Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
There is one major thing that Christ told us to do as his followers...Go! So let me pose a simple question. Why do so many of us stay? It seems to me that many churchgoers now see missions as an option or as something to be observed from far away. We have become a church of bleacher bums.
We have decided that we are too comfortable in our nice homes, with our comfortable cars, sitting back and just observing life as it passes us by. We appear to think that God has called us to live the American dream, but I think we are just addicted to our stuff.
Look at the Gospels in the New Testament. Jesus never said we were going to fit in and live nice comfortable lives. In fact he stated the opposite. He said the world would hate us, and he even told several people that they would have to sell everything to truly be his followers. Now, I'm not saying we can't have nice things, but it's when those nice things take the place of the call God has put on our lives that a problem arises.
God has called us all to go, and it is time for us to answer the call. It's time for us to get out of our comfort zones and reach the lost. They are out there just waiting for us to come to them. Some of them are here in the United States, and there are many more around the world.
After my recent trip to Zimbabwe, I've realized that even though I may not have much my quest for more (aka the American Dream) was taking precedence over the call God has put on my life. I was more worried about how I would buy a bigger house and a nicer car when God opens the door for full time ministry than I was about the souls God has called me to touch. I think this is an epidemic that has swept our country.
Missions are not an option. God has called us to go. You may ask, what about the people in need around us? The answer is simple. That is what a life giving local church is for. The local church is there to serve people locally, but Christ said to go unto all the nations. It's time to quit relying on our stuff, get rid of what we need to get rid of, and follow God's command.
Ok, so you need a place to start. Try reading Radical by David Platt. It will give you a different outlook on how some churches have changed the Gospel to fit the American Dream instead of God's Dream.
It's time to reach out to the world. It's time to stop being comfortable and content. It's time to move. You have been challenged, now what will you do with it? Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...
There is one major thing that Christ told us to do as his followers...Go! So let me pose a simple question. Why do so many of us stay? It seems to me that many churchgoers now see missions as an option or as something to be observed from far away. We have become a church of bleacher bums.
We have decided that we are too comfortable in our nice homes, with our comfortable cars, sitting back and just observing life as it passes us by. We appear to think that God has called us to live the American dream, but I think we are just addicted to our stuff.
Look at the Gospels in the New Testament. Jesus never said we were going to fit in and live nice comfortable lives. In fact he stated the opposite. He said the world would hate us, and he even told several people that they would have to sell everything to truly be his followers. Now, I'm not saying we can't have nice things, but it's when those nice things take the place of the call God has put on our lives that a problem arises.
God has called us all to go, and it is time for us to answer the call. It's time for us to get out of our comfort zones and reach the lost. They are out there just waiting for us to come to them. Some of them are here in the United States, and there are many more around the world.
After my recent trip to Zimbabwe, I've realized that even though I may not have much my quest for more (aka the American Dream) was taking precedence over the call God has put on my life. I was more worried about how I would buy a bigger house and a nicer car when God opens the door for full time ministry than I was about the souls God has called me to touch. I think this is an epidemic that has swept our country.
Missions are not an option. God has called us to go. You may ask, what about the people in need around us? The answer is simple. That is what a life giving local church is for. The local church is there to serve people locally, but Christ said to go unto all the nations. It's time to quit relying on our stuff, get rid of what we need to get rid of, and follow God's command.
Ok, so you need a place to start. Try reading Radical by David Platt. It will give you a different outlook on how some churches have changed the Gospel to fit the American Dream instead of God's Dream.
It's time to reach out to the world. It's time to stop being comfortable and content. It's time to move. You have been challenged, now what will you do with it? Thanks for stopping by and God Bless...
