Preaching Is for Evangelism, Not Discipleship
This one gets flipped in a lot of mainstream churches. Even in “seeker-sensitive” venues, the members are still expected not just to attend Sunday morning, but to get the lion’s share of their growth there.
Meanwhile, we slide into routines and complacency. Into religion instead of the Way.
Preaching throughout the New Testament was a means of spreading the Gospel. Once a church formed, however, an apostle would train them to live by Christ’s life through his Spirit. When the church was ready, the apostle left town.
Yes, the worker would return to give encouragement and correction, and that may well have involved preaching. It was rare. All Christians were responsible to live out Christ’s life to the fullest, without segregating special functions to special people. There were gifts; everyone had them, and everyone used them – especially in a church’s regular meetings.
So what happens if your church shifts toward this pattern? First, you will lose people, a lot of people. They’ll retreat to a congregation where less is asked of them. Your building won’t make much sense, at least not for a long time. The staff will all be let go.
However, the light of Christ will shine in a way it hasn’t for a very long time. Mission will explode. Love will abound. The few who stay will fulfill their life’s calling to pursue Jesus Christ recklessly and radically. A more full Gospel will spread, and more will come.
