September 16th, 2014

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Multiplication

Tuesday, September 16th, 2014

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I have an ongoing conversation with some folks. I tell them I am an old man. I’m 61 and they are still young bucks or buckettes. I see pictures and realize, “Yep. You are getting older.” My joints tell me I am. People ask me how I can stand to ride in the humidity and heat. I tell them it is easier on my joints. 🙂

Lots has changed over the years. I remember when cartoons were simple, fun and predictable. You knew when they would be on. Oh yeah…they were also in black and white. Now ain’t that a hoot? I’m not sure how I would have handled a twenty-four hour Cartoon channel. Actually, it was inconceivable to me…then or now.

Church was different then too. It was expected the pastor would do all the work. Preach. Teach. Baptize. Visit. Lead people to Christ. Rinse and repeat the next week. He wore a suit and tie every day. He could visit single ladies and no one would think a minute about it.

Yep, some things have changed. Many of those changes are good (I despise suits and ties). The visiting single ladies is a good one.

But one that is really good, and has benefited the church more than can be measured, is the “leading people to Christ” one. We learned the importance of everyone being involved in that. It isn’t just the pastor’s job.

Charles Spurgeon is credited with saying, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”

He has something there. For the creature (church) to grow, it takes more than one man wearing multiple hats. A church was never meant to be stagnant. At the same time I want to caution against the “bigger is better” mentality (a change which needed to happen). People are now grasping the idea they can be a witness for Jesus no matter what they are doing and where.

That is to be my story. That is to be your story. How well do you tell it?