debs4jc Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 This reminds me of Jesus' parable about the wheat and the tares. There will always be uncommitted people mixed in with the comitted believers of our church fellowships. While Jesus teaches us not to worry about weeding them out, we do need to guard against their influence. The word of God I'd our guide that never changes. Testing any new teaching or innovative idea against scripture will help keep us on the right path. Teaching from the word the true meaning of worship will also help. Hmmmmmm...it's been a long time since I heard a sermon on that tooic, come to think of it. I think many pastors are scared to address this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil NRG Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 On 8/16/2017 at 7:19 AM, Pastor Ralph said: Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart? Redesign danger? In Ezra 4, the concern of the Jews was corrupting the God's distinctive plan and instructions for His church. Letting people without a deep heart commitment to the Lord redesign aspects of today's church is likely to result in it being redesigned in a way that does not honour the holiness of this place to God. The focus needs to be on the love of and for God; so easily churches can get lost in pursuit of numbers, money and international glory, rather than developing and discipling a loving church family. Remember the early church? Innovative and faithful? The Old Covenant was very rigid. We can be innovative under the New Covenant, if we have a heart for God and helps provide insights for us that honour Him and our love of God and His people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Hawkins Posted September 17, 2017 Report Share Posted September 17, 2017 Some will become ravenous wolves seeking to scatter the flock or teach falsehoods in the church. Our shepherds need to be aware of undercurrents and strange practices at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted September 18, 2017 Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 On 8/15/2017 at 5:19 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart? People without a deep commitment to the Lord will end up mixing or tainting true worship to the Lord. Without a heart fully committed and totally surrendered to the Lord, there will always be some type of spiritual contamination of the praise, worship and preaching of the Word of GOD. No wonder He says they that worship Me must worship Me in spirit and in truth. Those Samaritans only wanted to help rebuild the temple so they could manipulate and control God's people, it wasn't because they loved Jehovah God.. No matter how much times change, or the music or the generations, Christ must remain central in all we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmndungu Posted September 19, 2017 Report Share Posted September 19, 2017 I believe self centered and uncommitted Christians are led by flesh and thus have not fully submitted to God and as such they are led of their own personal self agenda of fame, recognition etc.. As the Bible puts it clearly to carnally minded is death,at the end of time their action brings to death the work of the committed Christians Any form worship, preaching or any activities in our Christian lives that are not Christ centered will surely come down. I feel for us to call overcome this is by living lives that fully surrendered to Christ daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted September 23, 2017 Report Share Posted September 23, 2017 Q3. Q. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? A. There will be pollution of the true and holy worship that arise from the influence of the idolatrous nation giving rise to the downfall of the Godly nation/ people/ church Q. How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? A. I believe there should be no compromise to the worship of God. We should no the standard of God and stand firm to the standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Grant Posted September 25, 2017 Report Share Posted September 25, 2017 Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? 1. It will hinder the praise and worship which will cause a dead church. Therefore the spirit will eventually leave the church. The church’s reputation and the community will be destroyed and considered disrespectful. 2. It will become dead worship and lead toward the devil’s false way of worshiping God. The true spirit will be left out of worship. 3. There will be false teaching. 4. Be committed and praising God to the fullest with our whole heart and soul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganti Vivek Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 These uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own benefits and corrupt the true worship of God, which should be done as said in John 4:23-24, the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth. The uncommitted people will do in a Hippocratic way by which the church and our God's name is blamed among the gentiles. The danger is that these people will try to elevate themselves by doing things in the name of the God for their profit and fame. It is sad to notice that in some places the preachers are only preaching physical blessings and doing fake miracles and asking donations to attract people without giving any warning message about second coming of Christ and how to be prepared for it. The most accepted way to be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart is by doing service to humanity specially the downtrodden, lending a helping hand in their life struggle and sharing the Gospel with them, in the church try and use the latest technology for quicker references and showing relevant clippings, PPTs etc making more lively and better understanding of the word of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 On 8/15/2017 at 5:19 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart? The enemy is at the heart of removing true worship to God. Unfortunately, some are snared in the plans of the enemy to tamper with our praise, worship and service to God by bringing in selfish desires, modernization, copycat rituals; removing the true and genuine fellowship with God. Jesus to the Samaritan woman that indeed the Father is seeking true worship, "But the time is coming--indeed it's here now--when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way." ) John 4:23. It is Satan's plan to enter into the heart of man to tamper with God's design for the church’s image in the community, to redesign worship and to redesign the preaching. We can be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart when we are led by the Spirit of God in our praise, worship and service to God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKeane Posted November 5, 2017 Report Share Posted November 5, 2017 I think we and especially me tend to "assume" my option/alternative IS God's Will WITHOUT the necessary prayerful patience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted November 11, 2017 Report Share Posted November 11, 2017 Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart? The danger is that worship as well as preaching turns into something else or as the question states "worship for their own ends ..." Structure of worship can be innovative, that shouldn't be up to debate, as long as the worship reflects the God of the Bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damary Alembi Posted November 23, 2017 Report Share Posted November 23, 2017 Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? The danger is that they tend to lure one in their own believes. They mix, corrupt the mind, by mixing believes. They want to retain control. Start fighting over certain rights. Redesign worship? Personal restoration. To restore worship. Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? So long as the works of innovation is directed towards glorifying our God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSF Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? While, of course, we much reach out to people who do not know God and His salvation, we must remain true to Scripture or the Christian faith stands on nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 The uncommitted people are not serious about God, They are not putting the Lord first in their life. Letting them redesign would be a disaster. To be innovative and still be faithful to Gods heart is to stand fixed on Gods law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preistina11 Posted December 4, 2019 Report Share Posted December 4, 2019 Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? The danger would be that the distinctive identity of the body of Christ will be lost. A half hearted commitment will lead to the enemy stepping in and cause havoc. Redesign worship? It will become more of a performance for self glory. Redesign the preaching? It will become a preaching that only talks about what people want to hear and not what God has to say. How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? By relying on the Holy Spirit who is the most innovative of all. By always realigning our hearts back to our Father. When we spend more time in the secret place we will learn to say what our Father says and do what He does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Q. Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart?The uncommitted people will redesign the church, worship and preaching in line with what and how they will want things to suit their ego and way of life instead of doing things to please the Lord God of Heaven by worship Him in truth and in spirit. We can be innovative and still be faithful to God only by submitting our selves wholly to the leadership and power of God through the Holy Spirit living and working in us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted September 24, 2020 Report Share Posted September 24, 2020 There is grave danger in allowing non Christians or nominal Christians become involved in Church matters. If they were permitted to be involved they could introduce something which is not Biblical . This would give a wrong message about our Church and it’s teachings. It would dilute and distort the teaching of God’s Word. People within the Church would be confused and may start to believe things that are unbiblical. This in turn may lead to many problems within the body of Christ.If a member of the body did something wrong and had to be corrected, they may refer to the other person and what had been introduced into the church and question as to why that is allow but now they are being corrected ! Non biblical practice would also drive sincere Christians away to other bible believing church’s, visiting Christians would not come to join in worship if nonbiblical practices were going on in a church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souxieq Posted October 21, 2020 Report Share Posted October 21, 2020 (edited) On 8/16/2017 at 2:49 AM, Pastor Ralph said: Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart? This is a common phenomenon borne out of egoistical motives. Some people are just vengeful - if they can't have their way, they use anything they can to disrupt what exists. I have not seen any good come of it and would love to have an answer to this. The building of the temple was stalled for about 20 odd years due to people like this. The Jews were not willing to dilute the laws given them by God. It takes people of close communion with the Holy Spirit, worldly experience and an assertive yet just manner to deal with this. Yet one man may not be able to do itnon his own. As long as hubris and greed are the uppermost motives this follows in the secular world and sadly even in a world where we claim to be followers of Christ. Edited October 22, 2020 by souxieq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ropah Muindisi Posted December 26, 2022 Report Share Posted December 26, 2022 Q1a) The danger is that they will make us redesign it from a place of compromise based on what is convenient rather than what pleases God. We can be innovative and faithful to God's heart if we put our innovation to the subjection of what God wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.