What an opportunity exists !!!

If ever there was a time in Australia right now for the Christian church to stand up and make a difference, now is that time.  It's perfect. 

 Yet here is the serious dilemma.

We most likely will stay silent, and do nothing.

I often wonder about myself and others when I consider these kinds of opportunities and pose a few questions of my own. Maybe its an internal struggle, maybe its apathy, maybe its lethargy, but it could also be likely that it is because we are too concerned about our reputation or image and we simply dont want to confront sin anymore or confront sinners and get conflict. Is it possible that we have simply opted for the easy way, the comfortable and non confrontational approach to ministry and mission and are awaiting people to come to us, rather than us go to them, ?

Recently there was an article published in the Australian Newspaper that says it all way more clearly than I can say, you can find the link for that article on my Facebook page, but suffice to say however, that I have some thoughts which I want to express, that's why I have my blog in the first place.

Not everyone will agree with my thoughts, and thats ok, it's not meant to be an argument but rather a challenge, and that's where I would like the reader to position themselves in relation to my blog article today.

There are a few assumptions / hopes / questions I have:

1. That we (you) have chosen to follow Jesus Christ and have handed over to Him  

Lordship of our lives.

2. That we are fair dinkum about that relationship we have with Jesus.

3. That we are not playing churchy games, tied up in ritual and meaningless activity that 

    only satisfies ourselves.

             4. That what we do in our worship services is worship unto God                            and not entertainment to ourselves.

You see one of the big problems facing the Australian church these days is exactly what I have stated,  in some ways we are caught up in ourselves and have forgotten the urgency of the gospel and the message we carry, or should be carrying to our communities. 

(yes and I know not all of us are like this, but the evidence suggests that it is largly correct)

We have become complacent and silent when we should be vocal and intentional in our message of hope and love and grace.  We have substituted the message for the method. Or could it be, that we have sometimes made it more about the form rather than the function ?  What it looks like rather than what it is ?  We have justified ourselves by self talk, that what we do is good for humanity, - and yet if it isnt laced with the gospel message and the hope that Jesus actually is, then that is simply all that it is.  Just a comforting activity to aleviate something while people travel to a place other than heaven.  That is not our purpose and that is why people are not  being saved.

Dont get me wrong, I firmly believe in alleviating human suffering in anyway we can, but we were raised to be activists in getting people saved in that process, if that has stopped or lessened, then we have lost our purpose.

The good news about all this is that we are poised to make a difference to our country. We are well positioned, to turn a few things around in our own mindset.

Its time we  stood up, courageous...brave and true, after all, in the Salvos half of our songs are about having that exact character.  And not just singing or playing an instrument about it, but rather being it.

It has been said that TSA is kind of like a 2 sided coin, one side our Social work and the other our Church work... neither side can function without the other. And neither side more important than the other. You might expect me to say that our church work is more important and in many ways it is...but we are TSA and both sides count and both sides must be equal, neither more prominent than the other.  If it isnt like that we will not be fulfilling our God given mandate.

so... here is the upshot....

If you back off from sharing Jesus with pre saved people,  If you feel awkward when sharing your faith, If church for you is just going through the motions, if there is no real Holy Spirit power in your life, if you are silent when you could be vocal, if you are scared of the consequences of speaking Jesus to others... then you are in good company, for there is a whole lot of us doing that and Australia is losing faith as result of that.

The good news, I firmly believe, is that, if we turn that around, our Nation will once more be known as a faith filled Christian nation.  

Afterall, there will come a day when everyone will need to account for our actions and how we lived for Jesus on the earth.

It's in the bible, check it out.

It's who we are.

#itsallaboutJesus.

a few tips to get courage:

• get involved in a bible study / small group and spur one another along.
• get praying again in our churches. 
• ensure your inner motives are based on your inner convictions about Jesus.
• when you are in public, make sure you  have been with Jesus in private.
• make sure that your activity isnt about entertainment, but rather about Jesus.
• get a mentor/coach who will help you be accountable in this process as a Christ follower.

AND...

Pray for our country.  

Seriously Pray.  

It changes things !!!!