What If?

By Perry Noble, Christian Post Guest Columnist Thursday, February 03, 2011

To every NewSpring Church owner/member/regular attender (AND anyone else who is obsessed with reaching the world for Christ.)

THIS question hit me this morning…and to be honest I am quite challenged AND convicted by it, here goes…

WHAT IF you were a non-Christian…and Christians treated you the way you treat non-Christians?

Would you ever get invited to church?
Would you feel looked down on?
Would you feel condemned?
Would you be ignored?
Reality is that most of us have forgotten what it was like to be lost (see I Corinthians 1:26-31 & Ephesians 2:1-5).

We've lost sight of the fact that the Bible says that Jesus LOVED THE WORLD…not just the people in the church. (See John 3:16)

We've lost sight that Jesus commanded us to reach the world (see Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:16-21) AND…FYI, there is another group of people that are quite passionate about this (per THIS article on CNN today).

We've lost sight that we're not just supposed to pray for people to come to Christ…we're actually supposed to ENGAGE them in a conversation. (See Romans 10:14 and Romans 10:17, Acts 8:26-40, John 1:35-51)

FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE!

So…with all this in mind…who are you bringing to church with you THIS Sunday? (If someone just popped into your mind…I can promise you that was not the devil telling you to invite someone to church. Literally…if you just thought of someone then pray for them RIGHT NOW and then invite them RIGHT NOW!!! I honestly believe if we were convinced of the reality of heaven and hell that no one would have to talk us into this!)

This Sunday (just like EVERY Sunday at NewSpring Church) the Gospel IS going to be presented…and Jesus is going to change lives.

Stop and think for just a second…WHO told you about Jesus? Who invited you to church? It's always been God's plan for people to reach people…so, who are you reaching?

Jesus didn't want us to gather as a group of people and proclaim theological and moral superiority in regards to the rest of our community and give them "the middle finger of fellowship"…we're called to REACH people…people who we already have a relationship with.

If you are nervous then pray this prayer and then GO FOR IT!!!

Perry Noble is the founding and senior pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina. The church averages 26,000 people during weekend services at multiple campuses throughout the state. Noble, his wife Lucretia and their daughter Charisse live in Anderson, South Carolina. You can read all of Perry's unfiltered thoughts about life and leadership at PerryNoble.com.