Today, I had a few thoughts about a common error that seems to be throughout the church world.  Over the years, I have heard people say things like “I will not go where I am not fed” or perhaps, “I just do not feel like I am being fed in this church”.  People being discontent or even at times, which is much worse for most, that they are content and being fed.  Huh?  I will explain..

Being fed is an interesting topic!  Where does this come from, the concept of being fed by ministers?  I think the idea is mostly taken from the view of a Shepherd and a Flock which is often brought to mind in the passage:

Joh 21:15-17  ~ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

You clearly see the picture of a shepherd and his flock and him taking care of them.  He is there to guide and nurture them all the days of their lives.  To keep them from harm and watch over them since they are too stupid to live without him.  They completely rely on the shepherd to for their existence.

Is this the meaning from the passage we are to carry away, that everyone are sheep and we need a minister (shepherd) to fed us and take care of us?

Nope!  We only require them while we are sheep, but we are to become something much more than that:

Eph 4:11-16  ~ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

We are to grow, to be built up as a part of the Body, able to stand on our own.  We are not to be hand fed for the rest of our life, learning to depend on ministers for all our help, we are to learn how to dig out our own food from God’s Word and through the Spirit that He has put within us.  Oh, yes, we can share food with one another, but we should not DEPEND on anyone to fed us after we have learned how to feed ourselves. 

Let’s look at this in the example of a baby. When the child is born, it requires the parents to feed and protect it from all harm, they are its source.  After the baby learns to eat, the parent no longer has to feed the child, they just provide the food and the child feeds itself.  After more growth, the youth will learn to get its own food and start making its own decisions, based on what it has been taught.  Then after while longer, the person is now able to live on their own and make their own decisions. It is all by growth.

What would happen if you never took a baby off the bottle?  Can you imagine a 45 year old baby still on the bottle?  We have churches filled with them!

The Word of God is our spiritual food and anyone can obtain all they need at any time day or night just by opening their Bible and feeding.  Sadly, many never open their Bibles unless it is at a meeting. 

Pastors, it is time to close the trough, it is time to get people to feed themselves, to grow, it is time to give them a chance to dig and show their understanding of the Word.  You know what is one of the hardest things for me?  To sit by and wait for someone else to dig up the answer to an issue when I already know the answer.  If I always give them the answer, they will usually not learn as they did not dig it out themselves.  People must be in positions to use what they learn or often they will not retain the knowledge or never know how it is used.

Churches should be a lively flowing center of activity by the Body of the Christ, not just a shepherd or visiting ministers.  It is a Body ministry!  It cannot function though, if everyone remains sheep just waiting to be fed.  Allow the Holy Spirit to move through many vessels not just one and see what God can do in a meeting!