The Average Joe by Keith Cook
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19
How does the average Joe think? Most of us have been in the faith for so long we have forgotten what being lost is really like. We have forgotten the loneliness and emptiness of life without Christ.
Most lost people in North America somehow know and sense that they should go to church. They often have tremendous guilt about not going to church. Most unchurched people think of Sunday morning as the proper time to go to church.
Most lost and seeking individuals would go to church if invited by a friend or associate. They are often asked to go to clubs, games, or events by friends but rarely to Christian events.
This is hard to understand with all the media, materials, and emphasis on Christianity in our culture, but most people have never really heard a clear gospel presentation. They have heard about religion and debates on the Bible, virgin birth, and church differences but they really do not have a clue about how to truly come to know Christ and what it means to follow Him as a believer.
There also are millions of non-churchgoing individuals who longingly want Christian role models, mentors, friends, teachers, and pastors in their lives. They value believers' opinions and really listen to them when they speak. They may not have the power to do anything or change anything in their lives, but they do want you in their lives!
The lost person thinks less about faith and religion as they rise the corporate ladder. As a person rises socially and financially in our culture they seem to buy a degree of insulation from any or most interaction with true and real believers. They run in social circles where the talk is not about absolutes or values but position and status. They are modern day untouchables. They usually can not be reached unless someone from their past can come into their world or someone in their social world dares to share with them.
Most unchurched want their children to go to church and have religious values. This is often out of a fondness they have in their memory of past blessing received from caring Sunday School or Vacation Bible School teachers.
Finally, the lost are profoundly attracted by events that speak to specific needs in their lives. They like financial seminars, family and parent events, music and drama, and services and programs that speak their language. While they are initially drawn by events or crisis situations, they are held and kept interested by the relationships they form with new friends they make at those events.
It is so important for us as believers to invite all we can to come to exciting events that speak to our generation and then care enough to continue to be there for those we invite! Being a real disciple means not only following Christ but also bringing others along with us.
Daily Prayer Focus: Pray for the opportunity to invite your unchurched friends, coworkers, and family members to your Church Service this week. Pray that their eyes will be sensitive and ears attentive to the gospel.
On The Go Prayer Focus: On The Go Publications & Media Team. We are striving to saturate and minister to a contemporary culture and society through modern media. This division includes our audio, video, internet, and written materials. Through these various ministries we reach out, train, and inspire Christians to action.
Thank you for taking the time to pray for this important division of On The Go Ministries. For more information on any our ministries here at On The Go, you may send your questions to info@onthego.org.
On The Go Daily Devotion for March 13, 2015
Brought to you each day by On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Team
Copyright (c) 2005, 2015 On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Team
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