Getting Young Families in the Local Church

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” –Romans 1:16

Lately, the Lord has placed me into situations not only around Hamilton but across the state of Ohio to discuss the church and disciple-making. Listening to prayer requests from various church leaders, one is nearly universal: please pray that more young families come join our church. I get the sense from these same church leaders that they believe our culture has harder hearts than ever before in history because church marketing, events, and programs from the past are no longer working.

Young people can still be saved. No one is too hard-hearted for the mighty outstretched arm of the Lord whose love endures forever (Psalm 136:12). What if getting young people to attend church services and events is a misunderstanding of Jesus’s Great Commission? These things are not wrong to do, but they make terrible replacements for personal disciple-making.

The gospel of Jesus Christ passionately shared from the lips of a Christian is the power of God to save those who believe. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead can be in your mouth! When you, dear reader, proclaim the gospel, it is like Christ at the tomb of Lazarus calling the dead man to walk. 

You, dear Christian, are commanded to personally proclaim the gospel and personally make disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). No matter your age, you can proclaim the gospel that saves to your neighbor no matter their age, for the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Open your home, your dinner table, your living room, your life to your neighbors, then open your mouth to proclaim His gospel.

You dear Christian reading this, go and make disciples of Jesus to all peoples and teach them the Word without shame or hesitation. For God is good and He is mighty to save.

Heavenly Father, bless Your servants with confidence in Your Son’s gospel and Your power to save. May we be found faithful to proclaim this glorious gospel to everyone. O Lord, save our hearers! Strengthen Your church! We ask for Your power and strength in the authority of Christ’s Name. Amen.

God our Present and Future Help

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” –Revelation 21:4

This verse comes to my mind often, but no more intensely than when I have the great privilege of hospital visits. We live in the time of “former things” which will one day pass away by the authority of Christ who rights all wrongs. 

On my way to see a Jesus follower suffering in a hospital room, I have a tendency to look into other rooms. I see people alone and hear them moan in pain. I am moved by the sea of people suffering without purpose, dying without hope, and lying in bed in loneliness. Current suffering finds no present help in any future relief.

The Christian’s suffering, by God’s grace, is a different experience. Not in the level of pain, but in the level of aim. Paul, who had suffered greatly, said “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (IICorinthians 4:17). We go through the same painful experiences that are common to all people, but we consider them “light” and “momentary” because Jesus will wipe away our tears for the final time when He completes His glorious Kingdom work.

Our encouragement does not begin in the future, but is present now. For our sovereign God also has purpose to our affliction. The heat of the fire purifies us from worldliness while we are still in the world to display to the world the glory of the grace of God. God is kind to us to provide such sweet mercies when we experience the deepest of pains as our present help (Psalm 46:1). What if afflictions’ purpose is to depend upon and desire our God more? This is truly what is best for us and for His glory. 

Even the afflictions that seem to present very little blessing to us now seems light and momentary when our imagination ascends to the joys of glory awaiting us. Our afflictions are light compared to what Christ took for us, and momentary because of the hope He gives us of eternal joys.

Our heavenly Father, give Your children wisdom to see clearly the lessons You teach through trials and a vision of the eternal joys that await us when we are in pain. Remind us daily of Your grace in Christ who took our greatest affliction, receiving the greatest joy of heavenly treasures. We ask for Your mercy in Christ’s precious Name. Amen.