This might surprise you – but God did NOT call us to bring people to Jesus. God called us to take Jesus to the people. You might be asking, "What's the difference?" Well, if you think about it, there is a BIG difference.
Modern-day Christians have spent millions and millions of dollars building elaborate church buildings, and then they spend millions and millions of dollars creating detailed worship programs. Then... they do their best to bring people to this place where Jesus is supposed to be living – the church building.
I'm not saying this is wrong, but it is NOT what God called us to do – and it is NOT working very well. We would do well to do what Jesus instructed us to do.
Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be WITH YOU always, to the very end of the age." (Mathew 28:18-20)
Jesus did NOT say, “Build me a building so I will have a place to live.” That would be a waste of time and money because Jesus does NOT live in buildings. Jesus told us to GO, and that is exactly what the early Christians did. It did not take them long to spread the gospel of Christ throughout the entire known world of the first century. Wherever they went, they took Jesus with them.
Modern-day Christians should do no less. Everywhere we go, we should be taking Jesus and the gospel of Christ, and we should be sharing Jesus with everyone we come in contact with. That is how we can BE the church – which is precisely what we were called to do.
That does not mean that we should try to cram Jesus down everyone's throat. That would not be very productive. Rather, it should be plainly evident by the way we live and by the things we say and do that Jesus is with us. If Jesus really is with us, the people around us will want to get to know him. Sharing Jesus is much easier than we have been led to believe.
The world is full of Sunday-morning Christians who GO to church and leave Jesus at the church building when they return home. If you are a Christian, I challenge you to take Jesus everywhere you go this next week – to work, to school, to ball games, to the coffee shop, to the sale barn, to the parts store, to a neighbor, to a friend, to a family member.
Don’t just GO to church; BE the church
Kit Pharo
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