I’m biased.
I love our church. I would be a part of Buckhead Church even if I didn’t work here. I plead guilty. I love this place.
And yet, there is something that bothers me.
Let me take you back a few Sunday nights ago and see if I can explain. It was Sunday, December 6, and we were in Part 3 of An Unexpected Christmas. The opening song and music were incredible. Andy’s message was amazing. I walked around the church and, in doing so, heard some powerful stories about what God is doing in your lives and the lives of your friends.
I spent about 14 hours at Buckhead Church that day. It was a great, rewarding experience and I was very encouraged.
And then it happened.
As I pulled away from the building, so excited about the day, I saw this:
I saw Buckhead. And I was reminded of a sobering truth. As excited as I was over what happened at church that day, MOST of Buckhead had no clue. MOST of Buckhead and the surrounding community were still no closer to a growing relationship with Jesus than when the day began.
This bothered me. It bothered me so much that I took a picture of it as a reminder. But as the days progressed and a New Year drew near, I thought, I shouldn’t keep this quiet. I want this to bother you too.
It bothers me that there are still more unchurched people than ever before just ten miles from the front door of the church that you and I call home. This has bothered me so much that I have spent a lot of time thinking about what to do. And I think I have an idea that might be worth exploring. Granted, it’s not the most original or creative idea, but it actually might be the best one to pursue . . . at least at first. Okay, here it is:
I want us as a church to begin 2010 with a 21-day journey of prayer and fasting. Now, before you click delete or leave the Web page, hang with me for a second (details are coming).
It’s my experience that, generally speaking, many Christians aren’t investing in unbelievers. If we’re not careful, we will drift into holy huddles of believers and isolate ourselves. Maybe we just don’t know how to bridge the gap and begin a conversation about Jesus. So we immerse ourselves in our daily lives and soon we aren’t spending time with anyone who isn’t already a follower of Jesus. I just don’t want us to drift into that danger zone. After all, one of the reasons Buckhead Church exists is as a resource for you to use to reach those who are far from God.
The good news is that our church continues to grow. The bad news is that the number of the unchurched in Buckhead is growing faster. This bothers me.
But what if that trend could change in 2010? What if each of us prayed and became burdened for at least one person in our circles of influence? What if we prayed and fasted, becoming more burdened for this community than ever before? What might happen?
Honestly, I don’t know what would happen. But I do know that I would like to find out. If you would like to find out, as well, and are interested in joining me on this 21-day journey, simply check back over the next few days on the Buckhead Church blog. Things are about to change drastically on the blog as we prepare for this journey together. You will receive details about how to fast, how we can pray, and much more, including info on our Night of Worship on Thursday, January 21. This will be an incredible night as we end our fast, worship, celebrate, and pray together.
Okay, that’s all. Thanks for listening. As we’ve often said, “It’s not about Buckhead Church. It’s about Buckhead.” And until this community hears the great news about Jesus, I will remain bothered.
I hope you will too.
Happy New Year!
Jeff