Are you an Encourager?
We spend lots of time talking about all sorts of things in our lives. The Economy has dominated our discussions, but we also spend time talking about movies, sports, home improvements, our cars. We spend lots of energy simply talking.
Here at Orangethorpe UMC, our Vision statement challenges us to "prayerful and lovingly encourage each other with healing and hope", but this last weekend I realized that it's not just to each other here in the church or even to the people who happen to show up at church that we can speak to about faith issues.
Recently I spent a day in the outpatient facilities of St. Jude Hospital and before and after the minor surgery, I realized anew that God gives us the opportunity & challenge to be an "encourager" in the Christian faith every day!
There were four nurses with whom I spoke off and on about Christ, faith, prayer and church. In each case they attended a church, somewhat nominally. (One Lutheran, one a very lapsed Catholic and Two Calvery Chapel church attenders.)
It was easy to talk to them because, in good United Methodist fashion, I simply encouraged them to become more active in their own place of worship and to make sure that their family had the rock of Christ in their lives by their regular attendance. (Especially in these hard times! We can all do that, can't we?)
I felt like the mysterious Santa in "Miracle on 32th Street" who recommended Macy's Department store customers to go to Gimbel's if the gift they were looking for wasn't found at Macy's. God wins whether people come to our fellowship or not.
If we are able to increase his love in Jesus Christ for them by getting them stronger in the faith, and we show them Jesus as we do it, that's wonderful!
And so, in a gentle and kind way, "prayerfully and lovingly," I was witnessing to the special love that is growing stronger every day here at OUMC!
So..... a Tip you can try: In the days and weeks and years to come, let's experiment with that kind of encouragement.
Ask your hairdresser, your supermarket check out person, the individual sitting next to you at a sporting or music event, your neighbors, waitresses and anyone else you bump into at the gas station or library: "Do you go to church or to some other faith gathering?"
And then, if they are connected to a place of worship (even remotely,) encourage them to go more often. ...to use the resources it offers to them.
Encourage them to discover God's power for them by regular attendance... especially in this tough times!
We all need it to counter act all the negativism in our world and the all powerful "gospel of greed" that got us into this mess in the first place, don't we? If they don't have a church, it's then an easy thing to talk about our Alpha Class or upcoming special dinners, block parties, picnics.
(One phrase I use to describe us is that the "United Methodist church is half way between the Catholics and the Baptists / Independents." - we have communion and baptism like the Catholics, and a strong, local congregational decision making group like the Baptists and Independents.)
If they show interest, tell them that you'd even come and pick them up if need be... or at least meet them at the door. You don't need to be a fancy "evangelist." and have all the answers.
Tell them you're looking for answers as well. Ask them what questions they might have if Jesus showed up in their life.
All you are doing is offing them an elbow like Sharyl and Donna told us about last week in church. And by encouraging them to go to church... ANY church, (or even a synagogue or mosque) you are making our world a better place by deepening their trust, their faith, their reliance on God, and their desire to be directed by God.
Remember, while we often focus on children, following God is really an adult activity that is supposed to grow and challenge everyone from 13 years on up.
As you leave your encounter, pray that such growth will happen in the person you just talked to.
Pray that God will send you others to chat with. (And be on the look out... for God WILL!) I'm sure it will surprise people... and will cause them to wonder: "Just what kind of place do THEY go to?"
Even if they don't give us a try, they're likely to tell others about us and the conversation they had with you.
So give it a try. And let me (and each other) know what happens!
God is good, All the Time!
And we are blessed with each other in this wonderful experiment called Life!
Grace and Peace, Terry
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