Pastor tells congregation they need to "do more"

by Dawn 5 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Dawn

  I know as JW's we always heard this from the platform "do more service, do more study, do more...blah blah blah" and we were never doing enough of course.

  I was somewhat suprised by church service this last Sunday as the pastor was fairly pointed in telling the congregation that they need to "do more" - only it was in a totally different context and something I have NEVER heard as a JW. He told the congregation that the major affliction with American Christian churches is they are obiese spritiually - that is, overfed and under worked. He went on to show scripture after scripture where Jesus did good works for others and ended the sermon asking that the focus of the church be moved more towards doing good works for our community and charities.

  This church has always been charity focused - but the pastor now wants members to do more on a personal level with our community. The one comment that he made that really stuck out to me was to say that it's time to stop just preaching about it and start doing it - that we can do more witnessing by our actions and be a light to the world in that manner. Some examples he gave were doing random acts of kindness (like helping someone haul their groceries to the car, raking leaves for an older individual on our block, taking prepared dinners to someone who is ill, etc).

  Anyways - I thought it was ironic that I was hearing the same message of do more but in a new context that that really made sense to me and seemed to fit more with what Jesus wanted christians to be.

  I bet this is a message you'll never hear at the Kingdom Hall. Unless of course they're encouraging you to leave a WT while you do it (ugh...)
• 

  desib77

  Wow...that is great that he is encouraging people to reach out to other people not to convert them but to help them.

  The only thing I've ever had a pastor ask me to do is pledge money to the church. (of course I haven't been to many churches...)

  Desi
• 

  willyloman

  Great post, dawn! It speaks volumes about why were aren't JWs anymore. There was a time my reaction would have been that a change to this very message could save the WTS if they'd let it. However, my reform movement died a long time ago.
• 

  L_A_Big_Dawg

  Sounds like you have a great Pastor, Dawn.

  If more churches would lend a hand for those that can't do it for themselves, the Gospel would be much easier to present. One thing about that: people can smell disingenousness (sp?). When I lend a hand to a neighbor, it's becasue I want to, and I try not to think of them repaying me by listening to me preach at them.

  In fact when I was a lay minister (which most of my building knew) I helped out in so many ways, and never preached to the people I helped in the complex. I am constantly reminded of this didy my pastor would say to me specically, "People don't care how mch ou know, untill they know how much you care."

  LABD
• 

  Dawn

  People don't care how mch ou know, untill they know how much you care."

  Exactly!! another saying...actions speak louder than words. It's true. I think he's right on target - we should be preaching the gospel through our actions and not just our mouths.
• 

  ozziepost

  "I can't hear the words you're saying above the noise of the things you're doing."