Turning Outward

There is a story of a pastor who was preaching about our role as individuals and as a church to reach the lost. He spoke to his church, "The problem is that people are dying all over the world and going to hell and you don't give a damn!" The crowd looked at each other stunned and in dead silence. The preacher continued, "The saddest part is that most of you are more upset that I used the word damn in church than you are that people are dying ad going to hell."

Wow! Isn't that the truth. What about us, what about The Journey? What do we care more about? Do you care about those who are without Christ? Here's some questions to help you answer the question honestly.

1. When is the last time you've had a lost person in your home? (The plumber who fixed the toliet doesn't count)
2. How many meaningful conversations did you have with non-Christians this week?
3. Who are the nonbelievers you prayed for today?

If you can't answer those questions with several names, chances are you're on the road to not caring. Scary. I'm praying for God to reignite my passion to reach lost people, not just in church on Sunday, but in my personal life.

You don't fail if the Spirit prompts you to ask someone to follow Christ and the person doesn't. You fail when the Spirit prompts you but you're afraid to ask. We can't blame ourselves if someone rejects Christ. That's putting ourselves in God's place. It is our job to share the story of Jesus with a world who is desperate for hope. Do we really believe Jesus is the answer for the hurt, brokenness, and emptiness in our world today? If so, why wouldn't we be sharing the message of his grace and love freely and without fear?

Howard Hendricks, a well-known preaching professor says, "In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering." Let it not be said of us.

God wreck us from our complacency and indifference with the fact that there are lost people dying and spending eternity separated from you. Help us to care more about people than our own egos. Disturb us for the things that disturb you.

Pray for me today, I have a chance to eat lunch with Ed Stetzer. He is a leading missiologist in the church world right now. He is an expert on how the church can live out what I just blogged about today. Pray I learn a lot and ask great questions.