I believe that we are living in the last days. When I read the book of Acts and see how the early church functioned in Acts 2 & 4 specifically, I see a caring group of believers sharing material possessions, praying, worshipping, and living out the call together. I see pastoral care and a lot of “one anothering” going on within the body of Christ in Acts.
Today, I see a lot of believers turning to unbelievers for help. I see a lot of church employees referring people OUT of the church to secular unbelievers and to well-intended, though sometimes misdirected, “Christian” counselors.
Overall, I see a lack of shepherding and “one anothering” that leads to a gap in care which is where biblical discipleship and care of others comes in. We want to strengthen the body of Christ!
It’s getting better in the church today with biblical preaching, strong small groups, and more “one anothering” going on, but it breaks my heart when so many churches either do not want to invest the time in caring for their members OR they do not know how to use the Scriptures to minister the love of the Spirit to their members; so, they send them outside the church for “real answers and real love” – (which is not “real” at all, thus the quotation marks).
So there is a large need for TIL and other such groups like us in the body of Christ teaching the body of Christ to “speak the truth in love” in the body of Christ to care for the body of Christ as God desires.
-Mark (all about the local church and praying churches will begin caring for their own better in the knowledge that caring for their own will lead to care and compassion outside the church to the lost)