Two weeks of Evangelistic Revival

Tonight we start the two weeks program of sharing our faith.  While it is true that all our activities are evangelistic in nature, our worship, our community service, CHIP training, Adventurers, everything we do is to share the Love of God and the Salvation we have in Jesus our Lord, it is also important to call people to commitment.  We may need to do it more frequently than once per year.  We are organizing this event during the Fall Harvest season as a reminder that we all ought to bring people into the Kingdom of God, as our fruits, as our harvesting efforts.

Earl Biggs was leading the mid-week Prayer service this past Wednesday and asked as searching question on why the secular “gospel” of entertainment seems to be more successful, as compared with the Gospel of Christ. This question could be paraphrased in many ways:  why is the church losing ground to the secular mindset, especially among the youth and young adults? Why are there fewer people in churches than in movie theaters, sport arenas, Costco, shopping malls, clubs, bars, workout places? Is the Kingdom of god gaining ground in our city?

As I reflect on this, I am facing the challenge that the bottom line of this question is the war over self: self-care vs self-sacrifice.  The gospel of this world is “take care of Number One! Indulge Yourself.  Pamper yourself.  Spoil yourself.  Love yourself....” The Gospel of Christ is less appealing as it calls us to “deny yourself, pick up your cross, offer yourself as a living sacrifice, love your neighbor, care for the least of people!” 

Notice that Christ does not call his followers to “hate self.”  In fact, Christ also called for self-care: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  The difference is self care for the sake of benefiting others and community, vs self-obsession at the cost of others and community.

During these two weeks, be brave to invite someone else to consider God’s Kingdom.  Be a witness, help your close friends to overcome evil with the word of your testimony, introducing them to the Blood of Christ as only salvation.