At over 2000 words, you comment was simply too long, and seemed to exist by itself without relevance to the topic. I have cut it down. Feel free to engage the conversation here, but please no monologues. God bless you and your ministry brother.

It was three years ago when the Lord Jesus spoke to Melanie and I and said, “Go to New Orleans.” We had labored there in Amarillo, Texas for thirteen years; pastoring the church that we had planted, reaching the lost, feeding the hungry and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.

Our families were there. Our closest friends were there. Our fondest memories were there. The only thing that was not there was God’s will for what He desired us to do next. In just three months time from announcing to the church that we were leaving, we had loaded all of our earthly possessions in a school bus and began ministering full time in the streets of New Orleans…

[edited by Joe Thorn]

Please be more direct. The “cautionary tale” is interesting, but I am not sure I interpret your point correctly. For example, if your point is let’s not debate it, let’s just do it – then I must say that is what we have done in our Convention for the past number of decades, and it has creted a major problem both in our churches, and in the lives of countless unbelievers who now have assurance they are going to heaven. If your point is let’s not only debate, but be actively involved – I agree. It is far too easy and comfortable to sit around and perfect our doctrine while neglecting our practice.

I would also say that one cannot really overemphasize evangelism or discipleship, for proper evangelism understands its connection to Christ’s command to make disciples, and discipleship is connected in many different ways to evangelism. I get your point, but would put it differently. I would say, some churches are about amassing numbers and others are about amassing knowledge. Both are lamentable.