We live in cataclysmic, changing and turbulent times. Changes in society are not only frightening, changes are coming at rocket-sled speed. While well over 90% of people claim a belief in a “higher being,” there is a dark cloud behind that silver lining. Unfortunately, that “higher being” is not the God of the Bible. Paul tells us in Romans 1 that sinful man worships the creature in lieu of the Creator. In fact, the “higher being” most people worship is one of their own creation. This “being” forgives without repentance, saves without sacrifice and rewards at the every whine of the “believer.”
The time for the proclamation of the one and true gospel is now! That proclamation takes place daily but ongoing twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, Archdale will have a gospel meeting. For those not familiar with the term, a gospel meeting is a series of gospel presentations put on for the benefit of the general public…friends, relatives and associates of Christians who are not members of the Lord’s body. Simply put, a gospel meeting is a collective endeavor to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord, to make disciples and to baptize so we can “teach all things whatsoever Christ commands in the Gospels, the Acts, the Epistles and the Revelation.”
A timely and neglected topic surrounds the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer.” Nearly every denomination today embraces this kind of prayer as a vehicle of salvation. Sadly, faith in such a prayer is in vain. In fact, there is no such prayer even found in Scripture! In the early part of the 19th century, a man by the name of Charles Finley became upset that more people were not becoming “Christians.” He decided that he would round up all the people who were not believers and have them all sit in the front pews where he could “work” on their emotions. This soon evolved into what we now call the “mourners bench” where people would come forward and “pray through” for salvation. Later, Dwight L. Moody began taking the “mourners” off to a side room where the same process would take place. The 20th century saw the dawn of the modern day “evangelical movement” with the emotional and fiery Billy Sunday, a former baseball player. He was the first to use large outdoors mass rallies to “convert” the masses. In our day, Dr. Bill Bright wrote a pamphlet called the Four Spiritual Laws that became the basis of the Billy Graham Crusades and the adoption of the “sinner’s prayer” by most everyone in the denominational world.
All that said, our gospel meeting will take the major “proof texts” of the “sinner’s prayer” and see what the Scripture REALLY says about these things. SALVATION AND YOU is the subject we will cover. Make plans to help us door knock our buildings neighborhood on May 22 in preparation for the meeting that will begin the following day, May 23, at the Archdale church of Christ 2525 Archdale Drive in Charlotte. [http://archdale.org] Gospel presentations will take place on May 23 at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, May 24 and 25 will see presentations at 7 p.m. each evening. Pray for the meetings success and invite all you friends, neighbors and relatives.
For a FREE Bible Study: e-mail: rmcculls6@bellsouth.net!
