Something very simple had a profound impact on me recently. I had finished preaching about work ? about making good work ? about working as if you were working for Jesus (Colossians 3:23,24). And I asked everyone to stand and to face the place that they would be at that same time (10:57am) tomorrow. Literally 360 degrees ? all parts of our city ? were ?faced.? But it wasn?t that sight that impacted me most of all?
It was the realisation that these 250 people would encounter literally thousands of people in the next six days ? people who would NEVER set foot in a church building. People who have little to no understanding of Jesus and His gospel. People who don?t own bibles. People who don?t pray?or do pray, but to no one in particular. People in desperate situations. People without hope. Literally thousands of people. People who I hoped would come one of these Sundays?.wait a minute!
You know how it is ? you?ve planned, prepared, promoted, and prayed over those events and programs that you hoped would draw a crowd ? I have too. But this crowd you and I hope to draw is made up of the very same people YOUR people work alongside, live next door to, play on the same team with, sit in the same class as, and so on.
And as I stood there looking at this 360 degree outlook into our city, I realised I had two options. One: continue with the planning, preparation, and promotion and pray that the crowd would come. Or two: focus my energy on equipping those who were standing ? those who had the relationships with the crowd I longed to draw.
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