IN OR OUT!

I still remember summertime as a kid.  School was out and each day was running and playing in the heat of the sun and on till the only light came from a streetlight and dew blanketed the lawn.  One of the side effects of our eagerness to play was to run out the screen door and slam it behind us.  Then, we might remember something inside we wanted to play with and run back in.  Next, it was back out with a bang.  Sure enough, before long I needed a drink of water.  After some of this, my mother would say, "In or out!  Stop slamming that door!"

It was time for a choice--in or out.

This morning I was thinking about the four lepers sitting at the gate of the city of Samaria as recorded in 2 Kings 7.  Inside there was a famine and people were slowly dying.  To go inside meant death.  Beyond the walls camped the Syrian army that had besieged the city.  To go there would most likely result in death.

But, as outlandish a scheme as it might seem, the one glimmer of hope was maybe, just maybe, the invaders would have pity and throw them a crust of bread.  Should the Syrians plunge a sword into them, it would be a swift and merciful death compared to perishing agonizingly of starvation.  One thing was certain, to remain there was a losing proposition.  They looked at each other and asked this, "Why are we sitting here until we die?"

God honored their step of faith and not only did they experience a miracle, the Israelis living in the city were delivered from the Syrians and starvation.  God caused the marauders to hear the sound of another army marching against them.  They panicked and fled, leaving all their provisions.  All this came from a decision to stop sitting and get up and do something.

As I look at our church--and we are no different than most--we are starving of a segment of our population. Young adults--those singles in college or beginning their career--a number of folks called the Millennials by some sociologists, these twenty-somethings, are absent. A few churches are reaching them, but most are unchurched and what is criminal is that the majority of churches are making little effort to engage them.

Can we look at these young folks and let them walk away from the only source of true life, eternal life, Jesus Christ?  Don't we care?  As the current church population ages, and we fail to replace dying saints with younger ones, can we not see the church is hemorrhaging and needs a transfusion of youth?

Meanwhile we occupy our pews and wish for the "good old days" and vainly hope for better days that cannot be until we ask, "Why are we sitting here until we die?"

So, I am by the grace of God going to get out of my comfort zone, and embrace my responsibility to do what I can.  Starting this Sunday and for the next three months this summer I'm going to do all I can to reach out to these young adults.  Here's the outlandish plan.

When the morning worship service concludes, we are inviting our young singles to lunch in the Family Life Center.  This food for our bodies will later give way to food for the soul, as I teach a Bible study--thirteen weeks of over-viewing God's Story, Genesis to Revelation.  Our young pastoral intern, Robert Justice will aid me, as I cultivate him and give him increasing responsibility to take over the group by the end of August.  When our time of high-energy, fast-paced, practically useful study concludes we will have some games and activities for those who wish to be involved in that.

It's about connection--connecting with God and each other in the study of transforming truth.

Will it work?  God only knows and time will tell.  All I know is that the virtual nothing we are doing isn't working--and never will.

So, what can you do?  If you are 18-29 and single, come to the launch of this ministry and bring a friend.  For those who are still involved in our church, would you be willing to help serve on a leadership team?  It needs to become your ministry to be most fruitful.  I am asking older adults to pray specifically and fervently for this effort.  We need Sunday School classes that will volunteer to help with a meal, Sunday by Sunday.  Should you want to help me with setup, or hospitality, or outreach and followup, that would be wonderful.

I leave you with this: "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not to do it." (James 4:17 NLT)  In or out?  I'm "all in!"  How about you?