Good News to Share

I hope you’re doing well on this formerly miserable/foggy day, now beautiful/warm/sunny day.  The weather can be unreliable at best.  Thank God He is not. As we heard on Sunday, God is completely faithful.

As I said at Sunday’s Quarterly Business Meeting, I am excited about where Central is, and where it’s going. I am excited about the progress we’ve made together to ‘open’ our doors more and more to those who might not have a church home, and who are seeking. There is much to thank God for, and much to be excited about. Some things have changed for sure, and I know that can be difficult, but God has not changed, the Gospel has not changed, and our calling to share it has not changed either.  

In a world that is filled with bad news, we have very good news – the best news! – to share with the world around. And it’s vital that you are a part of sharing it.

Each of us, no matter who you are in the church, are called to be people who share Jesus with the world around.

Each of us, as Paul puts it, are called to be ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20).
 
Each of us, as Jesus himself puts it, “will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).  

So with that in mind, I want to invite you to take a step further into this calling in 3 ways*:

Be a pray-er. 

Be someone who is praying for the outreach of the church to be effective, alive, and inspired. Pray for those around us who you’d like to see us reach with the Gospel. Pray for our Central Kids and Youth – that they’d catch fire. Pray for our mission efforts – that they’d bear fruit. Pray for us as we hand out Halloween candy, and the Christmas Tree Lighting “Light It Up After Party”. Pray for our Sunday services – that they pews would be filled with people who are seeking after God.  Be a pray-er. 

Be a bring-er.

This is how Peter came to follow Jesus (his brother Andrew brought him in John 1). Bring someone to a Sunday morning. Bring someone to a bible study. Bring someone to meet me for coffee. Bring someone to the Christmas Tree Lighting “Light It Up After Party”.  Bring someone to help you serve. Be a bring-er.

Be a tell-er.

You don’t have to be overly gifted to tell someone about your faith. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to be a trained pastor (and it often helps if you’re not!). All you have to do is share the reason for the hope that is within you (1 Pet. 3:15). God will do the rest. Give it a shot. If you’re not quite ready to be a tell-er about Jesus, be a tell-er about your church. Tell someone about our new Youth and Kids programs. Tell someone about the Christmas Tree Lighting “Light It Up After Party”. Tell someone about our Sunday services. Tell someone about what you’ve found here at Central. Be a tell-er.

These are ways, simple ways, that we share the good news of Jesus with the world around.  And you can do it. I’m going to ask – and pray – that you will.

Thank you,
Matt Agresti
Pastor, Central Baptist Church

* This material was borrowed from “Comeback Churches” by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson.