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Authors: Ashley Williams
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poor will also cry himself and not be heard,’” Pastor Don Bauer said earnestly from behind his glass pulpit. A congregation pushing sixty people sat drinking in his every word while fatigued children leaned against their parents with bobbing heads, wishing this man would say what he needed to say and close in prayer. Usually there was more of an attendance on Wednesday nights, but perhaps the heavy rainfall had deterred those living farther away from coming—as was apparently the case with the children’s teacher tonight.
“How can we ever hope to reach the lost if we aren’t even willing to reach out of our comfort zones first and show them Christ’s love?” Pastor Don said, straying away from his notes again as he walked the length of the platform. “Do you want to know why eighty to ninety percent of people who become saved fall away from the faith? It’s most likely because they got caught up in emotion during praise and worship or an altar call, but have never actually had a relationship with Jesus, because the Church as a whole is too afraid to tell them the truth.”
Andrew liked it when his pastor got this way. Once he began talking about witnessing and reaching the lost, it was hard for him to talk about anything else. His forehead would gleam with sweat as he paced back and forth, reaching out to the audience with excitement and passion in his voice. Of course, Andrew understood why his pastor was this way. It was because a friend of Don’s had been bold enough to share his faith with him that the gospel finally became clear to him, and he had immediately accepted Jesus into his heart. Ever since that day, Don had been a changed man and witnessing became his number one obsession.
Andrew sneaked a peek at Ronnie as Pastor Don Bauer retreated behind his pulpit. “What do you think, Ronnie?” he whispered.
Ronnie sat like a still statue with his legs dangling over the edge of the pew, gathering his own thoughts about the church in stride. “I don’t know yet. I kinda like him. He’s funny when he starts talking fast.”
Andrew rested his hand on Ronnie’s knee and flipped through pages in his Bible as the pastor told everyone to turn to Matthew 25:34-40.
“Read with me,” Pastor Don said loudly, picking up his Bible. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
Pastor Don closed his Bible and stared out into the congregation with teary eyes. “These duties mentioned here—feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty—are duties that anyone can perform. We have to remind ourselves that Jesus once did the same for us. I’m not saying that you give money to every person you see on the side of the road asking for it; God instructs us to use wisdom. Ask God to give you discernment and let Him use you. All the deeds mentioned here in these verses are deeds of love; not one of them consists of words, but involves action and even sacrifice.”
Andrew nodded his head softly in agreement.
“I’ll say that again, ’cause I don’t think you all heard me. Sacrifice . It means giving up something to God that hurts, something of personal importance to you. God has to see that He’s got your heart and your obedience before His anointing can ever enter
“How can we ever hope to reach the lost if we aren’t even willing to reach out of our comfort zones first and show them Christ’s love?” Pastor Don said, straying away from his notes again as he walked the length of the platform. “Do you want to know why eighty to ninety percent of people who become saved fall away from the faith? It’s most likely because they got caught up in emotion during praise and worship or an altar call, but have never actually had a relationship with Jesus, because the Church as a whole is too afraid to tell them the truth.”
Andrew liked it when his pastor got this way. Once he began talking about witnessing and reaching the lost, it was hard for him to talk about anything else. His forehead would gleam with sweat as he paced back and forth, reaching out to the audience with excitement and passion in his voice. Of course, Andrew understood why his pastor was this way. It was because a friend of Don’s had been bold enough to share his faith with him that the gospel finally became clear to him, and he had immediately accepted Jesus into his heart. Ever since that day, Don had been a changed man and witnessing became his number one obsession.
Andrew sneaked a peek at Ronnie as Pastor Don Bauer retreated behind his pulpit. “What do you think, Ronnie?” he whispered.
Ronnie sat like a still statue with his legs dangling over the edge of the pew, gathering his own thoughts about the church in stride. “I don’t know yet. I kinda like him. He’s funny when he starts talking fast.”
Andrew rested his hand on Ronnie’s knee and flipped through pages in his Bible as the pastor told everyone to turn to Matthew 25:34-40.
“Read with me,” Pastor Don said loudly, picking up his Bible. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
Pastor Don closed his Bible and stared out into the congregation with teary eyes. “These duties mentioned here—feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty—are duties that anyone can perform. We have to remind ourselves that Jesus once did the same for us. I’m not saying that you give money to every person you see on the side of the road asking for it; God instructs us to use wisdom. Ask God to give you discernment and let Him use you. All the deeds mentioned here in these verses are deeds of love; not one of them consists of words, but involves action and even sacrifice.”
Andrew nodded his head softly in agreement.
“I’ll say that again, ’cause I don’t think you all heard me. Sacrifice . It means giving up something to God that hurts, something of personal importance to you. God has to see that He’s got your heart and your obedience before His anointing can ever enter
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