Day 495: Making an ImpactRomans 1:8c
...because your faith is being reported all over the world.
Thoughts for Today:Every once in a while someone will ask me where I go to church, and when I say, "South Shores" they respond: "Oh, isn't that the church on the hill, where they do Eggstravaganza, (Christmas in July, or one of the other outreach programs we offer annually to our community)?" I won't say our "faith is being reported all over the world," as Paul wrote to the Romans. But it is being reported throughout our community. Could you imagine what it would be like if no one knew or cared what we did? If we held church and no one came because we didn't invite anyone?
Many churches can suffer from "program overload" -- the membership becomes exhausted due to the endless stream of seasonal event driven programs, yet few from the community as a whole attend. I'm sure we all agree it is nice to have an Easter program at our church, but is the goal of a church to entertain its membership or bring Jesus to the unsaved?
As a general statement, I think most churches have too many "programs". I'm not saying programs are bad, I just think we should take a long hard look at the focus of any program. Is it to "bring" Jesus and "be" Jesus in our communities or is it to entertain ourselves? Are we making an impact with our programs? How many come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior as a result? How many of the hungry were fed or clothed? What was the goal of your church's last program?
Questions to Ponder:The children's song goes: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine." Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." How bright is your light? Is it being reported "all over the world"? What about at work? In your neighborhood? At your son's soccer game? What would other people say about your faith? Would they know you follow Jesus?
...because your faith is being reported all over the world.
Thoughts for Today:Every once in a while someone will ask me where I go to church, and when I say, "South Shores" they respond: "Oh, isn't that the church on the hill, where they do Eggstravaganza, (Christmas in July, or one of the other outreach programs we offer annually to our community)?" I won't say our "faith is being reported all over the world," as Paul wrote to the Romans. But it is being reported throughout our community. Could you imagine what it would be like if no one knew or cared what we did? If we held church and no one came because we didn't invite anyone?
Many churches can suffer from "program overload" -- the membership becomes exhausted due to the endless stream of seasonal event driven programs, yet few from the community as a whole attend. I'm sure we all agree it is nice to have an Easter program at our church, but is the goal of a church to entertain its membership or bring Jesus to the unsaved?
As a general statement, I think most churches have too many "programs". I'm not saying programs are bad, I just think we should take a long hard look at the focus of any program. Is it to "bring" Jesus and "be" Jesus in our communities or is it to entertain ourselves? Are we making an impact with our programs? How many come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior as a result? How many of the hungry were fed or clothed? What was the goal of your church's last program?
Questions to Ponder:The children's song goes: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine." Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." How bright is your light? Is it being reported "all over the world"? What about at work? In your neighborhood? At your son's soccer game? What would other people say about your faith? Would they know you follow Jesus?
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