Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church

The Conversation Continues

January 10, 2008

Evelyn Laycock was one of the speakers for the Congress on Evangelism, held Jan. 2-5 in Savannah, Ga. She taught on the Parable of the Talents. I would advise my readers to get the DVD of her presentation from Good News Production in Macon, Ga. She made a statement in her powerful presentation that stuck with me: "Eighty-two percent of all the U.S. population under 18 years of age has never been inside of a church sanctuary.” If this doesn’t sound like the clarion call for us to get busy and be about God’s business, I don’t know what it will take for the church to Offer Christ to a world in need of proper spiritual guidance.

Many church members say that we are friendly churches, but what Evelyn called us to embody are the overwhelming characteristics of Kingdom Living, and that is to live in “Agape Love.” She calls us to extend ourselves, to go out of our way and to move beyond our comfort zone for the highest good of those God calls us to love. Too often, I find that churches and pastors are unwilling to move beyond the minimum expressions of Christian love to offer Christ in a way that -- may not be what I desire -- but would win people to Jesus. I guess it's about following the words of the Apostle Paul: “I have become all things to all people that I might win some to Christ.” We are so adamant that the music must be what I like ... the preacher must preach the way I prefer ... the service must only be one hour ... the only time to offer learning experiences is during the traditional Sunday School hour ... and we continue to come to church and only speak to the people we know.

This Sunday, why not deliberately approach someone you have never spoken to in your church? Introduce yourself to him or her and decide to develop a relationship -- not out of charity but for the betterment of your life in Christ. Why not look at your community for the first time to see what the needs are -- so that you and your congregation can begin working with the people outside the church to address these needs?

God has extravagantly given us the Kingdom, and we are called to add to what God has given us by widening his circle of love to include all. Why not spend more time at the next Church Council discovering how we can be God’s salt in this community rather than bickering and arguing about at what temperature the themostat should be set? Remember, one day the master will return and ask what we did with what we have been entrusted. Evelyn reminded me what an extravagant gift salvation is. And it is, for it cost Jesus his life. Let us continue the conversation.

Comments

You must be logged in to comment.