WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHURCHES PRAY Part 1: They Experience Revival

An Essential Key To Unlocking A Church Planting Movement in North America

In searching for the keys to unlocking a Church Planting Movement here in North America I believe that the Lord has shown me at least one of those keys. While looking at scripture, especially the book of Acts, and at church history, especially my own denomination the Southern Baptist Convention, and in the contemporary Church Planting Movement happening all over the planet again and again I notice an important key to seeing the Kingdom of God spread and new churches rapidly being started and established. This IMPORTANT KEY is ordinary followers of Christ being raised up, trained up and unleash to establish new communities of faith (i.e. churches).

Not the paid professionals, not the highly educated, not those who have the religious pedigree but ordinary, common, and many times over looked, people who love Jesus with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. In the book of Acts we do see the Apostles starting churches. That's what Paul did. But the Apostles didn't start nearly the number of churches that were established in those early years. For instance, who started the church in Damascus? It wasn't Paul because he wasn't even a believer yet but would come into a living encounter with Christ on the road leading to Damascus that would transform him from a Christian killer to fully devoted follower of Christ. It wasn't the other apostles. The scripture tells us that when the persecution started the apostles stayed in Jerusalem. So who started that church? I think it is pretty clear that it was those disciples who fled Jerusalem because of the persecution to Damascus and as they came they bore witness to Christ's death, burial and resurrection and to as many as believed those ordinary followers of Christ taught them what they had learned from the apostles while in Jerusalem. Again, let's consider the church in Rome. Who started it? Again, not Paul. When Paul writes the Roman letter he makes it clear that even though he has not yet come to them it has been his desire to come to them share with them his gift. So who started it? We don't know for sure. Quite possibly it was some people who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached and 3,000 people were baptized. Having received salvation and basic instruction in the faith from the apostles they then returned home and shared with others in Rome. Here's what is clear. Most of the church plants were started not from the professionals but by the ordinary followers of Christ.

In my own denomination Southern Baptist experienced its greatest growth as farmers and ranchers began to move out west to start a new life. As these ordinary people, who were also devout followers of Christ, moved out west they were confronted with a stark reality. That reality was that there were no Baptist churches out west. One of the long time flagship churches among Southern Baptist has been First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas and according to Wikipedia,

"Dallas was a wild and reckless frontier town in the 1800s; no Baptist church existed in downtown because they were repeatedly being run out of town. When W.L. Williams and his wife, Lucinda, moved to Dallas and
saw no Baptist church, they were moved with determination and a call
from God. Along with nine others, they met in the Masonic Lodge at
Lamar and Ross on July 30, 1868, and First Baptist Dallas was born."

Notice that it was a husband and wife, ordinary folks who loved Jesus, that started what later became a highly influential and powerful church for God's kingdom. All over the Southern Baptist Convention, during that time, churches were established by farmers, ranchers, and other ordinary, non-seminary trained folks who felt what W.L. and Lucinda felt, a call from God and determination to start a new church. They knew the Lord through saving grace, they had read, studied and meditated on the Bible and could share what they learned with others who didn't know as much.

In our contemporary age there is a church planting movement happening all over the world, accept North America. As missionaries and missiologist have studied these rapidly reproducing churches one common factor keeps coming up again and again and that is it is fueled and driven by non-professional followers of Christ. Ordinary people who have a personal relationship with Christ determined and called by God to reach new people and gather them into newly formed communities of faith (churches) are the ones driving these movements all over the world.

So what does this teach us about one of the essential keys to experiencing a Church Planting Movement here in North America? Just this: OUR FOCUS MUST BE IN RAISING UP, TRAINING UP AND UNLEASHING ORDINARY FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST INTO THE CHURCH PLANTING FIELDS.

While I do believe there is a place for those who are in professional vocational ministry I do not believe raising them up should be anywhere close to our primary focus. Our attention, focus and emphasis in training church planters should be on those ordinary believers who will work at a secular job during the day and go and work the church planting field at night. Our discipleship process should focus on moving people from being SEEKERS to FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WHO START NEW CHURCHES. Everyone member a missionary who starts churches should be our theme. Methods for training in Church Planting should be developed with the non-professional church planter in mind.

Now while some of these ordinary and non-professional church planters maybe sitting in some of our pews today I would venture to say that most will come out of the harvest. Why? Why won't most of the church members sitting in our pews heed the call to become church planters? Simple because that is not what they bought into. This way of Christian living is so far off their radar that most will not be able to tune into the right frequency to make it become a reality. However, I pray that I am wrong about this but I don't believe I am to far off from the truth.

Attention all Pastors, Directors of Mission, Denominational Leaders and Church Planting Strategists it is time for us to put our full attention and devotion into:

RAISING UP, TRAINING UP AND UNLEASHING ORDINARY FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST AS
CHURCH PLANTERS!

Stop making it small side issue! Start making it the major issue and emphasis.

A Lack of Resources For A Church Planting Movement In North America

Peter Wagner in his book CHURCH PLANTING FOR A GREATER HARVEST said that Church Planting is the single best evangelism strategy available to us. More people come to faith in Christ and grow in their faith through the planting of new churches than any other means. Armed with that information denominations and churches have made an intentional priority for new churches to get started. The North American church has become very sophisticated and professional in their church planting endeavors. Seminaries offer not only church planting classes but majors in church planting. Denominations require church planting assessments before potential church planters can be funded. Denominational leaders require church planters to attend church planting camps and/or training seminars to make sure that their is a viable strategy in place. With all this sophistication one would think that North America would be in the middle of one of the fastest growing church planting movements in the world. However, that is just not the case. Instead of a church planting movement that is over taking the general population of North America the North American church is in decline with the largest growing religious identification group being: 'NO RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE AT ALL". While the Christian church has declined the No Religious Preference Group has nearly doubled. Why? Why hasn't a CPM taken place in North America?

The answer to that question is simply this: THERE IS NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO START THE KIND OF CHURCH WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO START over the past 30 years. There's not enough FINANCIAL RESOURCES and not enough PERSONNEL RESOURCES. The kind of churches we've been trying to start with a full time paid pastor, in many cases staff, buildings, worship equipment, Bible study material etc... cost a whole lot of money. As a matter of fact it cost more money than we have available if we are to start the number of churches needed to impact North America. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MONEY!!

The second resource that we don't have enough of is PERSONNEL. To start the kind of churches we've been trying to start requires leadership that is skilled in administration, counseling, business, personnel and the list goes on. I jokingly but also seriously say, "That in order to be a church planter in North America you better have a Masters in Business Administration." And actually that's not very far from reality. But the sad part is that there's not enough people with that skill set to be church planters for us to start the number of churches needed in North America.

So what's the solution? The solution is to stop putting such an emphasis on starting Corporate Style Churches and start putting the major emphasis on RAISING UP, TRAINING UP and UNLEASHING ORDINARY PEOPLE AS CHURCH PLANTERS. North America is sick and tired of Organized Religion! Instead of these Corporate Churches with their big financial budgets and CEO leaders we need to start churches that resemble more of a family unit and led by spiritual parents. This kind of church won't don't cost much at all to start. There would be no need to pay salaries the church planters would have secular jobs and the money that is brought in can be used for evangelism and ministry. A few of these ordinary people may be sitting in the pews of our churches but most of them will be raised up from the harvest.

If the North American Church is going to be serious about reaching our mission field and seeing a church planting movement then we must become serious about developing this new church structure and using all of the people of God to start them.

Why Is Spiritual Light So Dim In North America?

As part of the Sermon On The Mount Jesus shared these words that give us an important insight into pursuing the mission Christ has given us. He said,

"You are the light of world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

It's not hard to understand the point that Jesus is making from this imagery. The primary purpose of light is to illuminate an area and thereby dispel the darkness so that people are able to clearly see. At the very heart of our mission is for us to be those luminaries by which people can see clearly. Our lives are to be such a powerful force of light that people are able to clearly see Jesus and understand the gospel of Christ. It is God's responsibility, through the Holy Spirit, to convict people of their sin and draw people to Christ but it is the job of Christ's followers to the light that illuminates in the spiritual darkness.

But if the pollsters are correct the Christian luminaries of North America are doing a pretty horrible job. All reports indicate that the Christian faith is in decline and that the fastest growing religious group is those people who claim "NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION" at all. That group has more than doubled between surveys and is the third largest group overall. If present trends continue this group could easily become the largest Religious Identification Group of all throughout North America. Why? What has happened to the North American Church that has caused its light to not shine as brightly as it once did? These are the questions that haunt my mind and soul and for which I deliberately seek the scripture for answers.

I think the Apostle Peter might have an answer for us to this question. As I was reading 1 Peter 2:11,12 it became obviously clear to me that he was thinking of Jesus' words during the Sermon on the Mount about us being the light of the world. At one point Peter almost quotes Jesus. Read what it says,

"Dear Friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

There it is, "see our good deeds and glorify God..." That's almost exactly what Jesus said about being the light of the world! Our desire and ambition should be to live good lives and perform good deeds so that we bring honor and glory to God. But it's the first part of the verse that I feel is the key to making sure our light doesn't dim or flicker out! Peter pleads with and urges Christ's followers to abstain from the sinful desires of the world. Peter is warning Christians that failure to stay pure and live holy lives will result in lost people not seeing our good deeds (our light) and,thereby, not be able to glorify God. I truly believe that there is a direct correlation between Christians not living holy lives and lost people not seeing the light that can lead them to Jesus. Therefore, it doesn't surprise me when I hear that studies reveal that the morality of Christian's of North America is statistically no different from those in North America who don't claim to be Christians. We have done exactly what Peter begs Christians not to do. As followers of Christ we have failed to abstain and in some cases wholeheartedly embraced the sinful desires of the world.

If we are going to be serious about pursuing the mission that Christ has called us to, we have to be serious about living holy lives. While we are actively pursuing lost people, while we are hanging out with them, while we are going where they are, we must always remain pure and holy. Otherwise all will be for naught. What do we need to do in order to become effective and obedient in pursuing Christ's mission? We need to start with REPENTANCE! Listen to the words of God to his people:

"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, seek after my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chron. 7:14

DON'T GET TIRED IN DOING GOOD! YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST, IF YOU DON'T GROW TIRED AND IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP. LET'S BE FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. LET'S LIVE THE HOLY LIFE WE WERE CALLED TO!

Do You Need Encouragement In Being The Light of the World?

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GOD'S SEARCHING LOVE

"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him (Jesus). But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. Then Jesus told them this parable: 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15:1-7 (NIV)

The Pharisees had constructed a very sophisticated religious bubble to insulate themselves from those who lived in the outside world. They had very little contact with those people and considered them to be sinners and unclean. In one hand the Pharisees were afraid that having any contact with these kinds of people would contaminate them but on the other hand they were hypocrites and just as sinful as anyone else.

But Jesus, in contrast, being the only truly righteous person lived, ministered and befriended those who were part of the sinful outside world. He hung out with them, he ate with them, he laughed and cried with them. He was truly a friend to the sinners.

Jesus' actions and attitudes toward sinners was very disturbing to the Pharisees! So they began to mutter amongst themselves about it. The HCSB translations says they began to complain about it. Isn't that amazing? Here is a person doing good and then you have a group of people "complaining" about it. Why would they complain? The Bible doesn't say why but maybe it was because they felt that Jesus' actions challenged their acceptable way of doing religion. They had set up a whole system of being isolated from the outside world, giving the appearance that they had it all together with the intent of attracting others to their way of doing things. But the problem was that they were hypocrites and they didn't have it all together. Their lifestyle was a lie and therefore ineffective. But here comes Jesus and he does have it all together. He's perfect. There is no hypocrisy in Christ at all and he is not isolating himself from the sinners of the world. In fact he is enjoying their company far more than he enjoyed the company of the Pharisees. So from the Pharisees perspective everything they had built Jesus was now condemning and tearing down by his new approach.

Maybe they were complaining because they personally were not comfortable with people who lived and worked in the outside sinful world. Maybe they didn't know how to relate to them. Maybe their dress, smell, speech and lifestyle were so different from what the Pharisees had become accustom to that they felt totally out of place around them.

Or maybe, they were jealous of the success and attention that Jesus was getting from the outside world! The people were no longer, if they ever did, looking to the Pharisees for spiritual direction now that they had a man who walked and lived amongst them showing them the way. The message of grace that Christ brought verses the message of works that the Pharisees taught was so different that the teaching of Christ was like a breath of fresh air and attracted the masses like bee's to honey. And I am quite sure that the Pharisees became very jealous of his apparent success.

No one really knows the reasons for their complaining. We just know that they did and I think, for those of us who are intentionally trying to pursue the mission of Christ, we can learn a very important lesson. Not every person who claims to have a relationship with God will be excited or supportive of our mission endeavors. In many respects the church of North America has become filled with our own brand of Pharisees. Maybe not in theology but at least in attitude. We have built our own "spiritual bubbles" and spend our time meeting in building trying to outshine each other. We think that we have built a very attractive religious model that those on the outside looking in will want to have. But the reality is that no one is really looking and what they do see may not be very attractive at all. And when follower of Christ actually begins to go out where the people are who need salvation it just might upset others who are comfortable in their nice pretty church buildings.

The thought of pastors or church members going into bars, parties of "those" sinners or any function that the church classifies as worldly in order to build relationships with the unchurched will be appalling to many church goers. Yes, the Bible does say that Christians are not to "of the world" but it also does say that Christians are to be "in the world" and the light of the world. Many times the ones you would expect to receive the most encouragement from, as you pursue the mission of Christ, are the ones who cause you the most grief.

But don't lose heart! Remember that you are following Christ's example and obeying his commands in this search for his lost sheep. While the work may be hard, discouraging and even difficult it will also ultimately be worthwhile and fulfilling. SO PRESS ON MI AMIGO!

A Little Dash Of Salt Will Do!

This is a short story that I told to the members of Valley Baptist Church of Salinas to help them understand the missional posture that we who are followers of Christ are to have. I pray that it gives you encouragement as well. It is called:

A Little Dash Of Salt Will Do!


“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13 (NIV)

Here's a story about a young man called Inquisitive Bod who wanted to understand the meaning and purpose for life. He tried different things like reading books and watching movies to discover it but none of them seem to give him a clear understanding of what would be his purpose in life. 

Then one day he was told about an old sage that live high atop a mountain in one of the far corners of the world. It was said that this sage was very wise and had been able to help many a person in their quest for knowledge and understanding. So Inquisitive Bob decided that he would make the long journey to this far off corner of the world, climb to the top of a mountain and ask this wise old sage,  “What is the meaning and purpose of life?”

It took a lot of preparation but finally this Inquisitive Bob was ready to set out on his journey to inquire of the wise, old sage about the purpose of life. After several months of traveling he finally arrived at the monastery where the wise old sage lived. He walked up a long but narrow flight of stairs came up to two huge oak doors and rang a big iron bell to make known his presence. 

From around the corner came a small, lean and elderly man. In a very quiet voice he ask, “May I help you?” Inquisitive Bob replied, “I have traveled a long distance to speak with the wise old sage that lives here. May I speak to him?” He invited Inquisitive Bob to come around the corner and then into a very small and humble hut where he asked, “what do you wish to ask of the wise old sage?” “I would like to ask him,’what is the meaning of life and what is the purpose for me living?” 

The elderly gentleman quietly gazed at Inquisitive Bob and then walked over to a pile of sacks filled with salt. He picked one up and handed it to Inquisitive Bob. “What’s this?” Asked Inquisitive. 

"That is a sack of salt". "Why did you give this to me?"  "Because you wish to know the meaning of life!"  "How does a sack of salt reveal to me the meaning of life?"  "It doesn’t but what you do with it will. I want you to leave this place and go out to where the people live and I want you to find different uses for the salt that help people. Once you have found three different uses then come back and tell me."

Inquisitive Bob left monastery and climbed down the mountain where he entered the first village that he came along. He thought to himself, “How in the world am I going to be able to use this salt to help other people?” He began to walk around and observe the people who were in village. Many of them were out doing their daily chores. They were buying, selling, and working. 

 But then all of a sudden he saw a store owner of a meat market ranting and raving to one of his employees. The man was obviously distressed and concerned about something. So the Inquisitive Bob walked up to the meat market owner and ask him what was wrong and why he so upset. The meat market owner began to tell him how he had left instructions with his employee to get some salt to keep the meat fresh for the day but his employee had forgotten and now the meat was about to rot. In reply Inquisitive Bob offered to give the meat owner most of the salt he had in the bag but he would have to keep a little for himself. The owner of the meat market was extremely grateful and offered to pay for the salt but the Inquisitive Bob refused to accept any payment.

Once Inquisitive Bob had filled a couple of small bags with some salt and had given the remainder of the salt to the owner of the meat market he then set out for the next village. But Inquisitive Bob had learned some very important things from this first experience. He learned that in order to know how to use the salt he would have to watch people to see who may need it.  So he once again began observing the people as he was walking through the next village. 

When he came up to one particular house he saw a man sitting down to have a bowl of soup for lunch. The man took a big spoon full of the soup, put it to his lips and began to swallow when all of sudden he spit the soup out and began to make an ugly face. He began yelling and screaming at his wife that the soup was horrible and tasteless. He ordered her to go back into the kitchen and fix him another bowl of soup but this time it better taste good. The wife horrified over her husband’s outburst went back into her kitchen with tears filling her eyes. The inquisitive man went around back of the house and knocked on the back kitchen door. When the wife came to the door he shared with her that he couldn't help but notice the commotion that had happened between her and her husband. He asked her,  “Is there anything I can do to help?” 

 The woman looked at the man with big tears in her eyes and said, “We have had a very hard year and all of our spices are gone and I have nothing to season my husband’s soup. Inquisitive Bob took out of his pocket some of the salt that he had left and offered it to her to use in her husband’s soup. The woman was extremely grateful and repeatedly thanked him for his generosity. She took the salt put it into the soup and then took it out to her husband who was very pleased with the taste.

Inquisitive Bob then left that town and traveled to the next village. When he arrived he now knew that all he needed to do was to look around at the people in the town and see who might be able to use the remaining salt. As he was walking around he noticed a wedding procession beginning to form. However, the bride was extremely distraught. As he walked closer he could see the bride telling her mother that she had nothing that could be used to symbolize purity as she offered herself to her new husband. 

So the Inquisitive Bob said to the bride, “Where I come from salt often symbolizes purity. Would this little bit of salt help solve your problem?” The Bride began to smile with the biggest smile that anyone had ever seen and answered, “yes, oh yes. Salt also symbolizes purity here in our town also. How much can I pay you for the salt that you have?” However, the inquisitive man would not take any money. He was just extremely happy that he could help someone on their very special day of their wedding.

After Inquisitive Bob had given her the remainder of the salt he then set out to return to the wise old sage back up the tall mountain to the monastery. As he arrived he saw the wise old sage. The sage asked him, 

“What have you done with the salt that I gave you?” 

Inquisitive Bob answered, “I saw a man who owned a meat market and had no salt to keep his meat from decaying. So I gave it to him. I saw a woman who had no seasoning to put into her husband’s soup for flavor. So I gave her some. And then I saw a bride who had nothing to use as a symbol of her purity for her wedding and so I gave her the last of the salt that I had.” 

The wise old sage said, “Well done, go on your way and live your life.” 

However, Inquisitive Bob shouted out, “Wait just one minute! You said that if I would go out and help people with this salt that you would share with me the purpose of life! So tell me and make me wait no longer.” 

The wise old sage looked at Inquisitive Bob and quietly said, 

“YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH"

"Now go out and help preserve people’s lives. Go out and be the flavor in other people’s lives. And go out and be a symbol of what a life of purity is looks like.”

Discussion Questions:

1. From Jesus metaphor of being the salt of the earth and from this story of Inquisitive Bob's how can we who are Followers of Christ be the salt of the earth?
2. What are some ways can live our lives for Jesus that will help preserve the lives of others?
3. What are some ways that our Christian lives can help provide taste to how others live life?
4. What are some ways that we can show the purity of Christ to a world that is filthy?

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

Back in early 2009 I wrote this short story to help the members of Valley Baptist Church understand that God expects us to take the light of his glory, that he has placed within us, and go out into our dark communities and shine so that Christ can receive all the glory. I share this with you now in the hopes that it will motivate you to be more intentional about engaging the community with the good news of Jesus Christ. Read it and go do something about it!

"In a world filled with darkness there existed a large elegant building with beautiful renaissance architecture. The inside of this building was bright with a brilliance that is almost unimaginable. It was so bright that there was not even a shadow that was able to be cast. It seemed as though the light came from every direction. The reason why it was so bright was because inside this building lived hundreds, maybe even thousands, of individual lights that illuminated at different degrees of brightness.

These lights usually spent their time trying to outshine each other. One light would get up on stage and begin to show how bright his light was only to have a different light stand up and try to out shine him. These lights looked for creative ways to shine their lights. Some would get up on stage and shine their light in such a way that it seemed that a choir was singing a beautiful cantata but others would display the brilliance of their light by gathering a few other lights around them and make it seemed like they were teaching the great lessons of the century. Other lights shined in ways that seemed as though the greatest chiefs were creating a delicious and delectable multi-course meal. It seemed as though the only reason for their existence was to try and outshine each.

Then one day one of the younger lights was wondering around the building exploring when he came upon a room that appeared to have been closed up for a very long time. He opened the door and found lots of old books and files just stack up in the four corners of the room. They were stacked high and filled most of the room. There was only a very small place for this young light to stand. Being young and curious this young light began to look through all the stuff. There were all kinds of things. There were birth certificates, legal papers and books with stories. But as he was looking through all the boxes he came across a book that looked older than all the rest. A he opened the book he read the first line, “The official manual on how all lights are to conduct themselves as they go out into the darkness and shine.” 

That really got this young lights attention. He had never heard of any light ever going out into the darkness. He thought the only reason for lights to exist was to try and outshine each other but now this book was saying their purpose was to go out into the darkness and shine where the evil and scary unlit wicks lived. As the young light read farther into the book it also said that they were to not only shine but also do good things for these unlit wicks because they are cold, lost and afraid. This young light at first thought this book must be some practical joke but then he saw that this book was signed and had the official inscription mark of the FIRST AND BRIGHTEST LIGHT. 

 It also stated that the teachings of this book were to be followed and obeyed completely. The first light was also the light from which all other lights were able to be lit. He was not only the first light and the brightest light but he was also the creator of all lights. He knew all things, heard all things and could do all things. This young light had always been taught that all other lights were to obey the first light totally and completely. With this new information this young light became very concerned because he realized that for as long as he could remember the only thing all lights ever did was stay inside their nice, warm and beautiful building and try to out shine each other in new and creative ways. Never once had he ever heard that they were actually to go out into the dark world that existed and shine. He had never heard of any light ever doing that.

So this young light decided he needed to show this very important and old book to the elders so that they could know that the lights have not been doing what they were supposed to be doing and that they needed to go out into the darkness and shine brightly. But when he shared with the elders about what he had found and what they needed to do they all said in one accord, “We cannot go outside where it is dark! We don’t know what’s out there or what will happen to us. It is scary outside. No, it would be better for us just to stay inside our nice warm, bright and safe building and keep on trying to outshine each other.”

But something in the heart of this young light knew that was not the right thing to do. He had this pounding conviction that he needed to go out into the dark world and do what that book said they were to do. So he got some of his friends and shared with them what he had discovered and asked them if they would be willing to join him on this adventure out into the dark world outside. Most of his friends were too afraid and refused to go with him. But his best friend, who was a very bright and brave light, said they should go and together they would face the challenges and the unknowns of the dark world outside. So shoulder to shoulder they walked to the front door, a door that had never been opened that they could remember, and opened it. 

 All of sudden everyone in the building stopped what they were doing, stood perfectly still. They just stood there and stared at these two young but brave lights as they stepped out into the dark world. In amazement all the lights stood at the entrance of the beautiful building looking with amazement as these two young lights began to go farther and farther into the darkness. The other lights began to scream and holler, “Come back! Come back!” But it was too late they were so far into the darkness they could no longer see their lights shining. Everyone feared the worst. They thought that these two young lights had been lost in the darkness.

As these two lights walk together they began to notice two things: First, they noticed that wherever they went the darkness seemed to run away. Each time they took another step the light that shined from them began to illuminate the way and there would be no more darkness. Secondly, they noticed that there were others who were out there with them. They were not alone. 

 These others were different from them because they did not have any light but also in some ways they were very similar. They weren’t exactly sure how but they just knew inside they were a lot alike. Some of these others would run away and hide when these two young lights began to shine on them but others seemed to be gravitated to the light and would come close. As these others came close it was apparent that they were sad and in need of help. So in little ways they began to do whatever they could to help these others. 

 As they did the others asked them why they were being so kind. So the two young lights began to tell them about the FIRST LIGHT, how he is the giver of all lights and how he commanded them to come out here into the darkness and do good to those they found. Some of these others asked, “Can we be lights also?” The two young lights replied, “Well the first lights knows all things, hears all things and can do all things so I guess if you call out to him and believe in him you to could also be a light.” Some of the others believed what the two lights had said and called out to the first light saying, “We believe in you! Would you give us also the light that shines?” All of sudden something happened! A flash of light exploded and the others who had cried out to the first light began to shine with a brilliant light. The two young lights stood in amazement as they saw these others now shining as bright as they. The others began to sing and rejoice because now their life was bright and filled with hope. They shouted praises and thanks to the FIRST LIGHT for the wonderful and powerful thing he had done.

The two lights said to the new lights, “You must come back with us so that we can show and tell all the other lights what has happened with you and how they can come and join us as we all together go and light the world and chase away the darkness."

Jesus said that we are to be the light of the world and to do good deeds in such a way that it brings glory to God our Father. Too often we fail to do good things for other people. We have become insensitive to the needs and hurt of others around us. We walk past people on the street but never really look at them. We don’t smile or even acknowledge their presence. If that is the case how can anyone expect us to help others in need? But that is exactly what Jesus is asking us to do. It is time to get out of our comfortable church buildings, homes and offices and engage people in the real world. There is a lot of darkness in this world but we have the ability to ignite a light that can chase the darkness away.

Some people are not able to shine a light into the darkness because they have no light to shine. Their life is filled with nothing more than darkness but it doesn’t have to stay that way. If you feel that you are walking around in spiritual darkness and desire to see the truth of the light then I invite you to discover THE FIRST AND BRIGHTEST OF ALL LIGHTS, JESUS CHRIST. He will se t your life on fire and help you to shine brightly for His Glory. Developing a personal relationship with him can totally transform your life from one of darkness to one of light.

If you already do have the light of Jesus shinning in you where do you shine that light at? Are you hiding in some nice building that you call a church. Remember this: Jesus did not call us to be the light of the Church, he called us to be the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. I want to challenge you with the same challenge Jesus gave us, “Let your light so shine before men, in such away, that they see your good deeds and glory your Father in Heaven.” GET OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD – WHERE REAL LOST PEOPLE ARE AT AND LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.