Church members

of a certain church in Columbia can tell anyone their purpose with five

easy statements. The statements are so easy and yet so profound that I

wanted to share them with you as we enter the first official year of the

new millennium (I heard Dr. Michael Brown give these five statements).

First affirmation:

I have a purpose.

So many Christians

even are scurrying about trying to find some reason to live other than

waiting to die and go to heaven. Okay, you and I are here on the planet

taking up space and oxygen. Why? Well, the answer is that you and I have

a purpose. If we have a purpose, then that means that we were not hot-housed

without some purpose giving power at our beginning.

Second affirmation:

My purpose is to win the lost to Jesus Christ.

Now things

get a little sticky. No, Christian, you were not born just to be kind

and emulate St. Francis of Assisi. Faithful and dedicated members of religious

cults--that are considered cults by mainstream Christianity--believe their

purpose entails making converts without apology. We Christians, however,

believe we can go through our entire lives without winning one convert

and consider ourselves successful. A Christian's purpose is to make more

Christians.

Third affirmation:

I can best fulfill my purpose on a team.

Here's where

the church comes into play. No one is asking anyone to go out winning

the lost to Jesus Christ alone. Personally, I prefer winning new converts

with a partner. Team membership means I can rejoice at another member's

victories because, maybe, I didn't win anyone that week. Team membership

means I will have training and encouragement.

Fourth affirmation:

I will never be satisfied until I am fulfilling my purpose.

Just think

of how many things you've attempted to achieve satisfaction: a stronger

body, more education, going to church, more money, and much more. But,

we still sing the song, "I can't get no satisfaction." Satisfaction

comes when we do that for which we were created. Christians were created

to win the lost to Jesus Christ.

Fifth affirmation:

I have no promise for tomorrow.

We all need

a dose of reality. No one has an absolute promise for a tomorrow. Car

wreck. Heart failure. Stroke. To name a few which will take you or me

out in a moment. Of course, there's cancer that takes a little longer,

but a sure killer. Even insurance companies will pay out half of face

value believing you'll die sooner rather than later.

If we have

no promise of tomorrow, then should we not get busy with our purpose today!

For some folks, you'll have to ask the question, "How can I fulfill

my purpose under my circumstances?" Remember that you best fulfill

your purpose as a member of a team. Find out how you can support your

church's witnessing efforts. If your church has no such animal, then start

bugging the pastor and deacons until your church is purposefully involved

in God's greatest purpose. Jesus said it, "I have come to seek and

save the lost."

Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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