I was really inspired from the message Mark shared. It was so nice to hear from someone with such passion in his heart! I LOVED IT!
I think He used the phrase "savior Jesus Christ" about thirty times in his talk and I was thinking to myself...it's Jesus...it's Jesus...it's all about Jesus.
Then I asked myself it we talk enough about Jesus at Northbrook? Do we hear about Jesus at Northbrook? It there passion about Jesus at Northbrook? Can there ever be enough Jesus at Northbrook?
When it comes to evangelism, we are always talking about inviting people to church. Do we think people need church? People don't need church! People need Jesus! JESUS! Think about inviting people to meet Jesus!
You know what? Inviting people to church is a good thing, but even better is inviting people to know our savior Jesus Christ. Inviting a person to Sunday service is not evangelism! Evangelism is sharing our faith in Christ! I'm not saying don't invite people to church, because that may be the way God intends that person to come to Him, like I did, but I know I sometimes do this...my goal is to get that person on my "impact list" to church. The goal shouldn't be church...it should be CHRIST! I'm just convicted a bit about evangelism. I wonder if I don't expect NB to do MY job in sharing my faith. As if getting a person into the building on a Sunday morning is sharing my faith. It is and it isn't. It is because my faith is represented at NB, it isn't because I'm expecting worship teams, pastors and teachers to do my job. It is not up to the worship team to sing and play such wonderful music that it stirs emotions and leads a person to Christ. It is not up to the pastors to give such a resounding message that leads the person whom I invited to church to Christ. It is up to me to be a vessel worthy of His Presence! It is up to ME to share MY FAITH IN HIM! That is an awesome responsibility! AND THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE GIVES THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO ME! Yes, He does the work, but I have to allow Him to work through me. I can't simply invite a person to church...Jesus said "GO!" Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." He didn't tell us to invite a person to visit someplace where they might hear the gospel, He said "GO PREACH IT SISTER!" (or brother of course!)
One of our techie people produced a video for the church. It was intended to be what it is like for a visitor when they come through the doors at Northbrook. The video was in black and white and followed a young couple into church from the parking lot. Then there were short scenes of their experiences, and some of the things that they observed once inside. It really made me think about what it is like for someone coming into our church for the first time. Do they feel welcome? Are they informed about the church and what it has to offer in the way of ministries? Are they invited to visit a SaLT group? I thought about the video that we saw last night and that made me ponder too, do people really see Jesus, do they FEEL Jesus' presence, when they come to Northbrook?
I really make an effort to introduce myself to someone new each week. One time I introduced myself to someone "new" to only find out they had been coming to NB for a year! LOL I guess that's another "growing pain". After I meet them one week, I try to go and find them again the following week if possible. It's become kind of a game for me to make mental notes of names and attempt to recall them a week later! LOL And I rarely do! But it's fun trying and it's not too embarrassing because the people rarely remember my name either!
I am constantly looking for open doors, and praying for open doors to share Christ with people. BUT WHAT AM I DOING WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED! Am I inviting them to church? or am I sharing Christ? Am I taking a drive on the Roman Road?
I still remember my first day at Northbrook and I really felt the Spirit of the Living God present. I think it is still alive and well at Northbrook! I believe that hearts are focused on Christ at Northbrook, or that they want to be focused on Christ. Are we pointing others to Christ? Does the passion for our savior Jesus Christ show? Can visitors see it? Can they feel it?
He is the Vine, we are the branches. If we are doing our part as branches...just clinging to the Vine for dear life and working to build our relationship with Him, we will grow. We as a branch will grow. Off a small branch comes small fruit, from a large branch, grows large fruit. If we are clinging to him as we should, the fruit will naturally be produced and be pushed through the branch, through us. We don't have to do any fruit growing! We just need to grow our relationship to Him and be a good branch! If we are good branches, people will see...they will see the fruit, they will see Jesus!
Do you have a passion for Jesus Christ? Is He the Lover of your soul? Are you in love with Him? When you are in love with somebody, don't you just want to tell all the world! Tell all the world about your Savior! It is really GOOD NEWS! The world needs more GOOD NEWS!
There are great things in store for NB's future. It is very exciting to watch God at work. My prayer is that we won't stifle Him. My prayer is that our hearts be opened for His Will, and that we all commit to be in prayer about our personal roles in NB's growing process, even if it means stepping out of our comfort zone...and it probably will! My prayer is that NB always be "savior Jesus Christ" focused! My prayer is that NB abolish MEISM!
I've had a song running through my head recently that speaks to "me-ism" a bit. It's by Bebo Norman, and if you haven't heard of him...you should. Great lyricist and song writer. These are some lyrics from his latest release and song called "Disappear". It does get some airplay on CCM radio, so you may have heard it.
I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies that trick my eyes
They say it's all about me
I'm so tired of it being about me...
I would rather be cast away
Separated from the human race
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory
I love that line "I would rather be cast away, separated from the human race, if I don't bring You glory." That is the climactic bridge of the song. My prayer is that NBer's all have such an attitude as this.
If you'd like to hear the song go HERE. Don't worry, it's not my normal rockin', "headbanging" music...it's soft, your ears won't bleed! The Bebo guy cracks me up on the website! (Once the page loads, click on "playlist" and then "Disappear" which is the third song listed after the title "Try". I posted the full lyrics below.)
I'm excited to start Wednesday night class, which is on "one on one evangelism" and learn to use even more tools to share "Savior Jesus Christ" with others. Mark Ellis did much to reignite the fire within my soul that burns to share about Christ! Woohooo!
Jesus said "GO!"
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Disappear
On a day like this I want to crawl beneath a rock
A million miles from the world, the noise, the commotion
That never seems to stop
And on a day like this I want to run away from the routine
Run away from the daily grind that can suck the life
Right out of me
I know of only one place I can run to…
Chorus:
I want to hide in You
The Way, the Life, the Truth
So I can disappear
And love is all there is to see
Coming out of me
And You become clear
As I disappear
I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies that trick my eyes
They say it's all about me
I'm so tired of it being about me...
I would rather be cast away
Separated from the human race
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory
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