The church's obligation is Not to spread the gospel....

The spirit of revival.

" The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel is [b]false.[/b]

Her first obligation is to be [b]spiritually worthy[/b] to spread it!"

[b]A. W. TOZER[/b]

When the church emanates Jesus, the work of the Gospel will come naturally, like breathing. Almost all of Church growth today is futile, though the gospel has been taken around the Earth. A seed reproduces after it's own kind, and this has always been the principle of discipleship. Sadly, it has been a reproach upon the church, more than a garland of victory.

It is 10,000 times more important in WHAT we BECOME, rather than what we do. This was the fatal error of the Pharisees, and we must beware lest it become ours, in our proud refusal to humble ourselves, and love the weak, poor, and common. This will only come with our abiding in Christ, that we may know him, being conformed unto His image. Then our going and doing will bear fruit, as Phillip did in Samaria.

Enid wrote:

Quote: "When the church emanates Jesus..."

When?

When will this happen?

When?"

It certainly has happened enid, Is happening, and will happen.

I think of Taylor in China, the church at Jerusalem and Ephesus, the Moravians and the reformation martyrs...Finney in his glory power days, Azusa, Cane Ridge, the Hebrides, and more.

There are pockets in China, where more grace is needed today, and Glory in Islam, where the martyr fires burn today...[ though not all publicized ] and Africa too.

You asked when?, concerning something you may see or participate in. When we're broken, when our idols are all laid down, or removed from us. When we need Him more than our breath, the Sun, or our loves upon this earth.

When we seek Him with ALL of our hearts, and when we really will forsake all, to follow Him alone.

This day has been prophesied by the lord Jesus Himself, and it will surely come. The question ought to be not when, but if I will be counted worthy to participate in it.

"PRAY ALWAYS THAT YOU WILL BE COUNTED WORTHY TO STAND IN THAT DAY!"

Luke 21:36
Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Rev:19

"Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

This scripture came to mind.

2 Corinthians 10

Paul's Defense of His Ministry

1By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away! 2I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, ONCE YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COMPLETE.

7You are looking only on the surface of things.[a] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. 8For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you. 14We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others.[b]

Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand,

"I agree with Tozer in the sense that our preaching of the gospel needs to be done in THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT."

scotsbaker wrote:

"I have many times given out the gospel on the streets, but rarely do I see any fruit. To a large degree I lay the blame at my own door, since rarely does it come forth from me with power."

We can be **word perfect on giving the gospel, but see little results.
.................................................

Me too. Most of my gospel efforts in preaching to the lost,that have had success, have been divine appointments, with a few exceptions..[ mostly overseas ]

I do not know if I have ever seen real effective preaching to the lost, except possibly the early ministry of Billy Graham. [ and that was stadium, or "building" meetings.

I do believe that there are "Salvation Army, "Teen Challenge" type street ministries that have seen real converts that have endured. Maybe that is the key. "The Lord added those such as should be saved", and the idea that the Body disciples and changes lives in it's fuller ministry, not the singular anointed one.

"Go and make disciples!"...and conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment emits from Love in real Christians to the lost and needy. People listen when they know that God is Love and they see it and hear it in His servants, and then they want Him, and believe Him, and believe on Him.