Unfortunately, insensitivity is not just my problem. It is often the major fault of the church. We become ingrown.
If we are not what Christ expects us to be, we have nothing to share. And, if our household is filled with His presence, we often become so enamored with the fellowship and activities of this warm brotherhood that we forget to look for those hanging on the fence, or spying on us from a hiding bush, or waiting for an invitation.
Sensitivity will come as we labor in prayer. In fact, if the work of evangelism is not first instigated in prayerful conduct, that’s a pretty fair sign it will have only human results. We may even keep people from knowing Christ by our blundering dogmatism and judgmental attitudes toward a different life-style.
Without prayer we begin to get nervous about winning people to Christ, we think we can relate the number of “scalps” collected to the depth of our spirituality, we become insistent, pushy, offensive. Soul work is always God’s work. We are simply instruments through which He can channel Himself. Going to Him on our knees is the discipline by which we become effective evangelists.
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Award-winning author Karen Mains continues to write content for her Christian blog, “Thoughts-by-Karen-Mains.” In so doing, she desires to touch the lives of Christian women and men and help them find ways to walk closer with the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, through silent retreats, spiritual teaching, women’s retreats, Christian vacation opportunities, and other ministry activities, Karen helps each Christian woman and man receive vital spiritual food.
Karen has long had an interest in Christian hospitality and is the author of the best-selling book, Open Heart, Open Home.
Through her Hungry Souls ministry, Karen serves as a spiritual coach to many Christian women and men, and teaches a mentor-writing class. And, through the Global Bag Project, she is working to develop a network of African women who sew exquisite cloth reusable shopping bags. This micro-finance women opportunity helps provide a much-needed sustainable income for struggling African families. For more information on this critically important project, please click here.
For decades, Karen and her husband, David, have served God through religious communications—radio, television, and print publication. The are the co-authors of the Kingdom Tales Trilogy: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance, and Tales of the Restoration. To find many valuable resources for pastors and churches at the Mainstay Ministries main website, please click here.
Likewise, pastors will find special resources to help them prepare effective, life-transforming Sunday sermons by visiting David Mains’ website by clicking here.
