Mining in the Kingdom

After the Holiness Movements (Salvation Army, Nazarenes, Pentecostal Holiness, etc) had their effects on what they could impact, many believers thought their highest call was the work of exposure of sin.

One famous TV preacher gets great cheers from his audience when he informs “Washington” of their evil habits from his pulpit. No one in Washington is listening, though. No cheers for admonitions to those who are listening to find their ministries and devote their lives to them.

We should be digging through the dirt in the lives of people we can influence. The purpose of the digging shouldn’t be to convince them of how dirty they are. It should be to find ore, which contains something of value.

When we convince people that their lives contain promise and purpose and great value, it is easier to help them through the process of removing the dirt from the ore.

Invite people to Life; to Love; to Freedom. Hose them down along the way as appropriate. Beating them with evidence of just how much they deserve to burn in hell may lead them to Moses, but we’re here to lead them to Jesus.