Should You Do Outreach ONLY in the area you live?

MomOfADramaQn · #1 06-11-2009, 10:05 AM

I heard something the other day and was totally floored but I am just curious if this is how most pastors really feel - I would hope not but am just curious. There are two churches probably within about 20 miles of each other. Church A went to the little town where Church B is and put tracts on cards at a mall or some type of department store. Pastor of Church B called the pastor of Church A and reprimanded him for doing outreach in his town and told him that was not his territory! Is this normal?? I sure hope not because is sure doesn't seem biblical to me.

RandyWayne · #2 06-11-2009, 10:32 AM

Things can get pretty cut throat when commissions, errrr I mean, tithes are at stake.

Digging4Truth · #3 06-11-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomOfADramaQn

I heard something the other day and was totally floored but I am just curious if this is how most pastors really feel - I would hope not but am just curious. There are two churches probably within about 20 miles of each other. Church A went to the little town where Church B is and put tracts on cards at a mall or some type of department store. Pastor of Church B called the pastor of Church A and reprimanded him for doing outreach in his town and told him that was not his territory! Is this normal?? I sure hope not because is sure doesn't seem biblical to me.

I have seen this happen before. I have actually known of a pastor telling the other pastor that he can only evangelize to a certain road. That road was the dividing line to their "territories"

Let's hope this isn't any type of norm though.

Timmy · #4 06-11-2009, 10:47 AM

The AG church I last attended was notified that another AG church wanted to buy property and build a few miles down the road from ours, and needed our approval, by AG rules. Request denied. The board was afraid people would stop there on the way to ours.

Business as usual.

MomOfADramaQn · #5 06-11-2009, 10:54 AM

Well - I knew you had to get approval to start another church and they can only be within so many miles of each other I think - but to reprimand another church for just doing outreach - I believe that is what Jesus told us to do and I don't recall him saying you are limited to a certain territory so seems to me this pastor is totally not following the Bible

Digging4Truth · #6 06-11-2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomOfADramaQn

Well - I knew you had to get approval to start another church and they can only be within so many miles of each other I think - but to reprimand another church for just doing outreach - I believe that is what Jesus told us to do and I don't recall him saying you are limited to a certain territory so seems to me this pastor is totally not following the Bible

You agree with the text in red and yet disagree with the text in blue?

MomOfADramaQn · #7 06-11-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

You agree with the text in red and yet disagree with the text in blue?

I did not say I agreed with it said I just knew that was protocol.

Praxeas · #8 06-11-2009, 03:25 PM

what is the point in even having a local church in a local city? Presumably to reach THAT city.

On the one hand I can see how some would find fault with the pastor of the second city. But at the same time how about the pastor of the first city? Would he be ok if the folks from the second city went and canvased his city?

Here is my problem. The church is supposed to be in unity, working together not against each other. Rather than helping each other reach lost souls we compete.

There was a thread here with a poster saying another Apostolic church actively pursued the members of his church to change churches. I think that is absurd to do.

Digging4Truth · #9 06-11-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas

There was a thread here with a poster saying another Apostolic church actively pursued the members of his church to change churches. I think that is absurd to do.

'Tis the result when one gets caught in building their own personal kingdom.

Praxeas · #10 06-11-2009, 03:28 PM

People get attracted by NEW. There are many ways to attract people to other churches and pastors are using them. I can imagine the frustration of a local church and Pastor who loses a bunch of members to another church that installed a coffee bar.

And again while everyone is pointing fingers at the one church who lost members why do we approve of the cut throat tactics of churches to take members from OTHER churches rather than win new souls to the Lord? To the LORD...not to their church.