Our motivation

Last Sunday we discussed the importance of sharing the "good news" with the people within our "sphere of influence." We will never know how many people we do have the ability to influence through our words and deeds. People watch our every move once we declare that we are "Christians" in hopes that they find a flaw in us. They do not do it out of meanness but out of a desire to believe that their lifestyle is no worse than ours. Our misdeeds let them off the hook of conviction that the Holy Spirit brings upon them. This issue is the very reason it is so important to remember that we are Ambassadors for our living God (II Cor 5:20) and should live accordingly.

I just finished reading a book titled "Fusion" by Nelson Searcy. I will say that the reason I started to read this book was because I wanted to better understand how to help facilitate the growth of the "Body" here at our local church. I will say that this book is by far one of the best texts I have read concerning the process known as church growth. However there are a few points I wish to make concerning that statement.

• The majority of people who come to Christ typically do so after they have continued interaction with people who show that they care about there well being through relationships and hearing God's truth taught through a class or sermon. This is when their unchurched hearts are opened to the "good news" of Jesus Christ.
• A church with growing numbers can be a testimony that God is at work and lives are being changed but to desire to grow a church for the sake of growth, without any indication of changed lives, is not the intention of the great commission.

If God is making His appeal through us then we should be grateful to be a part of this exciting oppertunity. The single most powerful thought that I came away from that book with is simply this. If I believe that God sends visitors to churchs every Sunday (and I do), then I believe we have the responsibility to be prepared for those guests. "The more prepared a church is to receive guests, the more guests God will send to that church."

This principle holds true in our private lives as well. Why would God send us people to witness to if we are not prepared for them? This is why we must be ready to share our testimony at all times. Our motive is not to count how many people we share with but to know that our actions are pleasing to God.

Pleasing our Saviour should be our motive. Nothing else matters.