Come Back to the Church
While talking with a co-worker on my job recently, she, after our conversation stated, “So where do you go to church?” Proudly I began to tell her about Agape International Ministries, and our Pastors Clifton & Vicki Coward. I showed her our bulletin and flyer concerning the vision of our ministry. She stated, “That sounds like a “real” church”.
Like many of you, I have encountered people who no longer go to church. From their tone, you can detect hurt, bitterness, anger, and sometimes a “talk to the hand” attitude. Like many of you, I have been wounded by church people, and I myself have also wounded people. So how can we, the people of God, who have been given so much grace and mercy, be so ungodly?
From my church upbringing, somehow I thought - if you’ve been saved and forgiven, that gave you permission to judge, criticize and condemn those who weren’t saved. How is that? Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost. Jesus said, “Don’t condemn the world (sinners), they are condemned already”, (John 3:17; Luke 6:37). We are to call all men to reconciliation to God, through Jesus Christ.
At this hour we are now in, the world is seeking to fill the voids and emptiness on the inside. Attempting to medicate the pain with drugs, sex, power, and relationships. Still looking up and saying, “Where is God?”
God is love, and He is calling the body of Christ to be a true reflection of Himself; His nature, characteristics, and personality. God is still moving by the Holy Spirit. To share a quote by Dallas Willard, “Psychological revolution has not been able to help the darkness of the heart, so obviously the problem is spiritual, and so must be the cure”. God said, “Repent O Zion, return to your first work (love) (Rev. 2:5).Tell the world about Jesus. Let’s show them Jesus- by our lives, and our walk. Tell someone to “Come back to church”.
Article Submitted by
Minister Cynthia Simms
AIMWW © 7/30/2007
