By Timothy Johnson
Preacher’s Point
I remember telling my kids, “If you are going to do this, you must stick with it. No matter how difficult it is, you’re not going to quit in two weeks because you don’t like it or think it’s too hard.”
My little speech usually came when they wanted to join a ball team or some activity. If nothing else, they would learn commitment.
Commitment is something that has waned over the years. My father’s generation was committed to the cause of freedom and stormed the beaches of Normandy. Nowadays, finding people who will commit to showing up to work is challenging.
Christendom faces the same problem – Christians who are not committed to Christ. A few decades ago, most churches met once a week and twice on Sunday. As attendance dwindled during the mid-week service, churches started canceling those services. Now the same is true for the Sunday evening or afternoon services. It is getting harder to find churches holding services beyond Sunday morning.
Yes, church attendance does not make one a Christian. However, suppose it was any other organization that had meetings two days a week. How reliable of a member could one be if they went to a scheduled meeting once a month or possibly less?
It is a common saying among ministers that ninety percent of the work is done by ten percent of the people. I have even heard some preachers say that five percent of the people do ninety-five percent of the work. In any organization, there will always be people that do more than others, but the days of everyone pitching in a little seem to be gone.
It is more than just attendance at the sanctuary.
Prayer used to be the first thing Christians did. Now, it seems like a last resort. Christians have written me from around the land, saying, “I did not know what else to do. I tried everything I could think of, and then I decided to pray.” Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer should be as natural for the Christian as breathing. There needs to be more commitment to prayer.
What about Bible study?
There is an epidemic of Biblical ignorance within the church. The reasons for this are many – a couple of reasons are the lack of in-depth preaching and watered-down translations of the Bible. Still, the biggest reason is that Bibles are collecting dust inside homes. Where is the commitment to learn more about God and to grow as a Christian?
In years past, churches would send out people to knock on doors to tell others the gospel of Jesus Christ. This activity is nearly non-existent today. Taking this idea further, God commands every Christian to get the gospel to as many people as possible (Mark 16:15). There is no need for a church witnessing program for individual Christians to talk to relatives, neighbors, friends, or strangers about salvation. Telling someone the gospel can and should be done at any time in every place. Yet, Christendom is full of people who have never told someone about what Christ did for them. Many others cannot remember the last time they shared the gospel.
Many Christians have adopted the worldview that our faith is fine as long as we leave it in the churches or our homes. Bringing Christianity out to the public is a no-no. Where is our commitment to spreading the gospel?
Do we love those around us enough to at least attempt to allow them to hear how to avoid an eternity in hell? Do we believe that hell even exists? If you doubt the existence of hell, please reread the paragraph above about Biblical ignorance.
How can a person claim to be a committed Christian when the basics of Christianity – prayer, Bible study, witnessing, and church attendance – are seldom done?
The world will never have the desire to come to Christ if they never see a Christian that is committed to Christ.
Preacher Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Website: www.preachers-point.com; Email: [email protected]; Mail: 25 W 1200 N; Kingman IN 47952. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Timothy-Preacher-Johnson-101171088326638. All Scripture KJV.
