“Would You Invite Me to Your Revival?” Part 1

A Word About Our Gospel Meeting

Have you ever visited a church of Christ, or attended one of their gospel meetings?  Perhaps you have been told “what we believe”.  I don’t know whether the person who told you “what we believe” [and practice] actually had first-hand information as to what we here at the Mill St. church of Christ believe/teach, but I would like you to consider attending our upcoming gospel meeting.

Most all local churches here in Laurel County have, from time to time, ‘revivals’ and/or special services such as homecomings, singings, benefits, or plays, shows and fund-raisers.  All types of these services can be seen on the very same page as this article in the church news section.  Do you ever visit a revival at a church other than the one of which you claim membership?  If not, why not?

From what I’ve seen and heard from talking with people, there is a lot of "stereo-typing" going on in churches.  We tend to stereo-type in many areas of our lives, but really the problem I want to deal with is the prejudice that results from stereo-typing.  This prejudice is the real seed that keeps producing and strengthening division among good-hearted religious people.  Let me illustrate:

If I wanted to know what your church believed, the best way would be for me to visit and see firsthand, would it not?  That way I could know of a certainty, what was believed, for I would see what you actually DO!  Now I could also just visit your churches web page (if available), or watch your services on TV (again, if available), or listen to your preacher preach on the radio, but scanning your web page of “what we believe” does not really give me the real picture. 

I say this because, as we all know, “saying and doing” are not always consistent.  But this way of finding out about your church is really nothing more than a curiosity search, would you not agree?  This way I do not have to have any interaction with anyone and I can sort of be anonymous.  But, I could also find out about your church in another way.  I could ask someone if they knew anything about your church, which is often done, for I’ve been told that very thing.  Do you know who is most often asked?  It is the preacher of your church! 

For some reason, I guess it falls within the preachers “job resume” to know what every other denomination believes.  On that note, let me ask you, does your preacher encourage you to go and find out for yourself, or does he discourage you from ever doing so by saying something like, “Oh you don’t want to go there, let me tell you what they think/believe…”

For those who have experienced such, let me ask: Has you preacher ever attended a gospel meeting of a church of Christ----personally?  Or has he stereo-typed, based upon some anonymous approach as I described above? 

Again, would you want me to do that of your revival invitation?  Would you invite me to your revival personally, REALLY wanting me to attend?  Do you just want me to 'visit, or would you actually want me to support your churches efforts to evangelize?  You see what I’m saying?  Even within our “church page” announcements, we are really being anonymous aren’t we?  Why is that?  

Would you want me to sort of make some facetious promise, by saying “I’ll try to make it; hope you have a good revival…” so that we both could sort of soothe our consciences in the matter (you invited, so you did a good work for the Lord, and I was encouraging rather than argumentative over our differences)? 

Have you been turned off to the church of Christ by comments you’ve heard about us?  Have you, in reality been prejudiced against us thru stereo-typing?  Perhaps you’ve had a personal “bad experience” from talking w/someone who attends a congregation of the church of Christ other than Mill Street.  Have you passed judgment on us on the basis of another congregation?  Again, would you want any of our members at Mill Street to do that with your church?  I sincerely hope and pray that you would agree with me that THAT behaviour is WRONG!  Such should NEVER be done! 

The LORD taught for all of us to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)  Simply put, get all the facts before making your conclusion.

I say all this to make this point about the Mill Street congregation: Do we believe we are following the Bible (teaching the truth) to the best of our ability here at Mill Street?  Yes indeed, but do you not make the same claim in your church? 

Do we believe we are right? Yes indeed, for would be not be fools to continue as we do in our teaching, while believing that we were wrong?  But are we any different from your church in that respect?  Do you believe your church is wrong, or do you not believe your church is right?  Are we not alike in that sense? 

So again, why haven’t you ever visited or accepted an invitation to a gospel meeting of a church of Christ?  Do you believe we’re wrong?  If so, then you have just admitted that you DON’T believe that “one church is as good as another”.  But consider, do you or have you ever supported the revival meetings of another church of the same denomination as yours?  If not, why not?  Certainly it is not because of a conflict of regular service times, (unless your church has a revival at the same time).  If I may, let me give you a scenario to make the point even clearer:

If you are a Catholic, do you believe that the Baptist denomination is right?  If so, do you ever support their revivals?   Or, visa versa?  Do you believe that one church is as good as another?  If so, then you admit that the church of Christ is as good as yours, so why not attend our gospel meetings? 

I fear that many, in reality are guilty of the very thing that the “church of Christ” is accused of…namely that “you think that you all are the ONLY ones who are right and are going to heaven”.  If you don’t believe that about yourself, or about your church, then why not come see for yourself what we believe, but more importantly, what we teach and practice.  We will join together in congregational singing; there will be prayers together, and a sermon pertaining to "righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment" (Acts 24:25). 

There will be no ‘love offerings’ taken up, but you may ask any questions about our beliefs (before, during, or after the service).  I sincerely believe you will find us to be following the Bible in our teaching.  Why not even see if your preacher would come with you?  We only want people who as yet are lost in sin to be born again (John 3:3-5) and to grow to spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Will you extend the same invitation to us in regard to your revivals?  

RDB