Yesterday I posted about the death of my neighbor. This event caused me to think a lot about life and ministry. Yesterday I talked a lot about how I’ve segregated myself from the lost all while ministering to the lost… through my church. I’ve been disconnected.

I’ve also been thinking about how easy it is to be calloused toward lost people outside the context of my church-based ministry. I know I have. Don’t get me wrong, I love ministering at a church that actively reaches out to the lost. I love it! But why am I not more moved to reach out to those living right next door to me?

When I found out a man in my neighborhood had died, it sent a chill up my spine to think that he had been dead for a week just 35 feet away from where I parked. For the last 3 years I’ve lived between unchurched neighbors. Some would say they were spiritually dead, yet I never got a chill up my spine over their spiritual condition. I do care about their spiritual condition, but probably not enough. Shame on me.

What’s been my problem? Well, for one, I’ve allowed myself to get too busy. For most of my years in ministry I had gotten to the place where the only people I was surrounded with were people who went to church with me. I’d isolated myself in a comfortable Christian blanket… expected for the weekends when the unchurched came to us! Secondly, I’ve let my passion for the lost slip away. I can’t remember the last time I asked Jesus for his heart for the lost. Maybe I’m afraid he’ll do it. There was a time that I was surrounded by the lost and I was actively sharing my life and faith with them. It’s time to get back to the way things used to be.

Just what God’s teaching me this week…

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