Our churches today have moved so far from the original church. We get so caught up with our buildings and programs for the people inside the body. The New Testament Church was focused on sharing Christ and building disciples. So what am I saying? No I am not saying sell all the buildings and cancel all the programs that we have for members. Our congregations have become so inwardly focused that we have forgotten what we are commissioned to do. There are so many churches dying on a yearly basis because we have taken our separatist attitude to far. We are so worried that we might catch something from the people who are still living in the world. I am not talking about being seeker sensitive so to speak. What I am saying is why don’t we put our money where our mouth is. We say all the time that we want to do what Jesus commanded us to do. But when we look at our budgets we find that we are just the opposite. Our Churches for the most part have no presence in our communities. There are a lot of places out there that have even stopped having VBS, which for some is the single event that is used to reach parts of the community in which they live. If we are truly concerned about people dying and going to hell, then I submit we need to put our money where our mouth is or shut up. As a SBC we have the privilege to support missionaries and missions through the cooperative program. We do special offerings for other causes and all of that is great. Sadly though for a lot of congregations that is where it stops. Hey that is great, but we need to do more. The Bible says that where we put our treasure that is where our heart will be. That doesn’t just refer to the money we give. We need to use our time and talents to Impact the World for Christ. So what about you? Put your time and talents where your money and mouth are. Pay up or shut up.
,
Tag: great commision
I am not a Missionary or Am I
We all wonder how someone could leave everything they know or have and travel to a foreign land to share Christ. After all hasn’t there been people lose their lives or worse yet put their families at risk. God didn’t call everyone to be the person to leave everything for people in other countries right? Well is that true or false? I would have to submit that the previous statement is false. God has called us all to leave everything for His purposes in our lives. Does that mean that we have to go to another country to make that happen? Do we have to sell everything we own and leave everyone we know? NO. The Great Commission tells us to share Christ in our Jerusalem, Samaria, and then the rest of the world. So we are all called to be missionaries. We don’t have to go to a foreign land to share Christ; we can do it right where God has placed you. You see you are right where you are meant to be according to God. So what are you going to do about that? Walk across the street or across the lunchroom and share Christ with someone. You don’t even have to learn a different language most of the time. Now I am not saying that we don’t need people to go to foreign countries and share Jesus. What I am saying is we can’t just throw money at missions and not do them. If you won’t share Christ with people you are around today, then who will? What I am learning through this journey of life God has placed me on is there are people who come in and out of my life that may never listen to someone else, but will listen to me. So wouldn’t I be a fool not to accept my call as a missionary right where God has placed me. So allow me to ask, Are you a missionary? Or Not
Thoughts from Pastor Toney 