Me....apathetic?

I received an interesting email from a friend this past week. He had ministered at our church just a couple of weeks ago and, as always, I had tossed that ultimate question out to him as I do all the guests that come our way -- "What do you see in ministry as you travel this country and move from church to church?"



His answer was the same one that has come to me from mosts in these last several months. He said, "As I travel, I am finding a common thread for the apathy that has set into the church, but not all are getting proactive."

Man, this is so disappointing! But, as a senior leader of a ministry, I would have to agree with my friend. It caused me to take a look at the term "apathy" to better understand what we were experiencing. What is apathy?

As you look into the etymology of this term you find that it dates back to 1594; the 16th Century. It comes from the Greek language. The word is "apatheia". It's a term that has two parts -- "a" and "pathos" -- "a" meaning "no" and "pathos" meaning "emotion". Therefore, we conclude that it means "no emotion". A synonymn would be "impassiveness," or "to have no feeling, or "indifference" which means "to lack interest or concern."

Are you "apathetic" in your spiritual walk? Does this sound like something you are experiencing when it comes to the idea of a regular and frequent time of worship in your local church and its ministries? I hope not. But it seems to be the norm throughout the church world today. Sadly, many are disengaged from spiritual life collectively. The Scriptures teach us in Hebrews that we are "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together."

God wants you connected! Connected? Oh yes! And Scripture bears out a model that Jesus has for the church; those persons who make up the body of Christ. This "Jesus model" is taught in the two biblical "greats" recorded in Matthew's gospel (Mt. 22:34-40; 28:18-20).

What is that model? Will it assure a connectedness to all the God has for me as a believer? Most certainly! Here it is ....

1) WORSHIP - Jesus said, "Love with all your heart...". When we do this in every area of our life, we live a lifestyle of worship.)

2) FELLOWSHIP - Jesus said, "Go and make disciples...". This is a relational experience. You can win people to Jesus when you have a relationship with them. It continues and grows when they are also saved.

3) DISCIPLESHIP - Jesus said, "...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded them..". This teaching continually nurtures and equips believers; it's lifelong.

4) SERVICE - Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." That's ministry right outside your door. Not to mention the many areas that you are needed in your local church.

5) EVANGELISM - Jesus said, "...baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...". You don't baptize until salvation is experienced. And salvation doesn't come until some form of "evangelism" has taken place.

This model keeps the believer active in their faith and their walk with God. And it has perpetual benefit; ongoing! It will assure connectedness and keep you from apathy?

Me...apathetic? You answer that.......with your life. : )