Making A Difference
Jerry Watts
Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-8; 2:37-41
October 5, 2011
• A hurricane had struck. People were huddled together. An old preacher was praying with great oratorical effects in the midst of this violent storm, crying out "Send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the Promised land." At this, an old man with less oratory but more directness prayed, "Lord, don't send nobody. Come yourself. This ain't no time for children."
• Live in a day when our need is for the Lord. There are more lost people than ever, more saved people, and less being told about Jesus. Add to this, we have more resources than ever and yet less baptism.
• One church consultant says, "There is no discernable pulse or no vital signs in the church in America." A Church in Washington DC closed its doors and put this sign over it "Out of business--forgot what our business was." Jesus' church is told to 'make a difference.' Are we making a difference? Have we become;
• Comfortable in our local churches that we have become an exclusive CLUB of "believers only?" We can sing "Jesus Love me" by 6 yr old. New generation makes us uncomfortable, they are too animated, not church broken, sit on my pew, crowd up my class room. Could we be so comfortable, that we are exclusive? I heard a report given at the Alabama Convention which indicates that 'exclusiveness' is becoming the norm. Have we become that?
• Cultural in nature that should an honest seeker walk thru the door, he cannot connect? Does he feel like he's stepped back 20- 40 yrs? Words like justification, sanctification, salvation, separation and the like are word which he doesn't have a clue about? Do we understand that music which never touches heart stylistically may never touch his soul spiritually? Is our connection lost?
• Complacent- Have we lost the concept of 'lostness?' That is, if a person doesn't know Christ, their eternal destiny is Hell?
• Do we ...
Jerry Watts
Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-8; 2:37-41
October 5, 2011
• A hurricane had struck. People were huddled together. An old preacher was praying with great oratorical effects in the midst of this violent storm, crying out "Send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the Promised land." At this, an old man with less oratory but more directness prayed, "Lord, don't send nobody. Come yourself. This ain't no time for children."
• Live in a day when our need is for the Lord. There are more lost people than ever, more saved people, and less being told about Jesus. Add to this, we have more resources than ever and yet less baptism.
• One church consultant says, "There is no discernable pulse or no vital signs in the church in America." A Church in Washington DC closed its doors and put this sign over it "Out of business--forgot what our business was." Jesus' church is told to 'make a difference.' Are we making a difference? Have we become;
• Comfortable in our local churches that we have become an exclusive CLUB of "believers only?" We can sing "Jesus Love me" by 6 yr old. New generation makes us uncomfortable, they are too animated, not church broken, sit on my pew, crowd up my class room. Could we be so comfortable, that we are exclusive? I heard a report given at the Alabama Convention which indicates that 'exclusiveness' is becoming the norm. Have we become that?
• Cultural in nature that should an honest seeker walk thru the door, he cannot connect? Does he feel like he's stepped back 20- 40 yrs? Words like justification, sanctification, salvation, separation and the like are word which he doesn't have a clue about? Do we understand that music which never touches heart stylistically may never touch his soul spiritually? Is our connection lost?
• Complacent- Have we lost the concept of 'lostness?' That is, if a person doesn't know Christ, their eternal destiny is Hell?
• Do we ...
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