“Everyone please bow your heads and close your eyes…”
If you grew up in the church, the saying above is probably a
familiar one. Hang around till the
end of the service and you’ll usually hear this familiar closing before the
masses leave to head to lunch. I’d become so accustomed to hearing this closing
offer that I didn’t even think about what was going on.
familiar one. Hang around till the
end of the service and you’ll usually hear this familiar closing before the
masses leave to head to lunch. I’d become so accustomed to hearing this closing
offer that I didn’t even think about what was going on.
As I sat there with my head bowed and my eyes closed, I
realized this was the start of some people’s journey to follow Christ. They were making a decision to lay down
their life and pick up Christ’s.
So how do we usher this in as the church? We ask everyone to not look around, tell people they can
raise their hand, and that no one will judge them or even know the decision
they made.
realized this was the start of some people’s journey to follow Christ. They were making a decision to lay down
their life and pick up Christ’s.
So how do we usher this in as the church? We ask everyone to not look around, tell people they can
raise their hand, and that no one will judge them or even know the decision
they made.
This is ludicrous and a disservice to them. When Jesus was
looking for followers, He had a different approach than we do. He didn’t ask them to raise their hand
or recite the sinner’s prayer. He
said…Follow Me. That’s it. If you want to be a Christian, a
follower of Christ, then start following.
Stop what you’re doing, leave your old life, and walk with Christ.
looking for followers, He had a different approach than we do. He didn’t ask them to raise their hand
or recite the sinner’s prayer. He
said…Follow Me. That’s it. If you want to be a Christian, a
follower of Christ, then start following.
Stop what you’re doing, leave your old life, and walk with Christ.
Instead of setting the stage for new Christians that their
journey with God is going to be a quiet, secretive, and subdued life, we should
invite them into what God is going to ask of them. He is going to ask everything…literally everything. There is no way to be a secret
Christian…it’s an oxymoron. We’re
called to a different life.
journey with God is going to be a quiet, secretive, and subdued life, we should
invite them into what God is going to ask of them. He is going to ask everything…literally everything. There is no way to be a secret
Christian…it’s an oxymoron. We’re
called to a different life.
Instead of bowing our heads, we should look around and see who
is willing to count the cost and still follow after Jesus. Then rejoice with them because they’ve
just made a decision that has changed their lives! They will be called into a life that is marked by sacrifice,
love, joy…one no longer lived for themselves.
is willing to count the cost and still follow after Jesus. Then rejoice with them because they’ve
just made a decision that has changed their lives! They will be called into a life that is marked by sacrifice,
love, joy…one no longer lived for themselves.
As a church we equip people who make a decision to follow
Christ with a nametag that reads “Christian.” God wants to equip new followers with a sword and a shield
because they’ve just been put on the front lines of the battle.
Christ with a nametag that reads “Christian.” God wants to equip new followers with a sword and a shield
because they’ve just been put on the front lines of the battle.
