Tag Archives: Evangelism
Living Under the Influence
Peppermint Patty says to Charlie Brown, “Guess what, Chuck? The first day of school, and I got sent to the principal’s office. It was your fault, Chuck.”
Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?”
Peppermint Patty replies, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”
Where Visitors Go to Die
Having been raised in the church from infancy, and having been a located gospel preacher for 15 years, I have learned that there is a place where visitors and sometimes even members go to die.
I was less than 10 years old the first time I ever went door-knocking, and about that same age the first time I participated in a weekly visitation program. I was afraid. I was weak. I was imperfect. I am still all of these things. The point is that there is really no excuse for not reaching out to people who need the Lord and His church.
There is a place where visitors go to die right in our church buildings. If you wanted to do a study on it in your local congregation, you would locate the spot. Visitors sit there, and nobody speaks to them. They got unlucky.
Sharing God’s word
I recently read about a missionary to Africa who gave a Bible to one of the African men with whom he had been studying. When it was given to him, the man hugged it close and expressed great appreciation for the precious gift of God’s Word.
However, when the missionary saw him a few days later, he noticed, much to his dismay, that the Bible looked like it was already falling apart, with many of its pages missing. The missionary asked him, “What happened? What did you do to your Bible? When I gave it to you I thought you considered it to be a treasured possession.”
On our way to peas in a barrel?
According to something I read this past week, the average congregation size among churches of Christ is 160. They baptize an average of 8 souls per year, two-thirds of those are children of the members, and half of them leave the church (fall away).
Roughly 60 years ago, the churches of Christ were growing at a rate of nearly 200%. Today, it is reportedly one-half of 1%.
Quotes on photographic memory, submission, more
“My photographic memory was overexposed and it’s washed out now.”
“And the final word, akolytos (‘without hindrance’) reminds us that neither the one who was sent to proclaim release to prisoners (Luke 4;18) nor his Spirit-led followers were hindered by imprisonment or even death.”
– Dennis Hamm, commenting the last word
of the book of Acts (New Collegeville Bible Commentary, 435).
“Submission is offered not because of some office held but because of the service performed.”
– Everett Ferguson, The New Testament Church
“God’s immutability is not immobility, but His unswerving determination to fulfill His promises, no matter what. Yahweh is not bound by the past; rather, He has bound Himself to a future of His own choosing.”
QBT: Don’t waste time
Don’t waste time with people who aren’t interested. Go find someone who wants to know. “From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” Ac 18.6 NET
