“Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.” (I John 2:6 The Living Bible)
One online site shared some statistics that would make the faithful open their mouth and eyes wide-open, and regardless of their surroundings, whether on a flight back home on a quiet plane or in quite the plain sight of many. The expression being communicated by their facial expressions would be one word, “Wow!” That might be followed by the three appropriate words, “Help us Jesus!”
Let me pass on the statistics to you. “Church events promote the interests of the church and forward the cause of Christianity by involving more people with the faith. Studies have shown that non-practicing Christians in the United States have grown from 35% to 43% from 2000 to 2020. At the same time, the number of practicing Christians has declined to 25%.”
While the percentages may say that church folk may possibly need more formal training in event planning, that is not what stood out to me. If you are thinking that what stood out to me was a need to work together in our local churches to market, design, plan, and communicate our events that will attract more people to at least be curious about our faith, and the family of God. However, if that is what you are thinking, let me tell you that is not what stood out either.
What stood out were the highlighted words, non-practicing Christians and practicing Christians. The percentage of the former was increasing and the number of the later was decreasing. I did not know that there were categories. What is a non-practicing Christian? Is that person a Christian at all, really? Furthermore, what is a practicing, Christian? Should it be just you are a Christian or you are not? Shouldn’t the categories be “on Heaven’s roll” or on the “church roll” by name only and perhaps because the purging of the local church roll was put on pause during the pandemic?” I had questions! If one of on the church roll would they all be picking up their cross and following Him daily? Should not all church folks be showing that they have passed from death to life because they love the brethren? If that is the case, events would not be seen as a duty of the faithful few. We all must do the work of Him who sent us while it is yet day. Isn’t that right? We should all be, to use a saying of the times, “”All In” as Christians, right?
Christian, practicing Christian, practicing Christian on decline, or non-practicing Christian seems to be the choices. What’s going with you? What category are you in? Just food for thought. Well, not really. A reaction, better said, the right action is required. Did I tell you I love you? Well, I do! Have a great day! Be blessed!
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” (John Wesley)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King