Confession of the Church

After reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Things were put into perspective for me as a future professional church worker. I have realized that I am not the high and mighty rule in the Church, the Church doesn't have the authority to force people to believe.

I'm not saying that churches and church workers are currently going out and persecuting for Christ; however, there is always room for improvement. Witnessing and Evangelism for instance. I am not opposed to witnessing, but evangelism seems very wrong to me. We are not back in the days of crusades and physically beating people into believing, but how often do we mentally beat people into believing?

The big difference, in my opinion between witnessing and evangelizing is motive. When a person is a witness, they are passive and objective. A witness is someone that simply reflects the Glory of God to those around him/her in order to allow the Spirit to make a difference in the heart of the unbeliever. An evangelist uses words to, in effect, convince an unbeliever into believing. Both have their purpose, however, what are the motives?

As a witness, I will bring and show all Glory to God and trust that He will shape the faith of those that see me. This doesn't mean that I am lazy, or ashamed of sharing the Gospel. I am merely saying that I will not form a relationship with someone with the strict goal of conversion.

As an evangelist, I will speak of the wonderful Love and Forgiveness found in Jesus Christ to those that I know and those whom I have built a strong foundation of trust. To those that I care deeply about and for that reason will allow them to hear about my faith in my God. I will not go into the dark alley and stand on a pedestal and rant upon the sinners of the world and how the world is doomed and how everyone needs to repent, etc. etc.

This is where the confession of the Church comes in. I, as a believer, confess that I have for too long been on top of my pedestal charging and judging unbelievers; people who are dearly loved by God; with sin and in need of repentance. I realize that I am just like the unbeliever and repent of my sins towards fellow people loved by God. I pray that God gives me the eyes of Jesus to look upon everyone with Love and Mercy.