My Comments on Your Comments
Looking back over your comments from two days ago, I am amazed that so many of you are really struggling with how effective you are as a witness to this world. For every person who wrote in, I wonder how many people there are who didn’t write me but feel the same way? It's eye-opening that so many of you are to be grappling with an issue that doesn't seem to be formally recognized, addressed and/or emphasized by A/P churches as a whole. What do you think; are churches doing enough? Or is it up to Christians to motivate themselves whether their church does or not?
I believe the conclusion we came to is that you have to care about people first before they will listen to you when you share your faith. One reader wrote me and asked, "Maybe we're trying too hard to convert strangers instead of friends?" Mmmmm . . . that might mean door-knocking, handing out tracts, etc. should be left in the past. Maybe that means that relationships, rather than the mass dissemination of Biblical doctrine, will be the key to kingdom growth in the future.
Pastors/Church Leaders/Etc., Listen Up!
The rest of my blog entry is for you. I could be wrong thinking that this blog and the people who wrote me are representative of the whole state of the A/P movement, but just looking at my own experiences, I have a sneaking suspicion that it is. The people who sit in your churches day in and day out are floundering. We are desperately longing to work to expand the kingdom of God, but we need direction. We need bold visionaries who will step out and lead us. We are an army, but no army was ever allowed on the battlefield without very specific education and training, and we want more than we’re getting. The time is ripe for you to put this world in your targets and lead us on the offensive. We want to see God move and produce specific results on behalf of our prayers and efforts. In this world where the victories seem few, we want to see the devil lose. But we need you. We just can’t do it without you. Step out, and I believe you be surprise at how many of us will eagerly follow you.
That is my prayer.
(P.S. I am not narcissistic enough to think that a great number of church leaders read this blog. However, if you feel as strongly as I do about the above paragraph, I encourage you to encourage your church leaders to act along those lines. I am, as always, interested in hearing about the things you are doing in your church to reach others, so please pass along any good news!)
Questions, comments, concerns? E-mail me! I reserve the right to quote you unless you ask otherwise.
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