Feeding the Spiritually Hungry: Authenticity and Nourishment in Ministry
Proverbs 27:7
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
If you get hungry enough, you’ll eat just about anything! The same is true not only in the natural realm but the spiritual realm as well. Is it any wonder that so many people feast spiritually off of such a buffet of variety as they do? They’re looking everywhere for something good for the soul. Unfortunately, many in pursuit of happiness are looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places. That’s why it’s imperative that we, the church of the living God, have something good to offer if and when they come our way! However, one of the biggest crises a church could ever experience is that of losing influence in the life of one seeking truth.
There are many things that may contribute to this type of loss: a misrepresentation of truth, a cold heart, a Pharisaical attitude, traditions of men, legalism, and dead religion, just to name a few. I also realize that some, in pursuit of their own ideas of “happiness,” will reject the truth of the Word of God, as it is not always appealing to the unbeliever. However, I will say this; if we fail to impact an individual with the truth of the Gospel while they are exposed to our ministry, then we had better make sure we’ve done everything possible to win them to Christ. If they reject the message, it should be because of their own unwillingness to accept Christ, and not because of their disgust for any of the above-mentioned possibilities on our end.
I can’t help but wonder how many more would be in our churches today, feasting off the Manna of the Word of God, had we expressed more compassion, more zeal for the Lord, and had we been more real with them. All too often people are turned off to church altogether because of the fake and façade we put on. We often pretend that we have it all together, but the reality is, even church folk have problems! We should never claim immunity to problems; rather, we should offer solutions as found in the Word of God for all of us! I really believe that if we would be real with people, and drop our pious religious garb, we could be much more effective in winning the lost to Christ! We should seek to be so effective in properly representing Christ to this world, that when one comes into our circle of influence, they become permanent fixtures, and trophies of God’s grace!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
If you get hungry enough, you’ll eat just about anything! The same is true not only in the natural realm but the spiritual realm as well. Is it any wonder that so many people feast spiritually off of such a buffet of variety as they do? They’re looking everywhere for something good for the soul. Unfortunately, many in pursuit of happiness are looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places. That’s why it’s imperative that we, the church of the living God, have something good to offer if and when they come our way! However, one of the biggest crises a church could ever experience is that of losing influence in the life of one seeking truth.
There are many things that may contribute to this type of loss: a misrepresentation of truth, a cold heart, a Pharisaical attitude, traditions of men, legalism, and dead religion, just to name a few. I also realize that some, in pursuit of their own ideas of “happiness,” will reject the truth of the Word of God, as it is not always appealing to the unbeliever. However, I will say this; if we fail to impact an individual with the truth of the Gospel while they are exposed to our ministry, then we had better make sure we’ve done everything possible to win them to Christ. If they reject the message, it should be because of their own unwillingness to accept Christ, and not because of their disgust for any of the above-mentioned possibilities on our end.
I can’t help but wonder how many more would be in our churches today, feasting off the Manna of the Word of God, had we expressed more compassion, more zeal for the Lord, and had we been more real with them. All too often people are turned off to church altogether because of the fake and façade we put on. We often pretend that we have it all together, but the reality is, even church folk have problems! We should never claim immunity to problems; rather, we should offer solutions as found in the Word of God for all of us! I really believe that if we would be real with people, and drop our pious religious garb, we could be much more effective in winning the lost to Christ! We should seek to be so effective in properly representing Christ to this world, that when one comes into our circle of influence, they become permanent fixtures, and trophies of God’s grace!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill