Three Ms This article is stolen from a conversation with Ivy Conner. There is a big corporation called the 3M Company. This is not our interest. 3Ms in church work are: (1) Message, (2) Motivation and (3) Method. They are vital to church work and growth. (1) Method. Everywhere I go, Hodge, what are the great new ideas coming out of Texas? Our mind-set is programs. Programs may be gimmicks. Brethren think there is a Hot button somewhere - when pushed - mega-churches! We are after crowds, not converting sinners and making disciples. We crave excitement, fun and games, instant success. When will we ever learn? If they are not faithful with old ideas they will not be dynamic with new ideas. Our present tumult is not over methods. Methods change ... truth does not. We now have psychology not theology. Pragmatism rules ... What works, works! The success of the early church cannot be attributed to methodology. (2) Motivation. Hodge, come over and pump us up - all we need is motivation. Even on the surface this is silly! Besides, brethren have a slow leak. After a big pump up within 2 weeks it is all leaked out. The early church had no motivation problem. If the cross does not motivate what can? Paul was motivated by the love of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14) Our basic problem, today, is not with motivation or method. (3) Message. The early church had but one thing ... the MESSAGE. They knew who they were. You gotta be who you are. They preached, lived the MESSAGE. Brethren today have forgotten the MESSAGE! The world has swallowed us. Political correctness has captured us. We no longer know that sinners are sinners, that Christ is the only Savior, that God still has a church, that baptism saves. Methods fail when there is no MESSAGE. How can you be passionate when you do not know/believe anything? If all are OK, why bother? The church is not a counseling center teaching how to cope ... it is a salvation center teaching how to live. The answer is clear ... Get back to the MESSAGE. Motivation and method will then take care of themselves. Hodge Charles Hodge - 711 Villa Creek. Back The Encourager Bell Shoals Church of Christ Home Page eÿ@
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:25:19 +0000
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