Tidbits for Thought

RENEWAL AND REVIVAL

Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled there was a

famine on the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah,

together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while

in the country of Moab. While my understanding of Hebrew is next to nothing, I

have read that Bethlehem is a word that can be translated

“House of Bread”. When Elimelech and his family found no

bread in the “House of Bread,” they were forced to make a

pilgrimage to Moab where bread could be found even

though it was a place of trouble, strife and death.

I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but some rather

grim reports show that far too many churches nationwide

close their doors each year. Some of them go out kicking

and screaming, victims of circumstances over which they

have absolutely no control. However, the vast majority

simply close the doors without even a plaintive whimper and

fade into the dust of memories……and leave lingering

questions of “WHY?” or “WHAT HAPPENED?” If we dig

a little deeper there are even more questions. Why do people

who are searching for answers seem to look everywhere but

the church? Why are so many who are in desperate need of

the vibrant and nourishing Bread of Life, willing to settle for

nothing but stale crumbs? Why have so many who fed their

souls true bread in the past, now searching for alternate

bakeries in their own personal Moab? Have we let our bread

get stale? Are our shelves of love completely stocked? Are

our displays of forgiveness and compassion full and visible?

Is the bakery full of grace? These are hard, hard questions

and tend to make one very uncomfortable. They are

questions that have been hurled into the cosmos for over two

thousand years. It is with questions such as these in mind that the Elders

have asked us, as a community of believers, to pray for

answers as to how we might reach the unchurched of our

community and add to the numbers of the fellowship.

Church history points to one central fact about renewal and

revival ………. fervent and continuous prayer is always the

starting point. Each of us, no matter how old, can pray for the Holy Spirit

to fill us with fresh wind and fresh fire and a heart for the

lost ones drifting about in the world. Each of us can accept

the responsibility of continual prayer for the growth of our

fellowship. Each of us can pray that any vestige of bigotry

or xenophobia or homophobia or hateful judgement be

erased from our personal lives. Each of us can pray that our

fellowship is willing to embrace all who walk through the

door, without judgement or condemnation. Each of us might

pray that the small, quiet voice of the Spirit would move us

to be bold enough to reach out a hand to one in need and an

invitation to visit and worship. Each of us might pray that

our individual life would be one that mirrors the love of

Jesus and reflects it into the world around us. Think about it!                                                         ~ Aron Smith