IT'S COLD IN HERE

On a recent trip to fulfill a preaching obligation, I flew to Indianapolis, Indiana. Our arrival was a few minutes ahead of schedule, so when I came off of the airplane one of the first things I saw was a bookstore. Now, anyone who knows me knows that one of my great weaknesses is my love for books. I would miss a meal to buy a book. I do not have the need for any more books, because there are currently 4500 volumes that fill my library/study. However, I just can't help but "get in the flesh" whenever I see any type of bookstore.

As I browsed around, I never really saw anything that struck my fancy. But, as I was walking out, I noticed a little shelf near the register. It was filled with different "religious" books, most of which would only serve as a good means of fireplace material. However, there was one book that jumped off the shelf at me. The book is entitled, "The Outward Focused Life: Becoming a Servant in a Serve Me World." The author is Dave Workman, senior pastor of Vineyard Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

As always, I browsed through the table of contents to see if there was good reason to purchase the book. Some things I saw intrigued me, but I laid it down and said to myself, "If it's here when I come back to fly home, I'll pick it up." Well, guess what? When I arrived back at the airport, 6 days later, there was ONE copy of the book left. I don't know if it was divine intervention or not, but I purchased the book.

The book is filled with over 250 pages of life/church experiences of a pastor. By the time I landed back home in Jacksonville, 2 hours later, I had finished the entire book. To say that the book interested me would be a grave understatement. The book absolutely engulfed me. There was no great doctrinal, theological, or expostional content to the book, it is simply a book about being the greatest the kingdom of God. It is about being a SERVANT.

Pastor Workman and I would certainly disagree on several doctrinal issues, but there was one common denominator that we both share; and, that is, that one of the things greatly lost in the church today is servanthood. The average Christian, as well as the average church, has become so wrapped in themselves that they cannot see the need to reach, help, and love others. The lives of most Christians are governed by the unholy trinity of 'Me, Myself, and I."

But, when God saved us, He did much more than give us a little "fire insurance policy" to escape hell. When God saved us, He did much more than give us the "blessed hope" of a home in Heaven. When God saved us, He enlisted us in His army of saints, soldiers, and servants.

Pastor Dave told of a time he went to a fast-food restaurant. As he walked thru the door, he quickly noticed the cold temperature of the room. He ordered his food, paid the cashier, and as he waited on his food, he noticed that everyone in the dining area was eating their food with their coats on. He mentioned to the girl at the counter, "It's awfully cold in here, don't you think?" She replied, "It how we like it back here." He said, "Yes, but everyone is eating with their coats on." She looked at the dining area, looked back and him and said, "It's how we like it back here."

A great spiritual lesson is paralleled anytime a church or a Christian exists with the attitude, "It's how I like it back here." Many Christians fail to appropriate all of the resources of God's grace, and become everything God wants them to be, because they like it just where they are. They have reached the place of contentment; thus, they have purchased their tickets for the destination of complacency, callousness, and coldness.

Many churches fail to be the lighthouse of their communities, because they do things based on "how they like it in here." As a result, people fill our seats, and sit through our services every week WITH THEIR COATS ON! If this attitude continues, before long there will not be anyone in our church except those who think that it's NORMAL TO BE MISERABLE! All the while our cities, counties and communities remain unreached, unchurched and unsaved.

Now, please do not get me wrong, I am talking about watering down the gospel, or seeking to become like the world to win the world, because they would defeat the purpose. We have seen what the "purpose driven, seeker friendly church" produces; wormy, weak, and worldly believers. What I am talking about is that the church has become an expert in the field of having church and doing church, but has forgotten the mandate of BEING church. As R. G. Lee well said many years ago, "The church has become social clubhouses rather than spiritual lighthouses; museums that minister to the saints, rather than hospitals that minister to sinners; a group of political organizers, rather than a group of spiritual agonizers; keepers of the aquariam, rather than fishers of men."

We have forgotten that it is not about us, it has never been about us; nor, will it ever be about us. God has not called us to be high society, He has called us to be Heavenly Servants. When was the last time we reached out to help someone, not because of what we could get out of it; but, because we saw them through the eyes of Jesus? Remember, people are sitting in our church, and living in our communities with their coats on; so, let's go warm them up.

Glad to be a Servant,

Pastor Steve