Without looking back on sermons preached and getting a specific number I'm going to say that the last 4-5 times that I have preached a sermon on Salvation and asked for commitment, the response has been visibly empty--including this past Sunday. Now I fully believe in the quiet work of the Holy Spirit in a peron's life so please don't hear me getting overly focused on numbers. I am wondering, though, why we are not seeing that fruit come forth.
- Is it connected to the message?
- Is it connected to our outreach?
- Is it connected to a spiritual barrier?
- Is it connected to...?
So, pray for us. Pray that we would see the harvest. Perhaps our greatest effectiveness in seeing the fruit of salvation will NOT be in the Sunday morning worship service. If so, that's fine with me. So long as we find that place where we are most effective.
Peter.
2 comments:
Peter~
I feel your pain and find myself asking the same questions week after week. If "the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few" why aren't those that are working finding themselves overwhelmed with a crop? Are we in the right place? Are we doing something wrong? Are we fishing in a pond that has already been fished out? Let me know if you find answers
In God's Love,
Joel R. Greenwood
So...what is "salvation?"
I'm just thinking there's a paradigm shift we haven't accepted yet. We keep trying to YIELD a certain result by giving an altar call.
I think it comes down to realizing that giving a "call to decision" and the way in which it is answered don't have to look the way they always have.
I'm not entirely convinced that people responding to such a call means as much as we've thought it ever meant.
Don't mistake my sentiment for cynicism, Pete.
More later...
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