From Bob McCook a friend of mine;

(I thought you'd appreciate the photo, Bob, lol)

Monday Morning
Challenging the way we think about our week
December 1, 2008

The Secret Exposed

“Life in Christ comes to us on its way to someone else, congregations should focus outward instead of inward, congregations exist for those who are not a part of them, life is meant to be given away not kept, God does not honor congregations that seek merely to raise money and survive.”
William M Easum, “Sacred Cows make Gourmet Burgers” p.8

Anyone who knows me well will believe that this quote is one of my favorites. I believe that Easum grasps one of the fundamental problems that we in the church are seeing today. Of course, it didn’t just begin. The last Century as well saw much of the church failing to reach out to the lost and dying world.

From the very beginning of the Gospels, the excitement of knowing Jesus naturally causes men to share Him. “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” (John 1:45) It was impossible to restrain anyone who had been touched by Jesus from telling others about Him.

On far too many occasions, I have heard church people say, “No I don’t like to talk about my faith. It’s a private thing.” That is like making a conscious decision not to share bread with a starving person! The message is too wonderful to keep hidden in the recesses of our heart only to be used when it suits our mood. Therefore, I whole heartedly agree with Easum. We receive the message on its way to someone else. It comes into our hearts and comes out of our whole being careening into the lives of others. It is disobedient to keep it.

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 just before He is crucified is very important to us. “As you (Father) sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) Do you feel inadequate, unprepared for this task and feeble of word? Good. We cannot do this awesome task on our own ability. We were given the Holy Spirit to enable us to do it. Trust Him in us, live and speak His name in word and deed.

Bob McCook
PO Box 634
West Chester, PA 19381
484-614-0367cell
610.429-4076 office
bmccook@priorityone.org
http://www.priorityone.org/
Ministering to men since 1982

The people who go out into the workplace are the church. The pastor needs to read his congregation and see where they are spiritually, see where they are physically. Then ask God, “How do I organize the church to help equip members to function where God has put them in the marketplace.”

Dr. Henry Blackaby, in an interview with His Church at Work founder, Doug Spada.