August 20th no. 1

Africa August 20th

I've fallen in love with Eddie Fox. I read his book “Faith-Sharing” before I came here and already knew I loved him but for hearing him teach twice now, my love is only intensified. His words are so simple. He systematizes Evangelism. He is passionate. He is thoughtful. He's classically United Methodist, in his 70's, and still dances! I want to be that. What I want to be, to begin with though, like Eddie, is a good evangelist.

At home it seems like we make it SO VERY COMPLICATED. We sit around and gripe about funds at Annual Conference every single year. We sing the SAME OLD HYMS (there are a lot of hymns out there! I don't know half of them because we sing the same ones over and over again! LOL). We bring architects into our churches to design these great new buildings—and praise God for them! Is that it? It this church?

I'm sitting in a seminar listening to the director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, Dr. Winston Worrell, absolutely bring the truth. Here's what I just took in my notes. It is just about verbatim these honest and authentic words. Our meetings talk about property and finance and we argue about what color we want to paint the walls instead of talking about the one who is 'out' that needs to be reached for Christ. As we meet people, are we concerned that they are out of the kingdom and are we doing something about it!?

Check out these numbers. 2 million of the 6 million people in the world are Christian: half of them are Roman Catholic. 2 million of the 6 million people in the world have heard the Gospel and not accepted Christ as Lord. 2 million of the 6 million people in the world have NEVER HEARD THE NAME OF CHRIST. Finances. Paint colors. What to wear and where to sit on Sunday morning. 2 million people who have never even heard the name of Christ.

When did church become about what happens inside our buildings? From Dr. Worrell: Many church buildings are seen by the unchurched as private buildings. Exactly how many of those people do you think will enter the church building without being invited? When was the last time you ventured into a mosque without someone extending an invitation?

More than 77% of Christians came to Christ because of the deeds and testimonies of the people they made relationships with and came to trust. Yet, many members of mainline churches never approach a new person to share their story of faith or invite their neighbor to church. What has happened? I'm getting emotional writing it. I have such a passion for the Church that Jesus Christ established (if you can even call it church!). I have such a passion for THIS mission.

And I could easily ask, “Where is evangelism; where is mission in the church, in my church?” It would be easy for anyone to respond. “Well, the youth went on a mission trip. Well, we're involved in that program that buys those nets in Africa. Well.....well....well....” Well, Mission , Evangelism, and Church—these are not programs. These are not institutions. This 'mission,' this 'evangelism' is the body of Christ. The body moves. The body moved into the world. But we build multi-million dollar buildings that we come to to hide in and worship. I'm not even sure we're even that concerned with pulling others in anymore unless it's a concern about numbers, apportionments, or the preservation of the institution. Can we really wonder why we're dying? Negligence? Ignorance? Really, there is no excuse.

Dr. Worrell: If a church is not a mission it is not a church. It is a group of good-timers. It is a club. Think about it. Really. Take a moment. Think.

We, as Christians, not as clergy or lay people, but as Christians are called to word, deed, and sign. How is your life this morning? What kind of Christian are you. Is your life only one, or two, or three, or, well, none? Jesus was constantly missional in reaching new persons. Jesus was not afraid to be rejected—can you see your church re-thinking that? Jesus had a sincere passion for people and every person he met, other than his close inner group, was a new person.

Dr. Worrell just said this and I love it. Thank God I am not Jesus—if I was Jesus I would've said “Peter, you talk a lot so I'm going to send you to do the word.” “Bartholomew, you dont speak much so I'm going to send you to do the deeds. Judas, you like things to happen. You like stuff. I'm going to send you to do the sign.” But when I read the NT, I do not see that. Jesus sends them to a holistic ministry of word, of deed, and of sign.

Each Christisn, with 'encouragement' of the church, ought to put on a missionary lifestyle adopting the posture, the thinking, the behaviors, and the practices of a missionary. Missionary, despite popular belief, doen't mean flying 8,000 miles like I did 6 days ago to speak to a people who haven't heard. These people have heard! These people dance in the streets, LITERALLY, praising GOD, for the promises in the Gospel. Mission can happen in your home, in your workplace, on the street, with the check-out clerk at the grocery store.

Last I checked the Bible doesn't say anything about televangelists. It doesn't say that this responsibility lies on the shoulders of the pastor alone. Although, clergy, we are set apart as an example. Are we not? This is our responsibility. If the church, the body of Christ, is to fulfill it's mission, we cannot remain barracaded in the walls of our million dollar buildings in the center of abject poverty. We cannot waste time planning a program—again, that's not what evangelism is. We cannot meet in out committee so that we can plan another time to meet in our committee, so that we can table one thing after another that has nothing to do with church—not if we remember that church IS INDEED the body of Christ. We must go out. Go and make disciples of all nations. There is a nation outside of our sanctuary and 2 million people who are part of it haven't even heard the name of Christ. 2 million people who are apart of it might just be waiting to hear again.

Today I do mean to step on toes but it is truly and only because I am in love with this mission.

As Dr. Worrell says: Church as you know it is over.