I was in church one Sunday and one of the old Missionaries was leading the early morning prayer, she cried loud and shook the rafters as she prayed. She said at one point “Lord send the sinner man into this church!” It was uttered with the utmost sincerity and piety, but she was very much wrong! God doesn’t send sinners to church! He expects US to bring people to Jesus Christ! Jesus told His disciples to pray for laborers for the sole purpose of harvesting LOST SOULS! Too many pastors expect their churches to be like “magnets” and sinners will just come to church! We must invite sinners to Jesus first and foremost, and we must also invite people to our place of worship. It is not enough to have a nice edifice! Churches HAVE to aggressively share the Gospel of Jesus in their communities. This is the primary reason Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the church, so we could preach the Gospel and make disciples (students). Too often pastors want everyone to embrace and support HIS vision, but he forgets that others vision (purpose) helps support the church as well. Every Pastor NEEDS an EVANGELIST in their church to bring people to Christ so the PASTOR can nurture them, The TEACHER make them disciples and helps them go from milk to meat. The PROPHET inspires people to press into the perfect will of God.
(Act 1:8; Luke 5:1-11; Matt. 28:18-20; John 14:26 and John 15:26)

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THAT IS TRUE BUT WHAT DO U DO WHEN U HAVE WENT OUT AND WITNESSED 2 THESE PPL AND HAVE EVEN INVITED THEM 2 CHURCH AND THEY STILL R NOT SAVED? I KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS 1B WATERS, 1 PLANTS & GOD WILL GIVE THE INCREASE BUT WHAT DO U DO WHEN IT STILL SEEMS LIKE NO 1 IS LISTENIN 2 U? I KNOW WE R 2 CONTINUE 2 DO THE WILL OF GOD BUT U KNOW NOW I BELIEVE PPL MINDS R SEARED WITH A HOT IRON.SO CAN SOME1 ANSWER ME THAT ?
God's Word works sis! If He saved you and I He can saved anyone!
Many times people are looking for encouragement and hope. They have still contrite and contrary spirits who are in the possession of Satan. But the Word of God is sharper than and two-edged sword, it is the word of God that cleanses us. Many homeless people we deal with we first have to use wisdom, many of them are hungry so before you start ministering spiritual food, show them love and meet them where they are by giving them natural food, personal hygiene products and clean clothes. Jesus used wisdom along with startegy to reach people. Everyone is not called to street witness to certain people. Are we called to witness? Yes, but be careful of who you approach because the devil will eat you up out there. I am an ex-gang member and drug dealer + addict, I have street wits as well as the anointing of God on my life with the power of the Holy Ghost equipped for this work as well as the members of my ministry which consist of ex prostitutes, ex-gang members, ex-addicts, ex-manipulators, ex-dealers who one have no fear of the streets and follow the leading of God. God's word will not return unto Him void. If you planted, someone will water and God will surely give the increase, Only God knows when and where, it is out of our control and some people just will not be saved they are dying everyday in sin.
I have been a COGIC Minister/Elder over 25 year and I realize one thing about my church, we know how to have church, but know very little about outreach.
I grew up and was ordained in COGIC. I currently live in the New England area. We currently have over 250 members and the church continues to grow. Our church is less than 10 years old in a predominately Caucasian area. Myles Monroe stated while principles must stay the same; the deity of Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit, the methods must change to be reflective of the people we are trying to reach. Methods that worked 40 or 50 years ago are no longer relevant. I spent 20+ years just praying but praying alone will not bring them in.

Black churches tend to rely so much on the spiritual aspects of ministry that they neglect the organizational part. Since God has blessed my ministry I have a call to help equip pastors and ministries in helping them to "breakthrough" or recognize the things that may be hindering their ministries.

I have seen pastors who are greater preachers have churches that are stagnant and some are dying without any significant growth in the last 10 years. It takes more than preaching and praying to built a church even though they are the essential building blocks for ministry.

Also find some ministries in your area that are growing and call them and asked them to help you.
I have been in COGIC for over 20 years, I experienced some of all that have been said, knowing how to have church, rely on the spiritual aspects of ministry and have experienced the organizational aspects of the church also. I have also witness some of the older saints pray sincerely but was so sincerely wrong according to God's Word. I thank God for the time that I spent at that particular church I learned outreach. We had a very strong outreach ministry, we went into communities and went from door to door and shared the word of God and invited people to our church, we would have tent revivals, carnivals, and all kind of interesting events in the communities as well as church, we did not just have church at the church. We also reached out to people to feed, cloth, help employ and educate not just those in the church but also the community. The church was very spiritual until people would leave their church early to come to where the spirit of God was moving. And it grew so fast because of the outreach.
Marva,

Great points. There definitely needs to be balance between the spiritual side and the practical and organizational side to ministry. Agreed, outreach is still key to building the Kingdom of God. We need to go out into highways and compel them to come into the House of God. How we connect to people today may have an impact of our ability to win them to Christ. Remember he who wins souls is wise. Wisdom comes from God and we must inquire from Him the best strategy for our communities.

There are methods that may work well in your community that may not work at all in New England. Friendship evangelism is still the best way to attract people to God and church by those with a strong witnesses. One of the question we should asked the members of our local church is this: How excited are you about God and your church? The answer to that question may reveal much about the direction your church is heading in.

I believe God is still moving mightily and that He has never stopped moving. Maybe, just maybe, we have stopped seeking.
I believe this discusssion is needful its helpful and even rewarding. The fear to grow and change. Not to change the foundation, but the method we use to approach the building. You can build house all kinds of ways, at the end of the day they all have ruffs , need heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Psalm 11:3 states if the foundationa re destryoed what can the (unyieldingly) rightieous do. We have been given a commision and charge to evangilize the communitiy the world in which we live (Matt 28:18-20) He instructed us the make diciples of men. We can't wavier or give up.
Another reason churches are dying is a lack of Intercessory Prayer, “But we have Prayer and Bible Band every week!” That’s what some of you are thinking! Most church prayer meetings are pathetic! The pastor and his family show up, most saints avoid prayer meetings like the plague! A real prayer meeting involves EVERYONE! Not just the Pastor leading it! While stationed in Korea I went to a prayer retreat and I noticed that Koreans pray a looooong time! Most prayed 2 to 3 hours while the Americans gave out in 20 to 30 minutes! Why? We don’t realize how powerful prayer is! We pray in the midst of disaster, Koreans pray to avert disaster. We also don’t pray in the Spirit enough! We brag about how we spoke in tongues 25 years ago when we received the Holy Ghost, but we never pray in tongues anymore! Praying in tongues not only strengthens you spiritually, but when you pray in tongues you are praying God’s perfect will over your life and situation. (Jude 20 and Romans 8:26-28)

The devil is wrecking havoc in your church because you don’t use the weapons of your warfare. (Ephesians 6:18) The prayer ministry in your church is the strength of your church! No prayer, No Power! Little Prayer, Little Power! Much Prayer, Much Power!
The keys of the kingdom are very simple but powerful tools that bring people in through "the door" of Jesus' sacrifice. They are the Name of Jesus, the Power of God, the Holy Spirit, Prayer, Faith, and the Word of God and Love. All of these are "mighty in God, to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). With these "keys" we can "loose and bind" things in both heaven and on earth (Matthew 16:19). Using them properly we can bring many into the Kingdom of God.
Our churchs are dying due to lack of Knowledge [bible] and, prayer. Also the fact that Jesus the Christ must be the foundation. The Lord's build's [adds] to the church, as his will dictates. We must not be overly concered with numbers.The Apostle Paul says some water,some plant,some cultivate ,But God gives the increase.We must continue to knock on doors ,visit the sick, and pray. We must encourage bible study and prayer meeting. Our goal is to give God ,freely of time,talent,and treasure.Prosperity,
and stuff is in the bible,Yet our concern must be Soul Salvation.
I agree with your thoughts on a lack of knowlege BUT I disagree on your statement that "Numbers don't matter", Jesus cursed a fig tree because it BORE NO FRUIT...Souls saved are teh CHURCHES FRUIT.....that is a sorry excuse to have an empty church! We MUST go and compell men and women to come in and hear the gospel AND take the GOSPEL to the STREET!!!!
Wow. Brother you are so right, I have belonged to two churches in my lifetime. The first in Michigan where I was born and raised and the second in Ohio where I moved to 4years ago, and I have heard that same prayer from the pilars in my church many times, My Pastor in Ohio has prayed and the Lord gave him very inovative ways to bring souls into the church, 1.Door to Door witnessing just getting out there and witnessing the way we where intended, but that has fallen by the wayside because of a million reasons and excuses. 2.Telephone Ministry where the Saints where asked to just call 3 people every week and witness to them over the phone sinse some members of the church have different medical issues and some have excuses for not bieng able to witness door to door 3. Angel Food Ministry, He allowed our church to become a distribution center of food that is sold at a discounted rate, where customers can even use their food stamp cards to order, and constructed an entire team to make this Ministry a success. But no one wants to go out and face to face capture the hearts and souls of man with their loving kindness and have a serious heart felt talk with the sinner. I wonder why that is? That is not to say there have not been members of our church to witness because I know I did, and so did others and we even were successful in bringing many sinners to church with us, some visited once or twice and some even joined and before long they left. and I pretended to wonder why?
But honestly while I may not understand to the extent that I want to, I do kn ow this. When the sinner comes to church with us they don't see Jesus they see us, Even when they are on the streets or in the stores they see the ladies in the long dresses and they see the well dressed men they know they are church people who won't even speak to them who hold their heads high enough to look over them, I know this because I see these "saints in their salvation bubbles" who when you speak to them they pretend to be busy, I have visited churches and not even been spoken too, and seen members of other churches come out of thier church I speak to them and they not speak back and so I know these people are not bieng good witnesses.
Many people have come into our churches and between the hypocrite, the liar, and the stares they did not see any difference between the people in the church and the people in the world. Many have come to our churches and been snubbed by "The Saintly Saint" the one who forgot they were ever a sinner and even don't admit that they continue to make mistakes,from time to time. Many where not embraced and where treated like they were infected with the swine flu. And the ones who ignored those things and were once on fire for God stayed a while and either soon became discouraged because they were not used in the church, adopted the same poor behavior of the members there or are there in resentment. I'm saying we have to take the Mean Girl Sororiety Tude" out of our church we have to chase out that aweful spirit, like the Mothers of old use too, remember how the Mothers would stop the service if they felft a wrong spirit and would start to pray and even open the doors to the church and walk behind the demonic spirit, so that the souls of man could be blessed! What happened to that, when did it become okay to let devils anoint folks with oil and carry on like they are saved? when i was comming up there was no compromising, and now well..... I just think if we bring back the sincerity to the church we can overcome and win souls again C.O.G.I.C did not grow millions strong by compromising the word of God. God Bless You

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