A few months ago one of the oldest members of our congregation sat down with our middle and high school girls for dinner. Later, the children gathered around the sweet lady as she shared the story of her life; from humble beginnings in Western Kentucky to deciding to follow Christ.
Even though we had known each other for years, as she told her story, several of the adults in the room (including myself) were surprised to find out that we had friends and places in common. It was a great evening as children and adults sat at the feet of a beautiful of woman of God.
You’ve probably heard the statistics of how the church is in decline. It’s easy to find someone to blame. The conservatives are sticking too tightly to tradition. The liberals are playing too loosely with Scripture. The millennials are leaving in droves. It makes us feel better if we can find someone else to blame because it can’t possibly be our fault. We are at the church building every time the doors are open. We can quote Scripture. We write a check when a need arises. We try not to lie, cheat or cuss. But maybe we need to take a second and ask ourselves how well we know the person on the other end of the pew. What’s their full name? What do they do for a living? What was their childhood like? When did they get serious about finding Jesus? Who taught them and brought them to Christ? What can I do to help them?
And even more importantly, maybe we need to get out of the building altogether. How many hungry people are in our community? How many single parents need someone trustworthy to watch their children as they work? How many kids in your city need new shoes or clothes? How many children are going to bed hungry? Don’t think that it doesn’t happen in our wealthy county because it does.
The church isn’t growing because it has more spectators than it does storytellers. We’re great at showing up to a building a couple times a week but when’s the last time we sat down with a friend on the pew or on the curb and heard their story? When’s the last time we told ours?
God has invited us to be a part of the greatest story ever told. Why not put down your phone and talk to people? How about getting off that pew and building some relationships. Go into that neighborhood a few blocks away from yours and tell people about Jesus.
Tell your story and let God change lives.
Paula Harrington is the mother of five children and resides in Calvert City. She is compiler and editor of the books, Once Upon a Bible Class, A Common Bond and A Sunday Afternoon with the Preachers’ Wives. Her work has appeared in Christian Woman magazine, the Christian Chronicle newspaper and numerous other sites and websites. When she’s not teaching at one of Marshall County’s finest schools, she’s helping her family at the Calvert Drive-in Theater (and by helping, she means eating the cheeseburgers). She can be contacted at harringtonseven@yahoo.com