Turn offs
Today was "Friend Day" and something that was said by some of my family made me think of maybe the harm we do ourselves in Evangelism and missions. It was said to them that this church was nothing but a dress-up contest and people tried to see who could out dress the other. Interesting enough they found out for themselves that it was a lie and talked up by someone who is simply not happy with their own life and it really fit into what we discussed in Sunday school.
Today in Sunday school we talked about our witness and calling and how on our lists that missionaries are real spiritual followed by pastors and then maybe teachers. But, we all have the same calling whether a factory worker, cook, etc. In these places, your pastor or missionary cannot reach these people. So, our job is to put on Christ and go forth but what happens when we fail to show Christ? Well, people end up like some of my family and believe some of the untruths they are told or maybe they see us in church but outside of church see a different person. That extra personality is what sometimes causes people to want to steer clear of church. But in the same maybe it is just arrogance. I have dealt with people within the convention who would not care to hear anything I would have to say simply because I do not come with some big title or I am not one of the boys. One of the major destroying factors of the church today is arrogance. Sometimes we have to step back, accept our faults, and move. Sometimes we have to listen to that person who may not be "qualified" to speak. This may be hard when our ego becomes our conscience. It is the "I'm no conceited, I'm convinced" attitude. How do we combat this? Simply follow Christ. When we do something or commit to something, we need to know that it is of Him. But we can only know through prayer.
We have got to come together setting our egos aside. In our agitation we have to move past the hurt and pain caused by other brothers and sisters-in-Christ and follow Him. Is the next step you are going to take or is the next word that is going to come out of your mouth going to exemplify the body of Christ or tear it down. The answer is not found in new churches. The answer is not found in being more passive or accepting. The answer is not found is some man we consider wise because of earthy achievements. The answer is found in Christ. People are turned off by the church because Christ is not found in the members' daily lives. People are turned on by new age stuff and churches because Christ is scarcely found. The love of Christ is not found reflected in a building. It is not the church that makes us whole. It is not the people. It is Jesus. The love of Christ should be reflected in our daily lives.