Statistics can be an interesting and sometimes useful tool. One statistic I came across says that about 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 would also include those who know they don’t fit in any other religion such as Muslim or Hindu or...
And then I think about a statistic that we ministers are always hearing in this state about how eighty-some 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. (read Heb 10:24-25) So if eighty percent of the people in this country call themselves Christian, and eighty-some 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 convey. There are times and situations that take folks away from being able to attend their own church.
Sometimes it is a job. At other times, it is some family activity. But at other times, a major portion of the 84% 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 distinguish who needs Christ and one who knows Christ but, for whatever reason, chooses not to follow Him?
Well, it is evident to me that we should share the love of Christ with all we encounter. 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, 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 might can tell you a “got saved” date and even when they were baptized; but yet, they don’t have a clue how to tell us what that means, and they sure can’t tell someone who is lost without Jesus!
I once had an atheist tell me that if Jesus is so impor ant 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! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! And y’all KEEP PRAYIN’ for RAIN! Amen