DEVOTION
Stuck in the Church
By Cathy Irvin
Staff Writer
CBN.com
-In a lot of churches today, we get so focused on our community
within that we forget the community outside the walls of the church
building we attend.
Jesus told us to go and make disciples of all men. He gives us
the command to be ambassadors for Him. If what I read in the Bible
about the Great Commission is right, then I know I cannot settle
in for a long winter’s nap in my favorite pew.
I know that a large percentage of people think they are not called
to be evangelists, but we all can do the work of evangelism. We
are called to be witnesses in the earth. That means we are to
testify to the goodness of God and to tell that He came to give
eternal life. We want to win the lost so that none will perish.
When we find this good news for ourselves and live for Him, we
are to share what we have learned.
Perhaps you like to pray. Then you can be a part of “prayer
evangelism.” You simply share with someone about your life
as a Christian and ask if you could pray for them about anything.
Sometimes people are more receptive to having prayers said for
them than talking with them about the gospel.
This is not a new thing, but I had not heard of it termed this
way until recently, so I just pray for people. I remember doing
this in a doctor’s office. A waiting patient shared with
me what was wrong. I asked, “Would you mind if I prayed
for your healing for this situation?” The response was a
definite yes.
If your church has a neighborhood picnic, an outdoor concert,
or a beach entertainment event, you can minister God’s love.
You might even capture the attention of teenagers and young people
using bike stunts or skateboarding. There are ways to reach out.
Two local churches in my area are doing these very things because
they know we have been stuck inside the church for too long. It
is time to go outside and get involved in bringing others into
the kingdom first and then hopefully inside the church, where
they can have fellowship with the Lord and their new friends In
Christ.
In the story of the wedding feast we read:
Then the master said to the servant, Go out into the highways
and hedges and urge and constrain [them] to yield and come in,
so that my house may be filled.
— Luke 14:23, Amplified Bible
Send Cathy your comments
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