To be a representative of God and witnesses to the works of Jesus can be a daunting task, depending. The main trouble with Christians (both new and seasoned) is that we have a huge gap in true discipleship/mentoring.
In the mainline Church today, we have youth-groups, men’s and ladies groups, child classes, etc. While all these groups and programs are good for their intended purposes, they lack one important ingredient, true discipleship. What Jesus has taught (going out 2 by 2) is lacking or nonexistent in the Church today; rather, we have replaced personal, hands on training with mics, loud speakers, and video screens, etc to compensate for this shortcoming. The Church today usually have one person (namely the pastor, preacher, reverend, etc) throwing themselves out there by technological means having no real personal contact with others what-so-ever.
This type of method has caused apathy in the body. This method also requires vast amounts of money from Mr. and Mrs. Q'tithe-payer. *Ever wonder where exactly does your tithe money really go?* It's much easier to build bigger buildings to accommodate new people who come in and enjoy what your particular sect has to offer, throw some money at it and be proud of what God has done!
Have you ever taken a step back and wonder, *Where are the poor, the meek, the lowly types? Why aren't we bringing them in?* Where's our charity? Is it towards one another, and if so, what good is that?
1 Corinthians 1:17-31 26
"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
The early Church was made up of these types. Jesus reached out to the outcasts when no one else wanted them. These types where thought of like dirt, made for ignoble purposes, but the Lord Jesus thought better of it. Jesus saw the actual value in people who were low stature. He knew that to those who do not have, that when given something of real value, would appreciate even more than those who've always had.
What Jesus offered was in no way materialistic, rather things of the heart; e.g., Love, wisdom, joy, peace, knowledge, comradery, among actual physical blessings. Jesus disciples flourished under his tutelage, though there were plenty of times when His disciples were *bonked* on the head for their short-sightedness.
We all in this present age suffer from a lack of solid mentoring, instead roaming the land like free-ranging cowboy Christians with no real solid consistency. I do thank God for his Holy Spirit who does guide and makes up for the lack of Christian discipline as much as our hearts will allow.
The main point is that there isn't a program today which even comes close to what Jesus taught. We are leaving the work to "One-Man-Shows." Throwing them money, resources, time, etc. What's missing is that personal touch that once was the main-stay of Christ's discipleship.
Luke 10:1-16
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. 16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
I've never received this type of mentoring and I already miss it! Once again, the Church needs reform. I would gladly join in a heartbeat a return to the most basic of Jesus teaching. Why try to fix something that works? We take something of God’s and try to make it better, but we always end up inadvertently causing more damage than what was intended, leave it alone! We need more interaction between each other and the world. You can’t get warm and cozy with a TV set.
