GET OUT!!

Today I'm enjoying a day off. Actually, I've been packing so that Kim and I can go to Ft. Worth this weekend, a late anniversary trip. Last night, we went to eat with some friends at Olive Garden, which was good for a change. Not that they're bad, we just haven't been there in a while. Always gotta eat at Chedder's or Mexican food, so I enjoyed the change. Anyway, we talked a bit about Wednesday night because one or two were unable to be in service with us. It brought me to say that it was definitely one of the best messages I have ever heard! Bro. Andrew, you did an awesome job of pouring out your heart. God really spoke to me through your message.
The title of the message was "Get Out of Church." For some, this might cause you to question what exactly he spoke about. Well, glad you asked! He was simply saying that we as members often view the church as an event, a gathering, a building that we meet in a few times a week to feel God's presence, when actually we've got it all wrong! We are the church!! Each and everyone of us when we go to eat, go to Wal-Mart, or go the gas station, we are the body of Christ, we are the chosen few who should live our lives as such. We shouldn't snub our nose at people or ignore circumstances that they are in, we should love them, just be a friend. We don't have to be a walking billboard for Life Tabernacle, Wichita Falls, inviting EVERYONE we see to church. No, we should love them, show concern about them, become friends, and that will lead them to God. If we show love one toward another, there is no telling what kind of effect we will see in our city.
I have a small example of such a situation this very week, Tuesday, in fact. A local funeral director's wife passed away last weekend after a long hard battle with cancer. This funeral director hasn't always had the best relationship with our family. He owns an independent funeral home, and is not quite as fortunate to be blessed with or have access to what we do, being a part of a corporation. Well, my dad amazed me! To say the least, his relationship with this fellow director hasn't always been the best, BUT I couldn't believe what my dad did for this man. He called up that funeral home, talked with the director who would be taking care of the family, and knowing that they would be in need of vehicles, he volunteered our fleet. Some may think, what's the big deal? Well, when you are in a corporation, there is a lot of legal issues that follow with doing something like this. He went through all the necessary channels, got the necessary paperwork, took care of every detail and sent four limos and a funeral coach to help this family out, completely free of charge.
When the local funeral director heard of this, we were told that he broke down just crying. He was completely overwhelmed that after all that we all have been through, my dad overlooked it and said, "He's a fellow funeral director, and we will take care of him."
I don't know what he will do, but if it were me, I would be completely changed. I thought about that Wednesday night and thought, "He knows what church we go to. We never did anything but just be a help when he needed it. A friend." What does that say to him? I don't know that he'll ever be actually "in our church," but what I do know is that we were the church to him. We were Jesus to him. I'm not saying any of this to brag, I'm just saying that I have experienced, first hand, what just being there can do for someone. It's so simple, but so hard for some reason, to just do.
Bro. Andrew, you were 100% right in your message. If we will "Get out of the Church," then there is no telling what will happen. Thank you for having the guts to preach your heart to us. If no one else heard you, I did. Thank you.

-approved by Farley Wells, CMDI