The Salesman

“Don’t you see the sign? It says, ‘No Solicitors’.”

“I’m not trying to sell you anything, sir. I just wanted to give you this invitation to our Easter church service.”

“Don’t give me that stuff. You church people are just like salesmen, trying to get people to believe the way you do.”

Unfortunately, it isn’t just non-Christian people who view Christians trying to share their faith as salesmen. We ourselves can fall into that thinking. Some of us convince ourselves that if we say things in just the right way and have a convincing answer for every question we will be able to get people to believe in Christ. Others of us give up without trying because we know we won’t say things just right nor will we have any kind of an answer for our skeptical friend’s tough questions.

Last week we started our series “What We’re Here For” on reaching out to non-believing people. We saw from Christ’s last command to his disciples that our mission is to take what he did out to as many people as possible. But far from being the art of the sell, sharing Christ is about using the tools God has given us. While it is only to be expected that we’ll prepare ourselves as best we can to speak about Jesus, our confidence is in the unchanging Bible message, Baptism and Holy Communion to create faith in the hearts of people.

God gives us the privilege of joining him in what matters most to every human being. We don’t have to “sell” them on that, we just need to give them the tools which the Holy Spirit uses to bring them to faith. A thousand years from now, nothing you have done in your life will compare to the lasting effects of joining God in touching peoples’ lives.

Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Choices

Years ago I was talking with a young man who was about to start college. He was very intelligent and so just about any type of major would have been open to him. But the enormous variety of study options was exactly what rendered him unable to make a decision about what course of study to choose. Soon after he left college, frustrated that he couldn’t make up his mind about the career he wanted to pursue.

We love choices, but too many choices leaves us with an exaggerated fear that we will make the wrong choice and so condemn ourselves to a miserable life.

Jesus doesn’t leave his followers with any choice when it comes to the mission of our lives. He says, “Go, make disciples wherever you are.” Geography, occupation, economic status really don’t mean much. What matters to Christ is that we, his followers, are representing him wherever we are, whatever we are doing.

In a culture which celebrates the ability to be one’s own person and do whatever we want to do, there is the great temptation to be distracted from the mission Christ gives us and invest ourselves in all the interesting activities around us.

The great challenge of the Christian today is not failing, but rather succeeding at what does not
matter. Pleasure, popularity and power are all attractive, very attractive, but they will not accompany anyone through the door of death. Only one thing lasts – people. And the mission Jesus Christ gives us is all about people.

Are you ready to take on your mission?

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

The Lines in the Sand of Our Times

Drawing a line in the sand means a person takes a stand on a certain issue which communicates something to the effect of, “I cannot compromise after this point.” Drawing a line in the sand is sometimes seen as a bold and courageous action; at other times it is interpreted as being intolerant and unloving.

At the present moment our country is torn apart over controversial moral questions such as abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, and transgender. Christians have been described as narrow minded, intolerant and uncaring because of our attitudes in regards to these issues. Some have even suggested that Christianity will soon die out if it does not readjust its view on these moral subjects.

So what do we do? Do we compromise what Jesus Christ and the Bible clearly teach in order to become more acceptable in the eyes of our society? Or, must we courageously draw a line in the sand and, speaking the truth in love, present our truth to the confused culture in which we live?

What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? He engaged with people. He never compromised his teachings, but he reached out to people with one goal, to bring them to faith in him. Above all, Christ died for them, just as he died for you and me. Knowing how much Christ values each human life, even the lives of those living in radical and challenging disobedience, we are compelled to reach out to them with the truth of Christ.

If you’re confused about the Christian reaction to the changing moral values of our day, join us this weekend for one of our services. See how you can draw a line in the sand which may seem controversial, but is actually the greatest act of love.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Being Intentional

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

We start 2017 with such good intentions to become better Christians by the end of the year. It’s not that we don’t care about spiritual growth. We do! In fact, we’re passionate about it and feel genuinely repentant that we don’t seem to make much headway in this whole matter of becoming the kind of people God wants us to be.

Now to be sure, it is God himself who works in us the changes we so desperately need. Yet, in most cases he seems to work best when we intentionally commit ourselves to actually doing something that has to do with spiritual growth.

Most of us treat spiritual exercise much like physical exercise. We are totally agreed that we need to get into better shape but that’s about where it ends, nodding our heads and saying, “Yep, I got to exercise more this year.” Of course, that statement in and of itself never got anyone physically fit. Until we start putting the tennis shoes on and hitting the pavement, no progress is made.

This coming weekend we’re going to be looking at what the Apostle Paul wrote about intentional Christianity. It’s challenging and it’s exactly what we need to hear at the beginning of this new year. If there is going to be spiritual growing in 2017, it’s got to be intentional. Join us for one of our weekend worship services. Start being “on purpose” in your Christian living.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am