IAUA End Time Ministry
Preparing for the End of Time
The Lord is Coming! Are you ready?
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IAUA End Time Ministry |
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Preparing for the End of Time | |
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The Lord is Coming! Are you ready? | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
IAUA
(ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,
Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath. I pray this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of IAUA. This is the 23rd day of the 11th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the estimated year 6014 Anno Mundi. The New Year begins with the Spring Sabbaths in 11 weeks and 3 days on the first Sabbath of Unleavened Bread starting the evening of the 15th day of the 1st month (Tuesday, April 19th on the 2011 Gregorian Calendar, beginning sunset on Monday, April 18th). An amazing thing occurs in the Gregorian Calendar years of both 2011 and 2012. Those who follow the Millerite Calendar and the Jewish Calendar agree with what my research, and others, has determined for the Gregorian Calendar dates of God's Sacred Calendar! _____ Years ago I was interested in the work of Ron Gladden and a group called Mission Catalyst. http://www.missioncatalyst.org Ron is very critical of the denominations organizational structure. He says the local church needs to be the focus of our spending instead of a large leadership and organization. He is looking for a new way to pattern churches. He is looking to copy the success of the mega-churches. There are a lot of people who are envious of the apparent success of the mega-churches. Lately, I was reading the abbreviated version of his new book called "Pivotal Design": http://www.missioncatalyst.org/site/1/docs/Paper_abbr.pdf In the book he kept repeating the concept of the prevailing church. His focus was on church growth. I had this nagging feeling of discomfort with what he was saying but I couldn't put my finger on the problem. Then I reached this section: _____ Is anything more important than the mission? Here’s an assignment: Assemble the brightest leaders in your church and a few of your friends. Using a flip chart, write these words: More important than helping people find Jesus. Assign a scribe, and let the discussion begin. Reach for consensus. When you complete your list, I’ll compare it with mine. Assuming we don’t toss the teachings of the Bible, what should we find on the list? What is more important than the gospel commission, than going all out to help people find salvation through Jesus? How about unity? Or preserving the traditional worship style? Would the denomination’s organizational structure make the list? _____ Suddenly the problem became clear. What is the measure of success? What is the definition of the mission? We need to go back to the gospel commission and carefully consider exactly what it says.
Matthew 28:19-20 The mission is not raising lots of large churches with lots of church members. The mission is to teach them to observe what is commanded. This is what creates the prevailing church. Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. The book asks: "What is more important than the gospel commission, than going all out to help people find salvation through Jesus?" My response: How about helping people to grow into a deeper knowledge and closer relationship with the Saviour? How often is it observed, people are baptized in the front door and walk out the back door. We don't hold on to people by great programs, entertainment, great preachers, or other psychological methods. Our Saviour holds on to them by His love, which we must teach them.
John 10:27-29 Yes, we need to reach people but after we reach them we need to teach them. If we do not teach them properly then it is useless to reach them. A careful focus on all aspects of our mission is needed. Sadly, the church is currently stumbling on both points. When we properly teach all of God's truth in the church, I believe the rest of our mission will come more easily. The true church is a remnant of faithful followers which will never be successful in worldly terms and will never be the dominant church in this world. It will be the only church in the world to come. Are you looking to prevail on earth or in heaven? I pray we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of Iaushua (ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2011-02-01 Bible Explorations TV |
| Revised 2011-02-04 |