Ministers Blogs
““Has anybody been saved here lately?” ”
Categories: EvangelismTonk Talk
The late Clayton Pepper told the following story in the Gospel Advocate. There was a tour group visiting some of the old church buildings in Europe and England. The tour guide described one of the buildings with its stained-glass windows and the rare carving in the pulpit and talked about the great speakers and dignitaries who had once attended the church. During the description, an elderly lady kept trying to get the guide’s attention. Finally, the guide recognized her, and she asked, “Sir, has anybody been saved here lately?”
This lady asked a great question, a question we as a congregation should be asking about ourselves, “Has anybody been saved here lately?” Think about it: When was the last time we studied the Bible with a non-Christian? When was the last time we saw or heard of someone being baptized? When was the last time a Christian came forward repenting of their sins or placing membership with the congregation? Has anybody been saved here lately? If not, then what are we waiting for? If we are not saving people, then what is the church here for?
In the book of Acts, we see the church grew and was added to day by day.
·Acts 2:47, “... And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
·Acts 11:21, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”
·Acts 16:5, “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”
The church grew in the first century because the gospel was being preached daily, those who were being saved were being strengthened in the faith and the Lord was with them.
Conversions and spiritual restorations can still take place today if we as God’s people will only teach and preach the gospel daily. Now is the time to invite someone to study the Bible now is the time to hand someone a Bible tract or send a House to House Heart to Heart paper. Now is the time to be teaching our friends and loved ones the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But what if we do not take the time to teach the gospel? We will see fewer and fewer people in our pews and our church building will be just like those in Europe and England; empty.
When the gospel is not preached, and people are not converted we are left with not only empty church buildings but with empty and lost spiritual lives.
So, has anyone been saved here lately?
by Mark T. Tonkery
