STOP INVITING PEOPLE TO CHURCH: PART 2

This is part two of a blog series about being the church rather than simply going to church. You can go check out part one here!

In my last post we exposed one of the biggest problems with the church today. I don't think this is new or ground breaking but it is something every bereaver needs to think about. 

Ask your self these questions...

"How am I going"?

"How am I doing at being the church"?

Checkout the first couple chapters in Acts to see how the early church was launched and look at what they did and how they acted.

We were pretty rough on pastors last time so lets start taking responsibility for ourselves. The reality is each one of us will have to stand before God and answer for why we didn't follow Jesus' command to Go... our pastors won't have to answer for us.

That being said, where do we start? What do we do?

On my first trip to Togo, West Africa I came full force with a startling reality.... I am prepping to head over to Togo to help lead a church planting movement in an unreached people group where I will be a part of seeing an unbelievable amount of people place their faith in Christ for the first time.... yet I could count on one hand how many people I was involved with seeing their lives changed by Jesus back home. 

When I went to a prayer service held at our first church plant in Togo, I was startled to this reality. You can read the full story about the prayer time here. I went home from that service and was so overwhelmed I just fell into bed and cracked open my bible to Acts 1:8.
​This is part two of a blog series about being the church rather than simply going to church. You can go check out part one here!

In my last post we exposed one of the biggest problems with the church today. I don't think this is new or ground breaking, but it is something every believer needs to think about. 

Ask yourself these questions...

"How am I going"?

"How am I doing at being the church"?

Checkout the first couple chapters in Acts to see how the early church was launched and look at what they did and how they acted.

We were pretty rough on pastors last time so let’s start taking responsibility for ourselves. The reality is each one of us will have to stand before God and answer for why we didn't follow Jesus' command to Go... our pastors won't have to answer for us.

That being said, where do we start? What do we do?

On my first trip to Togo, West Africa I came full force with a startling reality.... I am prepping to head over to Togo to help lead a church planting movement in an unreached people group where I will be a part of seeing an unbelievable amount of people place their faith in Christ for the first time.... yet I could count on one hand how many people I was involved with seeing their lives changed by Jesus back home. 

When I went to a prayer service held at our first church plant in Togo, I was startled to this reality. You can read the full story about the prayer time here. I went home from that service and was so overwhelmed I just fell into bed and cracked open my bible to Acts 1:8.
​
 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

I quickly realized that I skipped over being a witness in my Jerusalem. I was headed straight for the ends of the earth! I started to right down people that I knew that didn't know Christ.... going to Christian college and working and living in the same place, I came up with a grand total of 5. That's a start! Then I looked at the names and realized that these people live all over the country... I concluded that I am not around people that don't know Jesus... I put myself in a Christian bubble for so long. 

That night I couldn't sleep thinking about this terrible reality that I created. Something had to be done.

When I got back to Jacksonville, I immediately quit my job on campus and got one at Starbucks. 

I worked there for a year and a half and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Tomorrow we are going to talk about HOW we can reach our Jerusalem... but today, I want you to think about how you are doing at this yourself.

Have you put yourself in a Christian bubble like I did?

Are you around unbelievers but no one even knows that you know Jesus?

Take out something to write on and write all the names of the people that you know that don't follow Jesus.

Now cross out all the names of the people you don't come in contact with on a regular basis. All your Facebook friends that you haven't spoken to since Kindergarten are out.

Now you have a place to start! 

If some of you are like me and you have no one... well it's time to be intentional about who you surround yourself with. Be intentional in your neighborhood. Get a different job if necessary. Just hang out at a local coffee shop and meet people there! 

It's time to GO be the Church! Look at the world around you... it doesn't have the luxury of waiting for us, the Church, to BE THE CHURCH! 

I have to stand before God one day and answer for every missed opportunity of sharing His great name... and so do you.