Get off the nipple!

Yeah… if you think that’s harsh… you should pick up God’s Word… The Bible doesn’t stutter…

Nipple Feeders:

-Have to have food brought to them.

-Can eat in only 1 location.

-Can eat only 1 type of food.

-Have to rely on someone else faithfulness to be fed.

-Have to rely on someone else faithfulness to grow.

-Cry a lot… about a variety of different things…

-The only thing they do more than suck… is crap….

-The only thing they do more than crap… is sleep…

Self-Feeders:

-Can go TO the food.

-Can eat in a variety of different locations.

-Can eat a variety of different foods.

-Know that to be @ their healthiest they SHOULD eat a variety of foods.

-Instead of laying in their mess… They know where to take their mess.

-Know that HEALTH is defined by diet and EXERCISE.

-Understand the more you exercise the MORE YOU GET TO EAT.

We all start @ the nipple but move to become self-feeders… How then should we encourage our church body to do the same????



This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 5:30 am and is filed under Me, bible, culture, scripture.
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  • I appreciate sharing of your mind. Thanks.
  • Nicely posted; I followed links from [www.alittleleaven.com]; you should check it out.
  • Truth.
  • Fantastic post! I enjoyed reading it! thanks for posting.
  • bobbi bash
    Guess we just have to be a good example to our associates. I was a baby on milk and it took me 20 years before I had the desire to step out and serve. It was Pastor Charles at New Hope Community church, who nudged me with his "in your face", yet effective teachings, to do so. I have a lot to thank him for, and will miss him and his family as he leaves the church he stepped out in faith to start over 6 years ago. I wish to see it go on, and will do what I can to see that it does.
  • bobbi bash
    Good point. Slightly brash and crude, but I get it. ;)
  • dymonbird
    Pastor Charles,
    To say I was not disappointed when I heard you were leaving would be a lie. I also understand you must go where your heart and God leads. Let me say, however, without New Hope I would not have ever found Christ or been baptized for wish I am eternally grateful!
    God bless you and your family a safe journey to wherever God leads !
  • who's Pastor Charles???? just wondering....
  • Rob
    He is a Pastor who has planted one church in multiple locations, not to say that in bragging!!! or anything.... saying it is an IMPACT. His heart is not in it for being better that the church down the road or talking smack about others when they bring him down, his heart is in it for CHRIST. Pastor Charles has lead a lot of people to Christ, and Has raised up a ton of leaders, i hope that he knows that when he leaves his leaders that he has inspired will continue to rise up and cast his vision and most of all get off of the nipple!!
  • okay--- i understand that--- but how did he become the subject of this comment string??? im not following how 'dymonbird' (seemingly out of nowhere) randomly states... "Thank you pastor Charles"...??? Am i not seeing the connection--- somebody connect the dots for me...
  • Pastor Charles from New Hope linked your blog here - http://chazzdaddy.blogspot.com/2008/12/ouceh-mu...
  • Great post.

    I want to claim I'm not a nipple feeder any more but I know I have those tendancies still!
  • Ron
    Thank you for your thoughful response to my comment. Some, like myself, tarried too long in immaturity because, among other things, I was never fed a substantive diet in my formative years. Too, perhaps better than speaking of 'career' Christians, 'nominal' Christians- Christian in name only - may be more biblically accurate for some of those you describe. The New Testament speaks of sheep and goats, wheat and tares in the church. Regarding "It is our job to disturb the career christian", perhaps we need to call into question, prepared with much prayer and wisdom and by the leading of the Holy Spirit, the truth of their salvation? Paul tells us to be sure of our election. I would rather be gently questioned on that now than face the reality of Matthew 7:21-23 in the future. Perhaps it is not so much a nudge that is needed to get someone off the nipple, but more that they were ever really on the nipple to begin with. Perhaps, too, we are saying the same thing.

    Enough of my rambling. Could go on for hours, but I will refrain. Thank you for letting me digress on your blog. ;-)

    In His grip,

    Ron
  • Ron
    When I hear statements like, 'get off the nipple' it usually is voiced by pastors who state it is not their job to feed, but lead. Too, sometimes one confuses chronology, physical age, with spiritual maturity. Quite honestly, what I pick up is a wee bit if contemptuousness some pastors seem to have for the flock, for those who cry for more food. Though some may be an adult in number of birthdays, they may be an infant spiritually. What so many pastor do is turn away spiritual infants with contempt. What often seems to be voiced by those pastors who claim it is not their job to feed the flock is a performance driven legalism lite, at death to grace by a thousand cuts.

    What is the fundamental to the role of a pastor, an undershephard? Read John 21:15-18. "The Bible doesn't stutter."
  • i love your thoughts Ron.... it is an accurate observation that many older folks are still young spiritually--- and the Bible is very clear as to who's job it is to shepherd.... you are accurate here--- I'm a Student Pastor--- I'm hoping the generation i shepherd... that i'll give an account for... That they understand that Christ said both "Come and Follow..." but he also said "Come and Die..." to those same kids--- (within a 3yr time period)--- My vision is that of Christ... Disciples... Self-feeders.... I have not condemned anyone in this post... but i dont think its an unfair observation to make that i see many 'career christians' in my world... They've been @ the nipple for a long time... our churches across the board are FILLED WITH THEM....

    *please understand that's @ the heart of this post*

    It is our job to disturb the career christian.... b/c Church isn't something we show up @ once a wk... it's something WE ARE EVERY MINUTE... and only the Self-Feeders can truly fulfill that calling....God Be With Us...

    One Love
  • Brad, not seeing any way to e-mail this- can I link to your post? Thanks, -Gail
  • Wow! Great post. Hopped over here from Perry's blog. If I can figure out a way to e-mail this post to my lifegroup friends; I'm going to do so. I don't think it is so shocking(Jeremy), but rather the truth that MANY of us overlook; or rather like newly weaned toddlers keep trying to go back to the nipple. -Because the other stuff takes a bit more work & we are too lazy to do that work. OUCH!
  • Jeremy Pinson
    Just because saying something "shocking " gets you more hits on you blog, doesn't mean it should be said.
  • Good stuff.
  • We have to talk about it. We can't assume that people completely know where they go after being a feeder. It's just like visioncasting. You have to keep talking about it.
    We need to maturing believers its time to stop nursing. It's time to step up or you will never see the full plan and purposes God has in store for you.
    Great post!
    Thanks!
  • This post was wicked awesome! This would be a great sermon! Great post!
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