If you want your light to shine, go to the dark places

Addition to the Sunday sermon:
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn't know where to find them
But leave them alone, and they'll come home
Wagging their tails behind them
In this familiar children's poem, we realize that Bo Peep has a problem. She has lost her sheep and has no idea of their whereabouts. But evidently, the optimist in her thinks that if they are left alone, then eventually, they'll find their way home.
Unfortunately, there are many Christians who feel the same way when it comes to those who are unsaved (non-Christian). We live in a country where there are 70-80% of the population who would be classified as unchurched - meaning that they do not regularly attend any Christian church. To put it another way, roughly 7-8 out of 10 of your neighbours do not regularly go to a church.
Too many of of our community churches look at this group and take a Bo Peep position. They fail to see the hurts and needs of the spiritually lost and fail to effectively reach out to them. These churches take the attitude, 'If they want to change - they know where the church is.' In reality, these churches are so focused on themselves, that they fail to focus on what God is calling it to do.
By contrast, there are also churches who take a Good Shepherd approach. A church of the Good Shepherd, models the story told by Jesus, when, even with 99 sheep safely in the pasture - He goes out into the rough, rocky places to seek out that one sheep who is lost.
Our modern day predicament is that there are 20-30 sheep in the pasture, and 70-80 who are lost in the rough and rocky places of life. The church of the Good Shepherd is one that intentionally endeavours to share hope and help with those within its reach.
Our challenge, then, is to become a people who are willing to stretch ourselves, sacrifice and focus on the needs of those around us.
Are you more interested in helping than being helped?
Are you more interested in loving than in being loved?
Are you more interested in giving than in getting?
These are characteristics of a Good Shepherd church.
How would you rate yourself? Are you a Bo Peep Christian or a Good Shepherd Christian? Or are you one of the lost sheep? I would love to hear from you...

"Send Revival, Start with Me."

Pastor Ken