Printer
Friendly page - click here
Would Jesus
Be Welcomed in Your Church? |
|
Article by
Joe Hillyer — © February, 2008
Would Jesus be welcome in your church?
In most cases, probably not; yet, there are still some
churches that accept “those kind of people”.
Which one is your church?
I know a guy living in Prescott Valley, Arizona. He
is about as good a Christian as you’ll find and
probably a better one than most. He has dedicated his
life to Christ. His final goal is to work fulltime in
missionary work. If he knows someone is hungry, he’ll
do his best to feed them. If he knows someone who is
hurt, he’ll comfort them. If he knows someone is
in trouble, he will help them. Not once have I seen him
turn his back on anyone; he couldn’t. However,
he is not the kind of person most people want coming
to their church. He belongs to a motorcycle gang, but
this gang is called Gospel Riders. He has a beard, wears
bike colors, often old clothes, and even a head band.
Several churches in the Prescott Valley area asked him
to leave, saying that his kind was not welcome. The funny
thing is the same people that don’t want him all
too often turn their back on the poor and afflicted.
They don’t want to be around them. They don’t
want to reach out and help them. So, who is doing God’s
work?
It’s actually ironic how the Bible is full of “those
kind of people”. Moses killed someone, he was tongue
tied, couldn’t speak well, and yet God chose him
to lead His people out of slavery. Paul was a killer,
a killer of Christians. However, one day, he was converted
and became a great evangelist who gave the Good News to
many. And many of the Old Testament prophets were not
the type of person you’d invite over to dinner.
|
Oh, "That" Kind of Person
If you think about it Jesus was “that
kind of person” – a true non-conformist.
He didn’t get caught up in appearances or what
people thought about him. Jesus himself did not wear
fine clothes. He was not dressed like a priest of the
temple. He had no money and tried to give away his only
coat. He was probably often covered with sand, unshaven,
and no haircut. So, would Jesus be welcome in you’re
church?
God has commanded us to go about doing His work, reaching
out to the poor and afflicted in body and spirit. He has asked us to help
the poor recover and to learn the peace that comes with knowing God.
Just one church accepted the biker I mentioned. One church
out of many and this church is being blessed beyond imagination.
This Church is the Prescott Valley United Methodist Church
of which I am happy to say, I’m a member.
|
|
Not, "I Can't", but "I'll
Try"
I’ve seen people all too often
turn their back on others. When someone who is having
problems asks for help, I’ve seen others simply
say “we can’t” or “we don’t
have the money”, without even listening to the
problem. Often we can help, if nothing more, simply by
listening. We may not have the money to help, but we
might help find the money. We may not have the food to
spare, but we can help them find the food. The real problem
is when someone simply says “I can’t help”.
They turn their back and walk off. What they should be
saying is “let me see how I can help”. Maybe
it’s only listening, maybe it’s only comforting,and
maybe it’s a few phone calls. But, at least, it
shows the person that we do care and we will try. The
biker above has never told anyone he can’t. He
only says “I’ll try”.
So who is doing God’s work?
Who is on the other end of the phone when you answer and
they are asking for help? Who is the beggar on the street?
Who sent the person to your church? Perhaps it’s
God finding out if He’d be welcome.
Joe Hillyer is a graduate of East Texas Baptist University
and a member of Prescott Valley United Methodist Church
|
Scripture taken from the Holy
Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright ©
1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International
Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered
trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either
trademark for the offering of goods or services requires
the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used
by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
You'll
also receive Practical Biblical Solutions for life's
challenges with our free e-zine |
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We
have more than 120,000 Christian books,
bibles, music,gifts, video, software
and more!
It's easy to find what you're looking for by using our BROWSE
feature to search for your favorite type of
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
Recommended
Reading
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
ROMANS 10:13-15
|
|
|
"For "Anyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved."
But how can they call on him to save them unless they
believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they
have never heard about him? And how can they hear about
him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go
and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures
mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet
of those who bring good news!"
|
|
(NLT)
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
 |
