Tunnel Vision In The Church

TUNNEL VISION

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.

Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT:

Matthew 9:37 Then saith He unto His disciples, the Harvest is truly plenteous, But the labourers are few: 33. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His Harvest.

Matthew 28:19 GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST. 20. TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD.

MARK 16:15 AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.

I am pondering Tunnel Vision.

Tunnel vision is usually a product of glaucoma, high pressure in the eye.

This high pressure pushes the optic nerve until it

cups.

Often time glaucoma and tunnel vision happen so

slowly that the person afflicted does not notice the

damage until there is major vision loss.

Then treatment and medicine can restore very little.

With tunnel vision one can only see what is right in

front of them.

There is no peripheral vision, one can see only part

not the whole.

Do I really believe in hell?

What am I doing to turn eternities around?

1. Our enemy is constantly attacking the vision of the church.

He would love to afflict the leaders and membership

with tunnel vision. I hear this song on Gospel

radio, it says: "Lord, all I am asking for is for me

and my family to serve you."

I get so angry, I just turn the radio off.

Of course, we have to feed ourselves...

but we owe a debt to others.

Over the exit door’s of the church should be a

sign... YOU ARE ENTERING THE MISSION FIELDS.

2. Every born again believer must accept their call.

The first words Jesus says to us his disciples

is... "COME." But, we cannot stay.

Can you spell G-O-D without spelling G-O?

Can you spell G-O-S-P-E-L without G-O?

If the church meets and stays behind four walls,

holy ground, we fail God, the church, and our selves.

Every born again Christian has a duty ... A MISSION.

We are sent ones...

Often with professional clergy there can come a

feeling that I am exempt, that is what we pay them to

do.

God has commissioned every believer to touch others

for the cross’ sake.

3. WHAT IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT? What strategy have we developed to attack?

If we fail to plan, we are doomed to fail.

Remember, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to

plan.

Is the church equipping saints with a war plan?

Does not Romans 8:28 stipulate for all things to work

good... WE MUST BE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE?

What is your purpose? If you don’t know, how will you

ever do anything. Are you sent?

4. Pastors and Christian workers are not cowboys ... we don’t drive people.

We are shepherd’s, we lead, we set an example.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people

perish...

We must teach the children, schools are a mission

field.

Place tracts, sermon strings, some kind of a tool in

their hands.

Why not get T-shirts with the 10 Commandments?

Factories and work places are serious mission

fields.

You are the only Bible many will read.

5. Commanded to go.

Matthew 28:19 GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST. 20. TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD.

Note, this is in red letters, Jesus said this.

This is a command, it is not optional.

All born again believers are SENT, entrusted to go.

MARK 16:15 AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.

When I was in the 7th grade I learned this verse, I

was trying to get our dog Richie to accept Jesus as

his Savior.

My Dad heard me through the window, and he explained

to me, God only breathed the breath of life in man

and woman.

I was so glad, I couldn’t get Richie to acknowledge

Jesus.

6. BUT I CAN’T POSSIBLY GO INTO ALL THE WORLD!

This is very true, at best I can just touch one

little area.

So this MISSIONARY CALL is not just GOING,

but to be a helper, a supporter, a team member.

THIS SUPPORT IS MORE THAN MONEY. WE MUST TEACH

GIVING, BUT WE FAIL WHEN WE STOP THERE.

God raise up more than money giving missions

programs. God raise up LOVE SUPPORTERS, raise up

PRAYER WARRIORS, not just prayer partners.