It is interesting when you overhear someone say: “Why did we spend so much money on this? Is Vacation Bible School a worthy investment? Do we have enough children to justify the costs?” How does one measure the worth of a soul? The economics of our society often has us juggling priorities and trying to assign finances accordingly. This is true whether were a business manager weighing the various needs of our churches or other institutions; the pastor of a congregation hoping to finish the year with a balanced church budget; or a Presbytery or General Assembly attempting to allocate funds worldwide where they will be most effective. With all the competing demands for time and money, how do we compute how much we should expend to reach the lost? What value should we place on the individual who doesnt know Jesus Christ? Left to ourselves, we find it difficult to know. But heaven has provided us an answer. John 3:16 tells us: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. Heaven withheld nothing; it could give no more. Nor was it the Savior alone who paid the ultimate price. 2 Corinthians 5:19 reminds us: God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.” God suffered with His Son. In the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane, the death of Calvary, the heart of infinite love paid the price of our redemption. Only as we keep in mind the divine example can we begin to comprehend the unmeasured and immeasurable value of a soul. My feeling, even as a minister, is that evangelism does not really cost; it pays. Sometimes evangelism pays financially – but evangelism pays in a much more important way. New family members and friends enter the fold of our love, our interest, and our prayers. They in turn, reach out to others in an ever-expanding embrace. Its kind of like dropping a stone in a pond - its a widening circle.There is no greater dividend than this, either for the individual involved in evangelism or for the church. How much is a soul worth? A soul is worth the price that Jesus paid – everything. And that is what evangelism costs us – our all. Besides, when you see children sliding down a water slide with a smile on their face – and their parents beaming as they watch – I am reminded of a credit card commercial. It is indeed priceless. Peace out,
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:23:26 +0000
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