JC Bunkhouse

Subhead

We Are the Church, Go!

Image
Body

Statistics can be an interesting and often useful tool. One statistic I remember reading about says that approximately eighty percent of the United States claims Christianity as their religion of choice. I suppose this statistic includes all who come from a family who somewhere in their past attended church. It could also include those who know they don’t fit in any other religion such as Muslim or Hindu or even atheism.

And then I think about a statistic that we ministers are always hearing in this state about how over eighty percent of the people in Oklahoma do not go to church on a given Sunday!

Yet, the Bible points out quite clearly that we, as believers, are to participate in our local church assembly.

Heb 10:24-25: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and even more as you see the Day approaching. (niv)

So, if eighty percent of the people in this country call themselves Christian, and eighty-four percent of us do not go to church on Sunday (or any other day of the week) then there is something wrong somewhere. Please don’t misunderstand what I am trying to get across. There are times and situations that take folks away from being able to attend their own church. Sometimes it is a job. At times, it is important to see to the needs of family. But at other times, a major portion of the 80% just chooses not to attend church.

It makes our job set forth in the Great Commission just a little more complicated.

We are to go and encourage others to become followers of Christ, instructing them how they are to be baptized, and also teaching them what it means to be a disciple of Christ. And Jesus will forever be with us!

But how do you decide who needs Christ and who needs to be shared with?

Well, it would seem to me that we should share the love of Christ with everyone we encounter. We must live out Christ in our lives, and we should tell others about what Jesus did, how He did it, and why He did it.

And we need to tell them that Jesus is alive today and He wants to have a personal relationship with them. Jesus is not a religion; He is one who wants to be your friend. But True friendship can’t be forced upon anyone. Friendship is two-way communication.

Jesus is willing and He is waiting. What is your answer to Him?

…with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:10 nasb)

The evangelism side of Matthew 28 is so important. And we need to be sure the Gospel is taught well so that all people, cowboys and rednecks included, have a chance to truly accept and receive Christ as Lord!

So, go we must! And don’t forget the teaching. Because if we, as the church, are not careful, we will end up with a building full of people who can tell you a “got saved” date and even when they were baptized; but yet, they’re just not real sure what exactly what that means.

I once had an atheist tell me that if Jesus is so important to my eternity, then how come only a handful of you make a feeble attempt to tell me about Him?

How important is Christ to you? Go tell others!

Choose Jesus, choose life! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! And y’all KEEP PRAYIN’ for RAIN! Amen