Church?

Bonni and I just came back from lunch and as usual I found myself thinking about God and our religious practices today. What I found interesting as we passed two churches on the way home, was that both were very nice buildings on very nice kept property yet both very empty. Their parking lots were also completely empty. I know it's 2:00 in the afternoon but we also went past the cinema 12 theater and guess what? ....... The parking lot was almost full which tells me the theater was also almost full.

Now I am not against theaters, or having fun, nor am I suggesting anything except that I am observing where our society as a whole has placed their priority of God. For the most part God has been placed into a time slot on a calendar.

As I continue to wrestle with God and what Praise Community Fellowship needs to accomplish for His Kingdom I want you to think about a few things.  When Jesus walked the earth he had what I call Kingdom meetings. But His meetings were very impromptu. He met people at the seashore, in the market place, by the well, in the desert, at someones home, and yes sometimes in the temple.  They were never announced ahead of time but rather happened spontaneously as the Spirit prompted Him.

I think Jesus was demonstrating how He wanted His followers to put His teachings into practice. He wanted us to live what He taught and profess it everywhere in all circumstances.

 Here is what I have a hard time getting around in my mind. We currently have two members of our congregation on the other side of the world in a place called Zambia. It is one small country amongst many in the world that has immense poverty, starvation, and disease. The saddest part of this plight for the Zambian people and others who were born in poor countries is that it is totally fixable.

So why isn't it being fixed? The bottom line answer is,"Because the gospel of Jesus has not yet reached enough hearts!"  Forget politics, racial issues, and money issues, the root cause of suffering in this world is caused by not enough hearts being changed by Jesus!  Because when Jesus comes into someones heart their life changes. They become filled with Gods love which displaces greed and selfishness. They have a new type of love given to them. The bible says when Jesus comes into your life with His Holy Spirit He will replace your heart of stone and give you a new heart of flesh, the heart of Jesus Himself.

So, knowing that the primary issue in the world is lack of Jesus in peoples hearts, my question to all of you reading this blog is, "What can we at Praise Community Fellowship do to help get more hearts changed for Jesus since that is what will bring about the greatest impact, healing, and change in this world?  How can we meet in an efficient and effective way and still accomplish the Great Commission?

Should we build a big, grand, wonderful sanctuary?
Should we try to collect more money for missions?
Should we start meeting every Sunday?
Should we have more bible studies?
Should we Start having Sunday school for the youngsters?
Should we start a youth program?

I know that I have mentioned this before but if you took the budgets of all the churches in this town alone, you would probably have well over $1,000,000 per year. And MOST of that money is not going to spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world but to keep the doors open on these buildings.

Yes people show up at the buildings and Jesus is being taught there but is this being efficient for Christ?  I mean if you had a team of business experts look at the model of most churches and what it costs to do business, do you think that the business experts would approve of the expense ratios most churches have based on how many hearts are actually being changed for God?  My bet is the business experts would say, "Shut it down, You are way too inefficient!"

 So what's the answer?   That is the million dollar question of which at this time I have no good solution. God is definitely calling us to preach the Gospel to the world. But I think it is also very important as to how we go about it.

How can we change tradition to become more effective for Christ?

Here is what I know for sure. I currently do not have the answer but with God all things are possible. I want Praise Community Fellowship to be extraordinarily effective for Jesus!
Have a great Sunday and let God's Holy Spirit change your life into something extrodinary!

Please remember Laurie Frey and Jeannie Trimmer and all members of the African Vision of Hope team in your prayers. See you all soon, Love Pastor Kent