As churches go, Lord, ours is doing pretty well in evangelism.
A vigorous Evangelism Explosion program Thursday nights.
Decent visitor recognition and follow-up procedures.
Some really fruitful investigative Bible studies going on in several people’s homes.
An emphasis this quarter in adult Sunday school on web-relationship evangelism.
People responding well by bringing friends and neighbors to films and church programs geared to evangelism.
“Friendship Sundays” twice a year, when visitors are presented with a low-key, no-threat explanation of the gospel.
But I feel guilty today, Lord.
It’s about that kid. The one in the rented house beside the church parking lot. I park next to his garage each day when I come to work.
Not exactly “our kind of people,” I guess. Lots of times we’ve had to ask them to move a car they’d parked in our lot. We have such limited parking.
And his motorcycle roaring up and down the alley has really been a nuisance.
Bad enough when I’m in my office working. But really unacceptable when a service is in progress.
Last night the custodian saw police cars in our lot and came over to investigate.
The kid had hanged himself yesterday afternoon in the garage. Seventeen years old. Lived with his mother and a younger brother. Been in trouble with the law several times. Often on drugs, the neighbors said.
I know-I can’t minister to everyone all the time.
And, Lord, they’d never come to our church-they had connections with another church down the block.
Still . . .
Judea and Samaria are being evangelized pretty well, Lord.
But forgive me for overlooking the Jerusalem across the parking lot.
-Terry White
Wooddale Church
Minneapolis, Minnesota
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