Jump Start # 3478

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Have you noticed that the flavor of the month in the TV markets are stations that add a + programing for additional cost? There is Disney +. ESPN +. MGM +. Discovery +. Peacock +. Paramount +. Apple TV +, BET +. AMC +. Now, if you don’t sign up and pay the additional monthly costs, you don’t get the +. The + is for a select group of people who pay the monthly fee. They get shows that others do not. It’s an exclusive club.

Our verse today, commonly called the ‘Great Commission,’ shows us that God intended the Gospel to be available to all people. All people—that means every continent on the planet. That means every nation on every continent. That means every city in every nation on every continent. That means every street, in every city, in every nation, on every continent. That means every house, on every street, in every city, in every nation, on every continent. That means every person in every house, on every street, in every city, in every nation, on every continent on this planet.

Can you imagine if there was a “Church +”, or worse, a “Gospel +”? For a small monthly fee, more details, information, blessings, promises and benefits are offered to the + members. If you didn’t sign up for the + program, then you would be left out of these special benefits.

God doesn’t work that way. The hope, promises and salvation found in Christ are available to everyone. Now consider some thoughts about this:

First, the Bible applies to everyone. Whosoever, surely meanth me, is an old hymn that reminds us of this. In Matthew 5:22, our Lord said, “But I say to you that everyone who is anger with his brother shall be guilty before the court…” Who is the “everyone?” It’s everyone! Multiple times, running through the sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the expression, “Everyone.”

Some have the idea that the Bible only applies to a person if he is going to be religious. But if a person decides not to be that way, then the Bible doesn’t apply to them. If you’re going to church, it is thought, you have to go by the rules. If you don’t, then you don’t.

The everyone and whosoever expressions teach us that whether a person ever opens a Bible or not, these things apply to him. If ignorance was an open gate that allowed a person to live apart from the Bible, we would be doing that person a disservice by teaching him the Gospel. Let him remain in the dark. Don’t teach him, he can remain outside the commands of the Bible. This may be wishful thinking for some, it doesn’t fit in with the “everyone” concept.

Second, the blessings of God are given freely and equally to all. There is not a special tier for the elite. In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, those who worked only one hour were paid the same amount as those who had worked all day. Those who were hired first, were the apostles. They worked in extreme conditions. They started congregations where there were none. Yet, those who came in at the last hour were made equal to the first group. You and I will receive the same blessings as the apostles.

Third, our fellowship with each other makes us equal. The Galatians were told that all were one in Christ. That included opposites such as master and slave, Jew and Gentile, male and female. Now, we may have different functions and roles in a congregation, but that does not put us in a special circle that is not available to others. The shepherds who are watching over the flock, are also sheep themselves. No one should ever say “I’m just an ordinary member. I don’t count.” No one is just an ordinary member. We are the body of Christ. We have been purchased by God. The blood of His Son has cleansed us. We are a child of the King. We are Heaven bound. We are part of something big, eternal and powerful.

Church +, I don’t think so. Thanks be to God, that includes us, uses us, and forgives us.

Roger

Jump Start # 3271

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

In my love of reading Restoration History I ran across something the other day that I had not seen before. And, now that I think about it, I see how true it is. As the second and third generation of restorers were teaching and leading, the thought became prevalent that the large cities were corrupt. This belief was so widely accepted that many didn’t even attempt to evangelize large cities. They were convinced that “city people” would not listen and that their hearts were closed to the gospel message. It was believed to be a waste of time and the Lord’s money to even try to go to the cities. Therefore from the mid-1800s, hundreds and hundreds of rural congregations sprang up. The country people were listening. Especially in places like Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, the strength of the church was found in this country congregations. But, as time passed, the small farm could not sustain a family. People moved to the cities to find jobs. Congregations started springing up in the cities and today, many of these rural congregations are barely holding on. The communities are small. And, many are having to face the cold reality that in a few years, the doors of the church house may close for good.

And, today, many of the strongest congregations are in large cities. Those early restorers miscalculated and misunderstood both the Scriptures and the heart of mankind. In our New Testaments, the congregations are in major cities: Jerusalem, Ephesus, Corinth, and even in the capital of the empire, Rome. The apostles took the message to where the people were.

Some lessons for us:

First, we can outthink and out reason what the Bible teaches. Our verse today says go into all the world. All the world includes the city as well as the country. Places like New Orleans, Los Vegas may have the designation of being very sinful and corrupt, but the message has been taken there and God’s people have a foothold there. Our logic and our thinking can keep us from doing what God wants fulfilled.

Second, as times and situations change, brethren must face what’s best for the kingdom. Keeping two or three little congregations, within a stones throw of each other open may not be the best  use of resources. We must move beyond our dedication to the church building. We must not allow the past to color what the future really holds. Having two or three small congregations merging together would give more encouragement, more teachers, more finances, more tools to do what God wants.

Third, some do not want to look down the road and see what’s coming. There are places I have been to that, if the Lord allows another dozen years, those places may not be around. What to do? Just wait until that happens or start conversations and start making plans. I knew of a small, small rural congregation, that back in the 1800’s numbered about 200. It was way out in the country and hard to find. People died and people moved away. Finally, it came down to two old men that were left. The building was so moldy and in need of repair, that they met in the entry way. Today, that congregation ceases to exist. But does that mean the kingdom dwindles? The kingdom is not made up of congregations but of individual saints. Shifting from one location to another doesn’t alter the kingdom.

It is healthy for everyone to look down the road. We do that with our personal finances. Unless you want to be working full time when you are 85 years old, you start investing and saving. You are looking down the road. Congregations need to do the same. Who will be leading us in ten years? Who will be stepping up in ten years? What does ten years down the road look like? Those conversations lead to adjusting, planning, developing and training. Forward looking congregations are already thinking about who the next shepherds will be. They are developing and teaching men today to serve tomorrow. Don’t wait until there is an emergency, like a death, and then everyone scrambles to find anyone who will step up and teach or lead. Be working on that now.

A lack of leadership has crippled many congregations. Merely holding on and just doing what has always been done is as far as some places think. Maybe it’s time we changed our thinking. Maybe it’s time we made some plans, put some things into action and looked into how we can make things better for the Lord.

A saying that means so much to me, “Let’s leave this place better than we found it.” That speaks volumes when it comes to the spiritual atmosphere of a congregation.

Roger

Jump Start # 2967

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Evangelism—we know that we ought to be doing more of it, but it also makes us very uncomfortable. We fear rejection. We fear questions that we don’t know the answer to. We fear being put on the spot. We fear an argument. We fear losing friends. It’s much easier to be silent than it is to tell others about Jesus. Sermons and classes on evangelism help, but still, that fear factor is real. Talking naturally, calmly and confidently is not easy for many when it comes to evangelism.

Whatever the mountain we must face, we must work at it. God has no other plan than for His people to tell others about Jesus. There is no slick marketing team that can be hired. There is no outside agency that will do the work for us. Evangelism falls to us. It’s up to us. If we don’t, no one will.

Here are five simple things to remember:

First, be friendly and be positive. Talk about your God and the worship of God in glowing, positive words. Worshipping God is awesome. Believe it. Tell others about it. Be genuine and be yourself. The word “Gospel” means ‘Good News.’ You have good news to tell someone.

Second, be interested in the lives of those you are leading to Christ. Ask about their children. Ask about how things are going. Find chances and opportunities to serve. Knowing that you care makes a difference. One of the police officers hired to protect our building mentioned that his wife had cancer. The next time he came some money was handed to him by a few that knew his story. He was touched. Caring is important.

Third, to win others to Jesus, you first must show the way. You must live the way the Lord wants you to. People notice. Your words and your actions have to match. If they don’t your message will seem hollow and inconsistent. Day after day, at work, at home, you are illustrating what you want others to be. You are showing others what living for Jesus looks like.

Fourth, don’t be argumentative or judgmental. That usually ends all discussions and closes the door to listening any more with you. You can disagree, but do it kindly and with the other person in mind. Teach the Bible and let the Bible be what they come to terms with. Have them see in their own Bibles the passages that you are teaching. Be patient and kind. God’s word works. You don’t need to name call, ridicule others or be arrogant. Let God speak through His word. Stick with a few passages and stay on them.

Fifth, don’t quit. Keep praying for them. Keep looking for opportunities. Keep working at it. The salvation of their souls is at stake. You’ll likely think more about their soul than they will. You may care more about their salvation than they do. Just hang in there and stay at it.

Teaching God’s word and showing others the way to salvation is such an incredible opportunity and blessing. Years ago, someone helped us. Now, it is our turn to them others.

If you noticed, this week, we have built these Jump Starts around “Five things.” These thoughts came from a booklet we put out last year. Every Friday we post “Friday Fives” on our website (www.charlestownroad.org). They are just five statements about spiritual life. We gathered last year’s list and put them in categories. This booklet makes a useful tool for those who want to come up with ideas for invitations, articles or even sermons. “The Friday Five” is free and available to mail to you if you would like.

Contact me at: Rogshouse@aol.com. Be sure an include your mailing address. And, you can find today’s Friday Five on our website.

Roger

Jump Start # 2671

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.”

I’ve been reading a book about the rapid and massive growth of Christianity in the first few centuries. The numbers are staggering. The Roman Empire is thought to have been about 60 million in population. Within three hundred years, 10% of the Empire were Christians. If, true, that number would have been six million disciples of Jesus. They were everywhere—in the courts, among the Roman Senate, within the Roman army, and even within Caesar’s household. This has led to the understanding why Constantine made Christianity the state religion, overturning the ban against Christians and their worship.

What is even more impressive is that there was no central headquarters overseeing the expansion and growth of the Lord’s kingdom. There were no mass mailings. There was no email campaign. There was no phone soliciting. No printing presses publishing flyers, documents by the thousands. No PR team orchestrating a positive image. No live streaming. No videos. No podcasts. How did they do it?

Here are my thoughts:

First, they had a message that was real and they believed it with all their hearts. Salvation through the blood of Jesus, the conquering of death and Satan, the hope of Heaven was enough for those early believers to change their lives. This message was talked about. This message was shared. This message was on their minds and their hearts. This message was looked at, dissected, considered, debated, argued and taught. It was taught to family members. It was taught among fellow workers. It was of first importance to them.

Second, they had lives that contrasted the world they lived in. These believers had changed. They were not the way they once were. They stood upon forgiveness. They were kind. They worked hard. They were honest. They feared nothing. Their lives were consistent with the way that they believed. Through this, they were noticed. They were different. They had something within them that others wanted. They had a calm, peace, and joy within them that others didn’t. There was a welcome attraction among them. They were not stand-offish. They were not acting as if they were better than others.

Third, they had a faith that would not stop. Even when facing death, they would not surrender what they believed. This faith was genuine, true and impressive. They worshipped with all that they were. They prayed with diligence. They lived lives that continually honored the Lord. Their faith was not shallow, fake nor pretentious. To the very core of what they were, they believed.

And, what is so remarkable about these three points is that they still work today. Congregations are always looking for the magical tool that will convert the community. What are you doing in evangelism, is commonly asked. What material do you have for visitors, others want to know. Just tell us your secrets and somehow they will work for us. But there is no magic here. There is no wonder tool that a few have that no one else does. It comes down to these same three principles.

We must be preaching powerful lessons about Jesus. Our lessons tend to focus upon us too often. How we feel. How we are doing. What can make a better and happier us. Look at those sermons in Acts. They were about Jesus. Jesus, the Lord. Jesus, the Sacrifice. Jesus, the Savior. Jesus, the King. We must never tire of preaching Jesus. Preach His words. Look in His book.

We must live lives that show we follow the Savior. One sure way to wreck evangelism and kill all efforts is when the members are only playing church. Sure, they’ll show up on Sunday, but their hearts are miles away. Throughout the week, there’s little difference between the lost world and those who claim to be disciples. Bending the rules. Flirting with Satan. Not living righteously. Not being pure. And, what do we see today? Too many disciples are trying to justify social drinking. Too many are divorcing. Too many are obsessed with the things of the world. We are looking more and more like the world and less and less like Jesus. When that happens, nothing will happen in evangelism. We are not of this world. We are not going the same direction as the world. We do not use the same definitions as the world does. This world is not our home—have we forgotten that?

We must have a faith that will not stop. A faith that is strong. It ought to come out in our speech. Are we glorying God with the things that we say? Are we showing that God is more important than anything else to us? It is more than just adding church to our schedule. It’s building lives upon Jesus Christ. It’s being obedient to Christ. It’s following the Lord wherever He leads us.

Jesus wasn’t popular in the first century. It got to a point where Christianity was outlawed and even persecuted. Yet, the kingdom grew. And, now, in a pandemic, and social unrest, it’s time to get our thoughts off of ourselves and how bad it’s been worshipping at home and social distancing and get back to living and even dying for Jesus. The world needs Jesus and we are the means to get them connected to the world.

Seek first…it worked then and it still works today!

Roger

Jump Start # 2498

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.”

Our verse today is what we call the great commission. Jesus was sending the apostles into all the world. I expect they were heading to places that they never thought that they would ever visit. They probably went to places that they may not have wanted to go to, but the commission and the words of Salvation were much too important to think about personal preferences.

Preach to all creation. That means on every continent. That means in every nation. That means in every city. That means on every street. That means to every house. That means to every person in every house.

For a long time, how this was accomplished was a few brave preachers would head overseas for a period of time to preach. Folks back home supported and prayed for them. But, today, with technology, more places can be reached on a regular basis than ever before. More people can be reached with fewer dollars than ever before. There may have been a time when “go into all the world” meant the tiny village those poor Christians lived in. But today, the church needs to lift up her eyes and realize the great potential in becoming a global church.

With that being said, I need to tell you about some things that our congregation is doing. Our preachers and elders have got that global bug and we are putting out through technology things every day. And, we are now days away from launching yet another massive step in this direction.

Our website is: www.Charlestownroad.org. If you haven’t looked at it you ought to. Here are some things you’ll find:

• Quick Quotes: Daily pithy quote. Just a thought to help our attitudes.

• Jump Starts daily: You know about this. On the Jump Start website (www.jumpstartsdaily.com) one can use the search engines to look up passages or key words. Soon all 25 of our Jump Start books will be listed as PDF files for you to download for free.

• Daily Bible Reading: not only do we list the passages for the day, but we have a few comments to help us with our reading.

• Friday Fives: every Friday at noon we post on our Facebook page and website five bullet points about a subject. These are easy to read and easy to share.

• Livestream and achieved sermons: these can be watched or listened to.

Launching next week will be “Heaven Bound,” our new weekly podcast. You can subscribe to this for free. It will be listed as “Heaven Bound.”

On Mondays the podcast will feature “Jump Start Rewind.” I will read a Jump Start from the past. It is a way to listen to some of the Jump Starts.

On Wednesdays the podcast will feature “This week at Charlestown Rd.” We will look back to the past week’s sermon or classes and pull out a few thoughts and then look ahead to what is coming the next Sunday.

On Fridays the podcast will feature “Heaven Bound” a 15-20 minute discussion with myself and fellow preacher, Jason Hardin. We have a variety of topics that we will explore and will host a few guests speakers now and then.

This congregation continues to keep rolling out more and more ideas. All of these are just bridges to connect us to the Lord. They are tools of encouragement. They keep us busy, very busy. No one makes us do this other than the deep drive within our hearts to do all that we can do. Our Jump Starts are being read by thousands worldwide. Our livestreaming is being viewed by hundreds every week. The volume of people being reached, helped and changed is unbelievable. For this to happen, it takes a network of help and a congregation that has a love and heart as big as the world. Our shepherds back what we are doing 110%. We have a team of folks that understand media and all the background knowledge to do these things. Then we have a powerful congregation that supports all of these tools financially. As a proud parent that likes to brag on his children, I like to brag about this church. I feel it is one of the best in this generation. Are we perfect? No. Can we do more? Certainly, and we are trying.

If you are ever in our area, drop by. Let us show you around and share with you what we are doing. It’s impressive. Send your preacher or elders over to spend a day with us. Let us share ideas with you.

You can help by sharing the things you like with others. Subscribe to our podcast and share that with others.

We truly believe that we are the eyes, feet and hands of Jesus today. What a wonderful time to be living. There are so many wonderful tools to spread the Gospel.

Heaven Bound—that’s the new podcast. You can find it on our website, Facebook page or where you get your other podcasts.

Go into all the world…let’s get going!

Roger