Anyone who is watching the political stage this year has had an opportunity to look at the actors. A decision has now been made and there are now two candidates with polar opposite visions for The USA. My purpose is not to delve into which candidate is better suited as I will allow the voters to choose. Please remember no matter who you choose that it will fulfill God’s design. He is the one that raises up, and brings down nations still today. So pray about your choice, if your person wins, praise God, if your person loses, praise God, because He is in control. The two themes are “We are stronger Together” and “Make America Great Again”. Both are great themes. I like them both, so I want to “borrow” some of the words. Please note I am giving credit where credit is due. Today I want to borrow from Mr. Trump’s slogan, and next week I will borrow from Mrs. Clinton’s theme.
Today your humble scribe wants to write about, “Make the Church Great Again”. Some will argue that the Church is already great, after all it is the blood bought church of Christ, He makes the church great. I desire to look not at the church as having reached perfection, because we have not. How do I know this? Because I am not perfect…come closer I have a secret for you, I will whisper it now so no one else will know…you are not perfect either. Smile it isn’t that bad. I want to focus even smaller. I want to talk about the lack of growth in the Lord’s Church. Too be fair, the Church is growing in parts of the world, so this writer will confine his thoughts to the Church in the USA.
No one can deny that the Church burst onto the scene on the day of Pentecost perhaps 29 AD (Most scholars admit a mistake in the Calendar). On that glorious day 3,000 souls were saved after obeying the Gospel of Jesus as it was preached by the twelve. Both the Apostles, and those three thousand souls obeyed the last command Jesus gave while He was still on this Earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:45-49). The Apostles did preach the Gospel, the hearers believed, repented and were baptized having their sins washed away, and God added them to the family of God as they were born of the water and the spirit. As we read through the Book of Acts we thrill at all the conversions that took place. People were excited about Jesus, they were thrilled that their sins were forgiven and they shared their blessing from house to house concerning this one called Jesus. The result was that the city was on fire, tens of thousands obeyed the Gospel of Jesus. Contrast that with today.
The church not only does not have additions daily, they are not happening weekly, nor monthly as a whole. In fact the recent 21st Century Directory points out we are loosing people. The numbers suggest we have lost 165,000 since 1990. Do the math, not only is the church not adding daily, but the church in the USA is losing 17.39 people every day, that is over 6300 souls every year.
People are perplexed about the decline of America, and how we have lost the culture war. It is because we have retreated into the bunkers of comfort. We give speeches from the relative safety of our pulpits, but do we inspire the church to be great? Can you sense an excitement about Jesus? Do we preach the Word day in and day out? Where is the excitement among Christians that our sins have been forgiven? Are we sharing the Gospel of Jesus? Have we ignited the flame within the hearts of our fellow Christians to take up their crosses to follow Jesus? Let’s make the Church Great Again.
Once the Church was the only church, let’s enthusiastically work toward that goal of all being one. Once the Church was the change agent within empires to change the culture, let’s make that commitment. Once the Church was the fastest growing church in the USA, let’s pick up the gauntlet, let us no longer seek to maintain mediocrity, let us instead dare to be great. Throw away the tired and worn excuses. Open the door of possibilities and dream not of what once was, not of what might have been, but of what will be, what shall be done in the name of Jesus to conquer a divisive, decaying, dying world. Do you want to make a difference? Preach the Word like you mean it. The church cannot be inspired by boring presentations of sermons. Get excited about Jesus, so the Church will be excited. Be enthusiastic in your delivery, God has given you a precious gift share it with those you love.
Steven Webb, evangelist
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(c)2016
Unity of the Faith 