WHAT MIGHT HELP THE CHURCH GAIN INFLUENCE

I'm crazy nuts to get to be a part of the church; the one where Jesus is the leader.  I'm not referring to the one(s) propped upon street corners pushing and probing to keep their brand in public eye for social response.  Rather I mean to reference a group of united believers who have hang-ups, misconceptions, sinful addictions and yet continue to believe that Jesus Christ is their/our complete form of righteousness.

Do I believe the Bible is true?  Very much so.  Do I believe that the most ardent disciple's commitment can fade into a self-imposed bias which leads to a religiosity that God never intended?  Equally on that very much so comment....of which I would at times be quite guilty.  Churches are a very necessary fabric of the community cloth. In my very frail way, I wish to remind us of how we got here and where we are supposed to be going.

Church is not successful based upon location, nor decor, nor publicity angles.  Neither is it effective because it found fifteen hundred available doctrines and focused upon 10% of those as their main purpose.  The church has been, is, and will be only effective when each member carries his or her cross and follows him to the public hill upon which to die.  Dying to self is the centerpiece of Christian doctrine; of which could possibly become discarded via our grand avenues of rhetorical theory plus criticism of others.

What will help the church to gain influence is for her members to be mistreated (from within and without) and yet never grumble nor complain.  America's Christian populace is a shambles because we are often found to be divisive rather than uniting and grumpy rather than patient.  We often are found to act as if we have no God because we are madder than wet hens over something...about our church.

The good news is that not only can this change; it is changing.  We are making strides at spiritual maturity.  The final hill in conquering the battle is to find stable hope in the righteousness of Jesus rather than our own (self) righteousness which gives our neighbors heartburn.  We will find greater influence for God; not when we sell the church through better advertising, but when we advertise the church from our crosses of patience, understanding, sympathy, and love for every neighbor (even those who loves to bark at us).