Preach the Word

I find it hard to believe that more people are not going to the church we have just started attending. The pastor preaches solid Bible teaching, but then I am reminded of what 2 Timothy 4:1-5 says about this.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)
​I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

We can see this in today’s modern church! Worship has become entertainment. People are just looking for a feel-good service; they want their ears tickled. They simply want to experience the buzz of excitement. They don't want to hear about true discipleship and what it means. They don't want to understand what it means to die to self and pick up their cross.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What can a small church do to combat this? I think we need to wake up, get out of the pews, and go where the people are, showing them the love of Christ and what it means to be a true believer. We have spent too long sitting in the pews, hoping that others will go out and bring people into the church.

Now, when I say church, I don’t mean a building. We need to bring people into the true body of Christ—the community of true believers—and show them what it really means to die to self and pick up our cross. We also need to emphasize the importance of finding a body of believers to fellowship with.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV)
Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

You can start by simply inviting someone to come to church with you. But remember, we need to wake up, die to self, pick up our cross, and follow Christ. Be His reflection here on earth.