Ridgell's Originals

 Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead just like the Bible says.  That is the message the world needs to hear.  Jesus.  We have to talk about Jesus.

And almost every church I know -- and almost every Christian I know -- claim that Jesus is at the center of their preaching and their mission.

Except... 

When you listen to sermons and teaching.  When you listen to Christians talk.  

Then it sometimes seems as if we believe other things are the core.  And some of those other things are important, but they are not core. 

A few examples.

Some churches really emphasize the response to Jesus.  Heavy emphasis on the need to be baptized.  Heavy emphasis on the fact that baptism is the way people responded to Jesus in the Bible.  And I believe that to be true.  But sometimes I think I am hearing a little Jesus, and a lot of how to respond.  Just seems like putting the cart before the horse.  I want to be known as a Jesus church and not a baptism church.

Right doctrine.

The main message from these churches are that they understand what God wants in terms of what to believe.  Of course, right doctrine does not save.  And this approach requires you to be right about everything you teach.  And I have never understood how this approach has any appeal in our culture today.  You are mostly competing with other churches. 

Right behavior.  These are churches that make their ministries the focal point of their appeal.  Come help us feed the hungry.  Help the poor.  If these were in the context of Jesus, maybe it would draw interest.  But in and of themselves, this appeal is basically competing with any number of social clubs or service organizations.  And doing good does not save you.  

Let Jesus be the center of everything.  We are competing with Satan for souls.  Faith in Jesus saves.  Not doctrine.  Or the "right" church.  Or even people centered ministry.  These may all point to Jesus and if presented that way -- and clearly second to Jesus -- then they may point to a message our world needs.

So listen to your church messaging.  It must be Jesus.  Always

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM