Last time this website shared a great story about a Christian evangelical organisation, Alliance for the Unreached that called on churches, media outlets, and believers around the world to come together to reach out to those who have never heard the Gospel.
The article stated that with more than 2 billion people (28 percent of the world’s population) who haven’t had a chance to meet Jesus, it’s time for us Christians to take a radical stand and say this has to end in our generation.
Over the last few years, the church’s influence on the spiritual lives of many in Uganda has certainly been under threat. As we eye material things and preach miracles, we leave a lot unattended to. Thank God miracles and prophecies are evident, but we need to teach the word as well during services – this is the gospel. This is how we can be sure discipleship will continue.
Jesus came preaching transformation and he achieved it, he taught and groomed disciples – the early church continued his work in an incredible way. And so our present situation makes me question: why is it that some parts of the church are thriving while others are in decline? Why do many areas of the church today seem to be lacking this transformative influence that Jesus had in abundance? And if the church is the people, what does this say about us as individuals?
Every church has people who can tell stories of the most amazing miracles they’ve seen. You know the kind of stories I mean. There’s a Christian, they’re in a taxi, and they manage to lead their entire row of passengers to Christ in the space of a few short hours. One preacher sets up a crusade, thousands come to Christ in a day.
Like any Christian, I hear these stories and I buzz with excitement. But then I look at myself in the mirror and I’m faced with an uncomfortable question: how much have I been transformed in the last year? How well am I transforming the world around me? Some Christians may lead whole rows of people to faith, but many of us haven’t seen that amazing transformational power in the same way.
Are some Christians somehow more powerful than the rest of us? Is it because they have been blessed with a different Holy Spirit? Absolutely not! We are all members of the same church. We all believe in the same Jesus and he promised us all that same Holy Spirit.
I believe its time to stand accountable – “woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel”. It is time share the message of Christ through whichever avenues we have available.
We may be 2,000 years down the line, but the passing millennia have not changed our unchanging God or the blessing of his Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ gospel is no less powerful today than it was all those years ago.
By Freddie Pimm, edited to suit audience by Kasozi Nickson.
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Freddie is a junior doctor living and working in London. He is a regular speaker and The Selfish Gospel is his debut book, from which part of the above extract comes. (IVP, 15 June 2017).
