Ginger Simmons,
CWOC’s Missionary to South Africa
Gerald
![Text Box: christian education ministry
Why Bother?
Why bother? is a question many people ask themselves,
even those with a strong commitment to God. Why
should we come together as part of a local congregation?
In the book, The Journey, Billy Graham addresses this very
question. There are four (4) points he makes. First, we
should come together to worship God. God is worthy
of our praise. We honor Him when we worship together.
In the Old Testament, God’s people were commanded to
“enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” (Psalm 100:4). The Bible tells us to come together to “sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). Second, we should come together to hear God’s Word. Yes, God speaks to us when we study the Bible on our own, but He also uses others to teach and to challenge us from the Bible. God has given to some the special gift for preaching and teaching the Bible. We should come to Sunday School to learn from them. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). Third, we should come together to encourage one another. Each day we are bombarded with issues, concerns, and problems that we must face. That is why we need each other’s encouragement and wisdom. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-all the more as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Sometimes we encourage someone without even being aware of it. Fourth, we should come together so we can reach out to others with Christ’s love. There are people who are lost and separated from their Heavenly Father. We have the responsibility of telling them about God. They need someone who will love them and point them to Christ. No doubt, there are those who are doing this. How much more could be done if we joined hands with other Christians? There is too much at stake for Christians not to know what the Word of God says. Whose report will we believe? Remember Benjamin Spock? It was he who told a generation of parents to take it easy, don’t discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child’s fragile ego. Millions followed this guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. Before his death, Dr. Spock made a discovery: He was wrong. What about the “seeker-sensitive” movement spawned by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago? The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. Inadvertently, there came a de-emphasis on taking personal responsibility for Bible study combined with an emphasis on felt-needs based “programs.” It was promoted that preaching was out, relevance was in. Doctrine didn’t matter nearly as much as innovation. If it wasn’t “cutting edge” and “consumer friendly” it was doomed. The mention of sin, salvation, and sanctification were taboo and replaced with Starbucks, strategy, and sensitivity. Willow Creek recently released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry. Bill Hybels called the findings “ground breaking,” “earth shaking,” and “mind blowing.” It seems that the “experts” were wrong. The report notes that most of what they had been doing for many years and what they had been teaching millions of others did not produce solid disciples of Jesus Christ. Numbers yes, but not disciples. Bill Hybels now tells us that people need to be reading their Bibles and taking responsibility for their spiritual growth. Once again… “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). Come out and be a part of Sunday School. Let’s see what the Word of God says.
Gerald McDaniel, CEM Director](image399.gif)
