal.

The pastor actually creates the spectator problem, with the governmental system they operate in. There is no room for ministry, except for the professionals. It’s a contradictory and counterproductive system.

If you want to sit up here on the platform in these nice embroidered chairs, you go to college and seminary, get your degree, a license and ordination then we’ll give you permission to speak. No wonder people sit there and do nothing. Tell me what does a license or ordination and all that stuff have to do with receiving a revelation from God? What does it have to do with having a burden for lost souls or teaching?

Peter, James, and John didn’t get a certificate before they were qualified to preach the Gospel. Neither did Barnabas, or Silas or even Jesus for that matter. The Pharisees considered Jesus and the disciples as unlearned men and questioned them by what authority they did what they did. But they couldn’t question the power.

Only Paul comes closest to the scenario of possessing man-made qualifications. He was a Pharisee and highly educated in men’s traditions yet after finding the Lord in his life he considered those things to be of less value and nothing but dung compared to the spirit of God.

If God told you to start a Bible study in your home, then start it. If you get a blessing from the leadership, fine. If not, start it anyway. You must follow what God has told you to do over that of man. Also remember that the professionals don’t have all the answers and they are not perfect. Brother and sister; get out of your seats or pews and do what God has called you to do. Don’t wait for permission from men. You might be waiting a very long time.

One last thing, you recall that when Jesus was crucified that the veil was torn in two. That means God has given us all access to Him, not only concerning prayer but also ministry. Don’t allow a pastor, or staff member or anyone else to get between you and your ministry. In Jesus’ time it was the priesthood and the Pharisees. Today it’s pastors and other leadership in the church.

Go ahead and step through that invisible barrier into your own priesthood with boldness, knowing you are highly favored of the Lord and have His approval, regardless of what man says.

Glen Newman, Pastors – Let My People Go

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