A Positive Challenge to Christians

How are we to be salt and light?

         By Robert Shillingstad

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:15-16

It seems that the Judeo-Christian world view is being attacked with such a vengeance that our first reaction is to respond with our own attacks and here we are in an all-out culture war.  It is dis-heartening to see education, media, corporations all seemingly aligned against us.  Unfortunately, many churches are not in the fight, they seem more like social clubs with a cross on the building. It is not just the Christian community that feels this way but conservative citizens that feel as if they are living in a world they no longer recognize.

The other option we have as Christians besides pushing back on the evil around us is to recognize that we have been given an opportunity to reach a lost world searching for truth and sanity. We are at a point where it is “revival or bust” and we must reach a lost people with the message of the gospel.  How can the church do this? Here are some suggestions:

Foster Care: There are 400,000 children in foster care in our nation.  There are also 400,000 churches in our country and enough churches in our area for each child. We can match a church in our area to a child in need or be creative in our approach of helping. Half of all children in our area do not live with their biological father.

Addiction: 100,000 people died of opioid and fentanyl overdoses last year and a big problem in our area.  Does Pastor Remington’s Samaritan Ministries program need to be expanded or duplicated as we offer a Christ centered response?

Home Schooling: This is an alternative that has multiplied many times over as details have come out about the failure of government schools. Should the churches sponsor a home school “convention” or expo that highlights speakers, co-ops, and vendors to come alongside families who want to instill Biblical values.  Faith based schools could also be included.

Worldview Training Centers: The Mormon church is serious about solidifying their doctrine to young people with their training centers across from each high school and released time for students.  We have churches across from high schools.  Why aren’t we offering Biblical training also to these students?  Related to that we can also offer “Good News Clubs” at elementary schools as an after-school program.  All of these are acceptable to the secular watchdogs in the legal system by case law.

There are many additional ideas that the church should be doing at this critical time to reach the lost.  People are hungry for the truth, and we have the gospel that will answer the lies of Satan. The continued drift of our culture into radical and dangerous waters makes it more imperative that we stem the tide by boldly proclaiming God’s truth!

Revival or Bust!