Dear Fellow Redeemed,  

   Dear Fellow Redeemed,

    I receive the Breakpoint newsletter from  Chuck  Colson  everyday.  His April  17,  2008  article  is  entitled: “Out of the Pew – Becoming a World Changer.”  In  this  article  he  raised an important question to ask ourselves as individuals and as a congregation.  He wrote:

   “If your church disappeared tomorrow, would your local community even notice? Would it be missed? What vital, world redeeming tasks would be left undone?”

   “You might ask yourself the same haunting question: if you were to exit the drama of life stage right this very evening, what difference would it make?”

   Colson went on to describe William Wilberforce, the Christian British statesman who not only worked 18 years to end the British slave trade, but also founded or aided at least 60 charities including the British and Foreign Bible Society. Then Colson wrote:

    “So back to your church: Are you simply minding your own business or just caring for the needs within the four walls of the church building? Or does your Christianity have legs and arms, as well as heart and mind? When Wilberforce first converted to Christ, his life-long friend William Pitt – the youngest Prime Minister in English history – reminded him, ‘Surely the principles as well as the practice of Christianity are simple and lead not to meditation only, but to action.’”

   “To follow Christ’s teaching means to bring that teaching to life. It means that you and I need to be change agents…”

   This month we celebrate Pentecost and Pentecost is all about Christians being “change agents” in the world. That is what Peter and the other disciples became after the Holy Spirit fell upon them and spoke through them and three thousand people came to faith in Jesus as the Promised Messiah and their Savior from sin, death and eternal separation from God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit those converts also became “change agents” as they shared God’s love and salvation with those around them by telling them the Gospel (Good News) about Jesus and lovingly and passionately ministering to their needs.

   This Pentecost gives us another opportunity to remember that the Holy Spirit has “called and gathered” us into Jesus’ Church, just as He did those people on that first Pentecost and just like them He also has “enlightened us with His gifts.” That means the Holy Spirit also equips us to be “change agents” in this world so that through His power and guidance we can “win others for the kingdom of God” in our communities, our neighborhoods, and even our own families.

     As we read the Book of Acts we can see how the Holy Spirit turned uneducated, scared, and often confused disciples of Jesus into “change agents” for Jesus. The Holy Spirit can do, will do, and does do the same thing for us. We only need to let go of our sinful pride, humble ourselves and let the Holy Spirit have his way in our minds, hearts and lives. There is an old petition: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your spirit and they shall be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth.” Since the Holy Spirit is “THE Change Agent,” if we pray that prayer every day I am sure that we will experience change in our own hearts and lives, in our congregation, and in our communities.

        Yours in Christ,

Redeemer Lutheran Church - 20440 Downes Road - Parkton, MD 21120 - Phone 410-343-1665 - Email:  info@redeemerparkton.com 
 Pastor: Rev. James Banach      Secretary:  Sue Lieske      Webmaster: John Wachter

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