Compassion Into Action

There is no “season” of Compassion Into Action! It doesn’t begin and end with certain dates. Sometimes I think people honestly believe that their Christian responsibilities and duties follow the school’s calendar. When summer rolls around, it’s quitting time!!

Last week, one of the first weeks of summer, we had to close three children’s Sunday School classes. The reason was not because of a lack of students, material, or space . . . it’s because of a lack of volunteer teachers. One mother was most upset when she was told that she could not drop her child off for Sunday School, unless she volunteered to help teach the class. She stomped and she fussed, “You can’t do this! Someone should have announced this policy from the pulpit” We did. “Someone should have publicized this in the bulletin!” We did. “Someone should have mailed postcards to communicate this need!” We did. “How can we rectify this situation?” Well, you can volunteer to teach your child! Why is it that some parents want, expect, even demand that someone else teach their child the Christian Faith? Every Baptized child’s parents have vowed before God to do what the church is begging them to do. Amazing. “Compassion Into Action” is the motto regarding our discipleship and missions ministries. It never rests and it begins with our own.

Consider what some are doing with “Compassion Into Action” this summer. Just last week, our Girl Scout Troop 2033 made 2,400 lunches for MUST Ministries. Soon, the Abundant Life Circle will be packing 1,200 more lunches. For 30 years, Mt. Bethel has provided volunteers for the MUST overnight shelter. (We need volunteers immediately for this ministry to continue).

Other “Compassion Into Action” ministries include the Hope Center Baby Thrift Store, the USO, youth mentoring projects, Foster Care support, knitting and quilting for those most in need, Any Soldier packing, Katrina rebuilding and St. Philip missions. In addition, mission trips are heading for Kenya, Romania, Costa Rica, Austria and Ecuador. Amazing!

I invite you to consider the place God has in your life. Many of us are living as if the Heavenly Father has died! Oh, we may believe with our hearts and minds that He is alive and well, but our actions and behavior say that, as far as we are concerned, He is dead. Look at your calendar, look at your checkbook. How much time and money do you spend on yourself? How much time and money do you spend on God? There’s your answer.

Perhaps you do not believe in the Devil? Jesus did. He said, “Get behind me Satan.” He wasn’t speaking to an imaginary friend. He was speaking directly to the temptation to put self before God. The tactics of the “Evil One” are very simple. In order to convert us away from Christ, all he has to do is keep us out of church, keep us out of the Bible, and keep us off of our knees. If he can accomplish two out of those three, he’s got us.
The Church is dependent upon two things if it is to survive and thrive, the Holy Spirit and willing hearts. How willing is your heart? Your involvement is putting “Compassion Into Action” is your answer.

That’s how I see it. What do you think?

Randy