Have Your Church Become a Spiritual "Night Club"


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Fortitude said:
Cause the man is the pastor of the church - it's his job to win souls/members to the church - based on what I've read. Women are supposed to clap & smile after he joins & say, "We're glad you've joined us Brotha John, Pastor Joe got work for you to do."

:lmao: @ the womans role....


I thought it was everyone's job to win souls....not just the pastor.
 
BLAQUE PRINCE said:
:lmao: @ the womans role....
I thought it was everyone's job to win souls....not just the pastor.
You right but, notice I had a slash "/members to the church." That's the pastor's job.
 



Fortitude said:
You right but, notice I had a slash "/members to the church." That's the pastor's job.

Im not quite sure I understand the difference. Please explain for me if you don't mind.
 
BLAQUE PRINCE said:
Im not quite sure I understand the difference. Please explain for me if you don't mind.
I can go out & share God's word w/John at the mall & he gets saved according to Romans 10:9 but, I ain't got no church for him to join - he'll have to go to Rev. Joe's church for that.
 
Fortitude said:
I can go out & share God's word w/John at the mall & he gets saved according to Romans 10:9 but, I ain't got no church for him to join - he'll have to go to Rev. Joe's church for that.

AHHH OK I see what you are getting at now. I'm will assume for this purpose of this discussion that by saved you mean that the peron heard, believed, repented, confessed, and was baptized. Now after that the soul has been won. I was stating that you can lead a person to this man or woman and in the pulpit or not.

If you are not reffering to the above method of salvation and are saying that belief and confession saves you and the soul is one then the belief alone should lead you to a church and I don't see what work there is for the person in the pulpit to do now if the person truly does believe.
 
BLAQUE PRINCE said:
Please list the location....I do not recall this...thanks :)
Exodus 21: 4, 5, 6

"4) If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.
5)But if the slave plainly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out as a free man,
6)then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently."

Deuteronomy 15: 15 - 17

"15) And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.
16)And it shall come about if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;
17)then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also you shall do likewise to your maidservant."


Awl - A sharp tool for piercing; used on the ear as a symbol of perpetual obedience.

There is also something else in the new testament about piercing I believe. I will have to look that one up again. It may be talking about piercings and tattooes.
 
Blacknbengal said:
Exodus 21: 4, 5, 6

"4) If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.
5)But if the slave plainly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out as a free man,
6)then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently."

Deuteronomy 15: 15 - 17

"15) And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.
16)And it shall come about if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;
17)then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also you shall do likewise to your maidservant."


Awl - A sharp tool for piercing; used on the ear as a symbol of perpetual obedience.

There is also something else in the new testament about piercing I believe. I will have to look that one up again. It may be talking about piercings and tattooes.

I will study the passages you have listed more but I am almost sure it will bring me to ask the question that I ask people. Do you eat swine?

If you can find the scriptures in the new testament I would appreciate it. I don't recall seeing or maybe just str8 misinterpreted something regarding piercings.
 
FAB

Are ya'll saying a Deacon has to be married?
Apparently, my pastor, elders and the other deacons think not. There's two of us patiently waiting on our board. Reveal her soon Lord!

No, I am not saying that Deacons has to be married, however God set the standards and tells us why. God just do not set standards and leave us hanging.

Whom does the board consist of? If it is only a few selected members, then the person in charge is wrong. The entire Church has a say so, on who become Elders and Deacons in the Church. To often the congregation allows the preacher to make that decision. Why and excuse me for this, they [congregation] are ignorant of God?s word.

A deacon [diakoneo] is a servant, not to the preacher, but to the entire body. The idea behind deacons come from Acts 6:1-7

Ask your pastor about the qualifications of a deacon and compare his answer to that of God?s.

There is a good book you may want to purchase, ?The Eldership? by J. W. McGarvey $ 3.95.

Bbengal

Checkout a book titled ?Pulpit Confession? Exploring the Black Church, by N. Moore.

Check out some quotes

?The licensing and ordination process have, in many instances, sunk to a religious version of back room politics.?

BP

Now if you are talking about the combination of stuff then I can see where you are coming from....????some dudes have a different idea about earrings.

Do not forget the clogs.

Are you wearing a ring or stud


FORT

?Why haven't more men embraced church??

I think the other part is ?this may hurt? but men has become so ungodly, to it is pathetic. The other part is they are physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually lost. Alternatively, they are out there displaying their feminist?s side of life.

I am the kind of preacher that does not pull any punches.

When they [men] come home now they want to question their wives ? where have you been, are you sleeping with the preacher, where did you get that new dress, why are you down to the church so much, you must have a man down there?

Excuse, me brother's for a moment - but black men has gotten on my nerves, some are so lost and have the nerve to question their wives. I think back to the days of my grandparents on how the men loved the word. Now men are more in love with each other than God.

Based on these last two or three generations - I can almost understand why our sisters are by themselves.

Now I feel better. :nod:
 
Dr H.. said:
NT

Walker is located here in Nashville.

Mt. Zion use to be a Baptist Church - Now it is "Full Gospel" when he came in and changed the name a lot of the older generation left. A majority of the congregation consist of college students and "women"



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I can speak on this issue because Mt Zion was my church when I lived in Nashville, and I still visit often even though I live in Huntsville.... When Bishop Walker got to Mt Zion it was a little church on Jefferson Street with about 300 members... Now in the 10 years he has been at Mt Zion it is the largest Black chuch in Tennessee with over 10,000 members and 4 locations throughout Nashville. So obviosly he is doing SOMETHING right. Bishop Walker leads about 75 people to Christ EACH Sunday and probably has a larger POSITIVE influence on Nashville than anyone else. Not too many churches go Inc. in one city. About 2 years ago he built a 5000 seat church in the Whites Creak area and just this past year he opened up another 2000 seat church in the Antioch area. He is about to build Mt Zion Academy and pay start teachers off at 45,000 a year. His goal is to get the BESTteachers from the Nashville/Davidson County school system to work at Mt Zion Academy by paying them a LOT more than the school system is paying. I learned a LOT more at his worship services than I learned at my home church (First Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville).... I feel like my home church basically ministers to people that already are in the KNOW. It is hard for me to keep up with what is going on because the sermons be stricly from the Bible (a lot of big words and terminolgy that I am not familar with).... for me I need something that brings it from a Bible perspective to real life. I think that is why you see a lot of students at Mt Zion. At Mt Zion, I feel more comfortable. It is more laid back, dont have to worry about what I am wearing or anything. The last time I went Bishop Walker even came out to preach with a Yankees throwback and some Jordans on. You were right when you say you dont see too many old people there... most of the people there are young.

Bishop Walker is taking the city of Nashville by storm and bringing souls to Christ everywhere he goes. Four large churches in each corner of the city, he preaches at each one at a different time each Sunday. I know no matter when I go to Nashville, he will be there every Sunday... He promised to NEVER miss a Sunday preaching, and he will turn down any invitation to preach somewhere else if it is on a Sunday.

here is the link to Mt Zion Baptist Church http://www.mtzionnashville.org/
 
This article is pretty old... It was written in 2002, since then Mt Zion has already built the 2000 seat Antioch location.. Also Bishop Walker is a graduate of Southern University and a member of Omega Psi Phi.

Flourishing Mt. Zion Baptist bridging generation gaps

ADRIANE JAECKLE / STAFF Wednesday, 09/18/02
entrance.jpg



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Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III has seen growth explode at Mt. Zion Baptist Church since he became pastor in 1992. Earlier this year the Mt. Zion congregation moved into a new, multimillion-dollar home at 7594 Old Hickory Blvd.


By MICHELLE E. SHAW
Staff Writer


With nearly 10,000 members, and the second-largest sanctuary in the state, Mt. Zion Baptist Church is in the forefront of Nashville's mega-church movement.

The church's pastor, 35-year-old Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III, says the mega-church is a phenomenon that is responding to a changing culture.

Mt. Zion has four worship locations that stretch over three areas of Nashville and two counties. The church retained its original location at 1112 Jefferson St., and built a multimillion-dollar facility at 7594 Old Hickory Blvd., where two of three Sunday services are held. Some services are also held at Glencliff High School in Antioch and Riverdale Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.

''You cannot have an 8-track ministry in a CD generation,'' he said. ''This type of ministry is what this generation is interested in and it is what they respond to.''

It's not only the younger generation that responds to Walker and his style, said Luther Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick, who has been a member almost 50 years, said Mt. Zion is doing something it hasn't done in recent years: bridging the gap between young and old.

''At one time I counted more than 50 ministries at the church,'' he said. ''In that he is bridging the gap between the generations.''

Mt. Zion, a member of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, hasn't always been such a large church, Kirkpatrick said, and its current members know that.

''The young people and newcomers of the church know the church's history,'' he said. ''They are very much aware Mt. Zion was not born 10 years ago.''

Walker came to the church in 1992, but church history dates back to 1866 with founding pastor Jordan Bransford. The church was originally in the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., but moved its membership to the Full Gospel Fellowship in 2000.

''This church has always has a rich history,'' Walker said. ''Mt. Zion has always had a tremendous legacy, and I hope to continue that.''

K. Edwin Bryant, Mt. Zion's chief operating officer, said an important facet of maintaining the church history is to have a ''biblical understanding of administration through Scriptures.''

''Bishop Walker strays away from commercializing the church,'' Bryant said. ''He works hard to make sure the church in not a reflection of the world, but the world is a reflection of the church.''

Walker said one way to do that is to make sure the church functions like an organism, not an organization.

''The church is an organism,'' he said. ''It is a living, breathing and growing organism. It was designed to grow. It was never designed to be an organization.''

He said he sees a lot of growth in the future of the already large church.

''We have a lot planned for Mt. Zion,'' he said. ''On (the Old Hickory Boulevard) campus we want to have a school that serves kindergarten through 12th grade with a football field and the whole nine yards. We also are looking forward to senior housing and other projects.''

Walker said the Jefferson Street location will always remain a part of the church.

''That will be our base,'' he said. ''That's where we'd like to put our new level community development corporation. That's where the Lord's Kitchen is located, and we'd like to put a business incubation center across the street.''

He said the church also is looking to buy property in the Antioch area and discontinue use of the Glencliff gymnasium.

''All of this that's going on now, as well as things to come, are just the beginning for Mt. Zion,'' Walker said. ''The Lord has a lot in store for the people here. There is so much more to come.''

Getting there

Mt. Zion Baptist Church holds worship services at four locations:

? 1112 Jefferson St.

? 7594 Old Hickory Blvd.

? Glencliff High School, 160 Antioch Pike in Antioch

? Riverdale Baptist Church, 307 Warrior Drive in Murfreesboro

For more information about the church, its ministries or service times, call 254-7296.
 
This is what I said

NT

Walker is located here in Nashville.

Mt. Zion use to be a Baptist Church - Now it is "Full Gospel" when he came in and changed the name a lot of the older generation left. A majority of the congregation consist of college students and "women"


How could this comment give you the impression that I was downing "his" ministry. I am familiar with Walker, Mt. Zion and several members of Mt. Zion

As I stated to a co-worker who is a member.

Please explain to me exactly what is "Full Gospel" I thought whenever a minister that preach directly from the word "That is the Full Gospel" or was the preacher prior to Walker, was he preaching "Half Gospel"

'My comment to those that "brag" on the size of "their" congregation has and will always be.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it". Matthew 7:13, 14
 
I guess I should have made it a bit more clear.... about the size thing... those a MANY people that he has led to Christ. I wouldnt consider it a bad thing when you take a church with around 300 members and make it grow to a church with over 10,000 members in 10 years. Like Bishop Walker always states, "God brought me to Nashville for a reason" When you see young African American men who look like thugs straight off the street coming to Christ each and every week, crying their hearts out to Christ, that is a testimony to his ministry. I will admit, I use to be bored with church at home, when I attended TSU, I was invited to Mt Zion. I still remember the sermon entitled "GAME OVER", I was hooked with Mt Zion every since. It made the analogy of a video arcade game when your game is over and you have to put a quarter in the machine to continue.. The time clock is ticking down with a message on the screen stating, "Please insert a quarter to continue"... Jesus is that quarter that makes us continue to live each and every day. When you run out of quarters your game is OVER.
 
OK..Hear I go....I Agree with no man (preacher or not) should be having sex befor marrage. No one should be getting no one pregnant or none of the other stuff that you mentiond. BUT, the style of preaching and the style of music has no right or wrong factor. Paul said,"I become all things that I might reach souls." So, If a gospel song is presented in rap form in order to reach younger kids, then it's ok. People are so caught up in tradition instead of the message. THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT, and LIKEWISE THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO DO ANYTHING WRONG. WRONG AND RIGHT IS ABSOLUTE. People are use to certain things and usually don't accept anything else. The message is JESUS AND HIM CRUCIFIED, presented in anyway, shape form or fashion. IF THAT IS THE MESSAGE(no matter how it's presented) THEN IT's RIGHT......Oh yeah, one more thing Dr.H Full Gospel means that a church has come into the knowledge of the truth about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. That is all. More and more churches are comming into that understanding that they never had a spirit. Now that they ACCEPTED the TRUTH, they call themselves FULL GOSPEL. More churches are calling themselves Full Gospel but the Apostolic/Penticostal, have always had the Whole Gospel right from day one. I'm out.
 



Dahill: I think I understood your point. I think it is good that more people come to Christ. My pastor left a six figure job on Wall Street and began to pastor a church that had about 25 members, 123 of whom were white. today I have heard membership records have neen as high as 15,000 and at least 10,000. I just pray that more people will find their way thru his leadership.
 
DWAYNE

True,

THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT, and LIKEWISE THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO DO ANYTHING WRONG. WRONG AND RIGHT IS ABSOLUTE.

Based on your comment and I agree. If [SINCE] God, has already set the standards on "Christanity" [Right Way]. When a "Church or Individuals" violate God's word and try to justify their actions. They are saying "I know what is right, but I am going to do it my way and try to justify what I am doing later."


]Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Gal. 6:7

I know what Full Gospel mean, I asked the question, because a number of people follow individuals of movements, because it's the in thing. There are some inviduals that want to be part of the "Mega Church" movement. That makes them feel important or part of the "in crowd". Because they are that does not mean that they are saved.
 
More and more people are comming into the knowledge of the truth in alot of areas. God will never let man be blind forever. They have the Spirit right, so now they need the right baptism and they will be completely true. Anyway, I agree with you on the thing about people doing something because it's the "In thing to do" No one should ever do anything without understanding what they are doing, unless it's following the TRUE word of God. I don't understand why God say some things nor do I understand everything about God, but I believe it and I trust him. Maybe, God led those people to the truth and understanding......Maybe, you shouldn't JUDGE them without knowing their reason. Your speculation means nothing. The Full Gosple has always been there, Man's understanding hasn't.(1Cor2:6-10)
 
BLAQUE PRINCE said:
I will study the passages you have listed more but I am almost sure it will bring me to ask the question that I ask people. Do you eat swine?

If you can find the scriptures in the new testament I would appreciate it. I don't recall seeing or maybe just str8 misinterpreted something regarding piercings.


I havent forgotten. Those may be the the only verses about piercings in the old testatment and not the new, so you maybe right.

As for eating swine, I rely on 1 Timothy 4: 4,5

" 4)For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; 5) for it is santified by means of the word of God and prayer."
 
More and more people are comming into the knowledge of the truth in alot of areas. God will never let man be blind forever.

I disagree with your statement.

The bible clearly, states that mankind will continue to fall away from the gospel and doint their own thing.

Man has been blinded since the very first gospel was preched in the Garden of Eden, The Time of Noah and up to the present time. The Apostel Paul, preaches about individuas being in "darkness", having the lack of knowledge, fallawing away from the truth all or these are 'In the Greek Grammatical Structure are Present Active Participles, meaning people will continue to do thode things that I mentioned.

God has left us the written word as a path to salvation. If a person is blind, this is a choice the individual has made and God will not force the individual to accept the word.

But if our gospel be hid, itis hid to them that are lost."

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4:3,4


The word blinded means to have your mind filled with smoke. It's like an individual being blindfolded in a dark room, full of somke trying to find his / her way out.
 
Dr H.. said:
If a person is blind, this is a choice the individual has made and God will not force the individual to accept the word.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4:3,4
If that ain't the truth, I don't know what is...especialy the part in red.
 
DWAYNE, said

"God will never let man be blind forever."

If you beleive this what is God going to do, that He has not already done through the DBR - Gospel?

Wrong, God will allow you to be blind as long as you want to walk in darkness. God will not force his light upon anyone, that being Jesus and the written word. How do we know? This is one of many scripture that talks about people living in darkness. Again you have displayed you lack of understanding of the word of God.

Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 2 Peter 2:9

It is like the ole saying "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink" God has led us to the light through the Death, Burial and Ressurection. However, it is man that refuse to open his heart [mind] and see the light. Therefore, God is saying if you want to remain in darkness, you have that right and I am not going to force it upon you.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:6

The word walk means the way we live our lives spiritally. In other words we are living void of God's word in darkness. There are people that attend Church every Sunday, but they are walking in darkness.

Check these out.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Hebrew 10:12

What is Jesus saying in these two scriptures in a "nutshell"

I have been here and left my instructions on what I command and I am not coming back again to hang on the cross.
 
Blacknbengal said:
I havent forgotten. Those may be the the only verses about piercings in the old testatment and not the new, so you maybe right.

As for eating swine, I rely on 1 Timothy 4: 4,5

" 4)For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; 5) for it is santified by means of the word of God and prayer."


ME too.
 
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