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Deal with the Stumbling Blocks (2)
'Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block...in your brother's way.' Romans 14:13 NIV
Here are two more stumbling blocks you need to remove in order to win someone to Christ:
(1) Boredom. Jesus isn't boring, but sometimes religion is. The story is told of a lady who fell asleep during the sermon. Pointing at the man sitting next to her, the pastor said, 'Please wake that woman up!' The man replied, 'You put her to sleep, Reverend, you wake her up!' Jesus is called 'the Good Shepherd' (John 10:11), and the Greek word for 'good' is 'kalos', which means 'captivating'; that's the Christ we need to present to those seeking spiritual direction.
(2) Money. It's been said the most sensitive nerve in a person's body is the one that runs to their wallet. Have there been financial scandals in the church? Yes. They even had them in the New Testament church (Acts 5).
But don't throw the baby out with the bath water! It takes money to build churches, feed and clothe the needy and send out missionaries. When money is in the right hands, it's a solution, not a problem. Furthermore, if God can trust you to finance His plans, He will show you how to make more money. He said, '...I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit...' (Isaiah 48:17 AMP)
(3) Discomfort. People say, 'I just don't feel comfortable in church.' The truth can do that to you! The Gospel is designed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. When Paul preached, some people trembled, but when trembling leads to trusting in Christ, it's a good thing.
written by Bob Gass
'Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block...in your brother's way.' Romans 14:13 NIV
Here are two more stumbling blocks you need to remove in order to win someone to Christ:
(1) Boredom. Jesus isn't boring, but sometimes religion is. The story is told of a lady who fell asleep during the sermon. Pointing at the man sitting next to her, the pastor said, 'Please wake that woman up!' The man replied, 'You put her to sleep, Reverend, you wake her up!' Jesus is called 'the Good Shepherd' (John 10:11), and the Greek word for 'good' is 'kalos', which means 'captivating'; that's the Christ we need to present to those seeking spiritual direction.
(2) Money. It's been said the most sensitive nerve in a person's body is the one that runs to their wallet. Have there been financial scandals in the church? Yes. They even had them in the New Testament church (Acts 5).
But don't throw the baby out with the bath water! It takes money to build churches, feed and clothe the needy and send out missionaries. When money is in the right hands, it's a solution, not a problem. Furthermore, if God can trust you to finance His plans, He will show you how to make more money. He said, '...I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit...' (Isaiah 48:17 AMP)
(3) Discomfort. People say, 'I just don't feel comfortable in church.' The truth can do that to you! The Gospel is designed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. When Paul preached, some people trembled, but when trembling leads to trusting in Christ, it's a good thing.
written by Bob Gass
