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You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. Matthew 5:15
To be a Christian means to stand in witness for Christ. All of us, no matter our
background, are called to share the Good News with the people of our world ( Mark
16:15). Its a huge responsibility, a great honor, and a noble calling. Unfortunately,
Christians arent always skillful when it comes to sharing the gospel. With all the
changes taking place in modern society, many believers are questioning the
Churchs effectiveness in leading others to Christ.
Ed Stetzer is one such Christian. In a recent column for Christianity Today,
Stetzer proposed that churches needed to change their methods if they wanted to
continue reaching communities. As an example, he pointed to the use of pathways,
Pathways transitions people away from apathy into groups where theyll provoke one
another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). We need to help people live as agents
of Gods mission. Sometimes you have to stop doing good things to do the best
things. Thats always a hard call, especially for churches. Churches that refuse to
budge on inerrancy of Scripture should be commended. Churches that confuse
inerrancy with methodology should be corrected.
That tendency can be applied to aspects of ministry that have outlived their
usefulness. We need clearer systems and processes that lead people from passivity
to activity in involvement in the mission of God and serving one another.
Whitney Hopler, another voice on Christian transformation, takes a more
introspective approach. She advises Christians to change their attitude on worship,
which she believes has grown stale over the years. She writes,