Subject: How to "win the world" ? |
Bible Note: Dear Mommapbs - Here's a little hinge (but little hinges swing big doors!) to add to your thoughts about the approach some of today's church leaders are taking toward attracting people to their doorsteps. I don't know that Jesus or His disciples spent much time and effort on putting together attractive church programs with which to lure people into fancy houses of worship. I do know that Jesus and His apostles spend a good deal of time on the road, taking the Good News out to people where they lived. Later on, Paul and those who accompanied him on his journeys were not exactly on luxurious vacation cruises. The phenomenal growth of the Apostolic church was not centered around, or the result of, fancy church programs or magnificant buildings. It was a matter of the church going out to the people with an urgent message -- the message of the Way -- that impacted their very lives. The Apostolic church did not sit on their blessed assurance and plan attractive "programs" to lure people to "come to church." They recognized that they WERE the church and did as Christ commanded them to do, which was to GO into the world and preach the Gospel. I'm afraid some of us have the cart before the horse, thinking that it is the duty of the unsaved to seek us out, when clearly it is our duty to seek them out. What we should be doing is not inviting the lost to "come to church" but we, the church, should be going to them. Well, that's my little hinge, Mommapbs. Do you think it might swing big doors if it were used? Blessings, dear heart. --Hank |