It’s ‘Go’ Time!
A couple of Sunday evenings ago Brother Eddie preached a message called “Go” based on Matthew 28:20. The King James Version reads:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
That message struck a chord with me.
I had been thinking that “I” was seeing a decline in participation in our Church. I was thinking that people aren’t stepping up as much as they used to. I even compiled a list of the names of people that have gone on to be with the Lord, thinking that no one was taking their places. I was thinking that I needed to exhort folks to start stepping up more.
Then Brother Eddie asked everyone to stand that had helped with the two Family dinners that were held that Saturday and over twenty people stood up.
So much for that idea!
Well, God was trying to tell me something alright, but I didn’t understand what it was.
Then Brother Eddie delivered that message and I finally understood. Yes! We do need more people to step up and fill Sunday School leader and teaching roles. Yes, we do need help with the Labor of Love ministry as well as others. But where I was trying to address the need by getting more out of the people we have in the pews, God and Brother Eddie were thinking outside the box. (That box being the walls of Highland Park Baptist Church!)
Eddie and God were saying we need to go get more help by going outside the Church.
So the idea came to me, that along with ‘witnessing’ what if we just gave ‘people’ the opportunity to initiate the conversation? For instance, if I stood out in front of Food City or Ingles with a Poster or had a button on my lapel that said simply, ‘Can I tell you what I love about MY Church?’ what kind of reaction do you think I would get?
First off, let me tell you I love MY Church. I love its people, I love its pastor and I really love the spirit that fills it.
So it shouldn’t be too hard for me to tell a stranger about those things would it? I mean, if someone is interested and tells me, ‘Yes. You can tell me about your Church.”
Then I can tell them about . . .
- How I came to be in my Church.
- The love that I found there.
- How I feel God’s spirit every time I go there.
- How I can tell them how it has changed my life.
- The prayer warriors in my Church.
- The answered prayers I have seen.
- How we have a powerful and spiritual Worship band.
- How our Youth program is growing not only in size but in the spirit of God.
- How our Senior’s programs are fun and entertaining.
- How our Sunday School leaders are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and filled with the spiritual desire to spread God’s word.
- How my pastor is a good shepherd.
Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way of breaking the ice and ‘Witnessing’ for God? If you’re like me, grab a button! They’re free. Just put one on and go start telling people about our Church and our living Savior – Jesus Christ!