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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Top 14 Reasons Why People Love/Hate Metro Praise


I thought in a relatively "calm" time in our church, I would take some time to address the "Top 14 Reasons Why People Love/Hate Metro Praise."  This list is not meant to be entirely thorough or directed towards any persons individually, but just an overview after making our 7th Anniversary this March 2012.

(Note: What I mean by "hate" is "leave or dislike what we do."  Hate does not necessarily mean they totally hate us personally- they just don't like our messages/methods.)

Top 14 Reasons People Hate Metro Praise:

14. A radical, contagious, uncompromising love for God and people.  All disciples are expected to Love God defined as "passionate worship and obeying His commands," and Love People defined as, "helping them in their times of need and preaching the full Gospel to see their soul saved!"

13. Repeating of the same vision and strategy over and over again in every service.

12. Requiring all attendees to join the discipleship process before they can ever become active in any ministry.

11. Bold, loud, Biblical preaching that offends many of the hearers- no sugar coating.

10. Removing, sitting down, and placing in previous classes as discipline those who sin or who live a lukewarm Christian life.

9. Lack of places to hide in spiritual dryness, laziness, apathy, sin, and bitterness.

8. Continual focus on the nations with weeping and extended times of group intercession in the main Sunday service.

7. Personal one-on-one discipleship that holds every believer personally accountable to the standards of Christ and the Bible- no "man pleasing spirit."  Big money givers, senior saints, and the young know-it-alls are all expected to be teachable, humble, hungry for more of God, and servants.

6. Intense worship times with public speaking in tongues, powerful prophecy, and upfront repentance at the altars.

5. Passionate male/female leadership that do not timidly whisper correction but are bold and "in-your-face" to help everyone avoid spiritual shipwreck, at times even like "Jesus with the whip in the temple."

4. Lack of a bribbing Gospel, big productions, "one-man-preaching-show," and soft evangelism.

3. Constant reinforcement both from the pulpit and pew of expectation to street witness, join life groups, and be active in discipleship classes.

2. No compromise or fear of man in correction of sin.  We practice disfellowshipping for believers who continue in sin, slander, and commit unlawful behavior.

1. Metro Praise disciples believe there is no other way to have and be the church, for they call the above actions, "Love for God and People!"

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Now the Top 14 Reasons Why People Love Metro Praise:

14. A radical, contagious, uncompromising love for God and people.  All disciples are expected to Love God defined as "passionate worship and obeying His commands," and Love People defined as, "helping them in their times of need and preaching the full Gospel to see their soul saved!" 

13. Repeating of the same vision and strategy over and over again in every service.

12. Requiring all attendees to join the discipleship process before they can ever become active in any ministry.

11. Bold, loud, Biblical preaching that offends many of the hearers- no sugar coating.

10. Removing, sitting down, and placing in previous classes as discipline those who sin or who live a lukewarm Christian life.

9. Lack of places to hide in spiritual dryness, laziness, apathy, sin, and bitterness.

8. Continual focus on the nations with weeping and extended times of group intercession in the main Sunday service. 

7. Personal one-on-one discipleship that holds every believer personally accountable to the standards of Christ and the Bible- no "man pleasing spirit."  Big money givers, senior saints, and the young know-it-alls are all expected to be teachable, humble, hungry for more of God, and servants.

6. Intense worship times with public speaking in tongues, powerful prophecy, and upfront repentance at the altars.

5. Passionate male/female leadership that do not timidly whisper correction but are bold and "in-your-face" to help everyone avoid spiritual shipwreck, at times even like "Jesus with the whip in the temple."

4. Lack of a bribbing Gospel, big productions, "one-man-preaching-show," and soft evangelism.
 
3. Constant reinforcement both from the pulpit and pew of expectation to street witness, join life groups, and be active in discipleship classes.

2. No compromise or fear of man in correction of sin.  We practice disfellowshipping for believers who continue in sin, slander, and commit unlawful behavior.

1. Metro Praise disciples believe there is no other way to have and be the church, for they call the above actions, "Love for God and People!"


Watch a Keynote Message on the Heart of Metro Praise, "Discipleship"




Key Verses About Jesus' Love/Hate Ministry

1. Jesus predicted that many people would hate His disciples and their teachings, John 15:18-20!  

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.   
20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master. ’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

2. Jesus promised His teachings would bring division, even to one's family, Matthew 10:32-49!

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.   
35 For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter- in- law against her mother- in- law –36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. ’  
37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

3.  Jesus rebuked people who questioned His authority after they got offended and thus didn't do miracles in their towns, Matthew 13:53-58!

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”   
57 And they took offense at him.  
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

4. Click here to also listen to Dr. Michael Brown's message on the three most common roles with leaders in the ministry: "Politicians, Professionals, or Prophets!"


5. By the way, none of the these verses or teachings change how much Jesus loves you.  He just loves you enough to tell you the truth, John 14:21!


21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.  



3 comments:

thorn said...

If you love god and love people you will love these, but if you are living for yourself you will despise these things.

Julia said...

Love this so true..thanks for posting.

Christopher J. Vitale said...

Love it!! The same reasons people love Metro Praise are the same reasons people hate Metro Praise!! May God be praised.