RELIGION SAYS "STAY" JESUS SAYS "GO"

Genesis 2:8 (NKJV)  The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 

I just heard a TV preacher expound on this text. It was dangerous nonsense.

• God planted a garden for Adam and put Adam in the garden. 

“Therefore wherever you are is where God has put you and it is where you are supposed to be.”

.....REALLY? 

God called Jonah to preach in Nineveh but he disobeyed.

Jonah 1:3 (NKJV)   But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He ... found a ship going to Tarshish...and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

• How many of us are living mediocre Christian lives because we have not listened to the voice of God when HE has called us TO GO? 

How often have you heard preachers teach this strange idea?

• “If you are in this church, it must be because God has planted you here and therefore you must not leave or go anywhere else.”

Then they quote Scripture to make the teaching or prophetic utterance appear true.

Ps 1:3 (NKJV)  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 

The text is then expounded like this.

“A tree is planted in one place permanently. A tree does not uproot itself and move from place to place, so you should stay in this congregation permanently.” 

IS THIS TRUE???

The Bible gives us examples of people who lived by faith and we are supposed to follow their example. 

• Abraham was a wanderer, sent out by God to seek the Promised Land.

• Moses was sent to lead the Hebrews out of bondage and go to the Promised Land.

• Paul was an itinerant preacher and Apostle.

Jesus said:

Mt 28:19 (NKJV)  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit... 

• The Great Commission is not a commandment to stay where you are!

Many local churches send out missionaries and support them but many do not. 

There are preachers who emphasise staying where you are.

• They are ministers of spiritual death, not life.

Pr 18:21 (NKJV)  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. 

• The false doctrine of staying is death to the souls of people who are not being reached.

• The false doctrine of staying is death to the God given destiny of church members. 

• The false doctrine of staying is death to the spiritual gifting of Christians who are persuaded to be busy in their home church rather than training for overseas mission, writing books, ministering on TV or publishing gospel literature. 

Jesus says GO but the ungodly spirit of control over many churches deceives Christians and persuades them to STAY. 

The false spirit of religion tells Christians the pastor has a vision to fill the building with church members, so they should give up their own visions and be busy in church.

God likes to see buildings full of believers but filling church buildings is not an end in itself.

Every believer in a church meeting has a God given destiny to change the world outside the church. 

When church leaders concentrate on filling buildings they miss the whole point of the Kingdom of God.

• The dream of a pastor might be to preach to a crowded building 

• ....but the dream of God is to send multitudes of believers into a lost world to love the lost, heal the sick and demonstrate the creative goodness of God outside the church.

Is it right to attack the teaching of ordained pastors and preachers? 

A lot of the teaching of Jesus and Paul was a reaction to bad teaching in their own day. 

• Nothing has changed.

• You are planted by Rivers of Waters, the Washing of the Word of God, which is in your heart wherever you go.

• You are called to drink from the waters of the River of Life, which is the Holy Spirit, who empowers you to GO!