What is in a Name?

Hi, my name is Bobby and I am a Sold Out Believer of Jesus Christ and I am in Recovery from all kinds of Hurts, Habits and Hang-ups

I was reading the other day that there is an actual panel of folks with the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention)that is all about changing the name to something else. There are Churches considering dropping the word "Baptist" from their names.....maybe to "Community Church".  

Now this is my opinion...ok.....We all need to be reaching out to our communities, ministering to them and it should not be about a name, but how about a Jesus Movement? It should not be a religion, or an association, but a Jesus Christ Thing….A Cross Thing….A Passion Thing…

Have become clanging noise....like what Paul wrote here in 1 Corinthians 13

 "¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."

As we go back and look all through out Jesus' Ministry...what did HE tell us? Better Let, What did HE show us? Folks it's not about a religion, it’s not a name on a church sign, it’s not about an Association is it? It's about a man, its about HIS Blood, it's about a Cross, it's all about God's Love for us...it's that relationship, it’s about allowing others to see HIM through us. 

Why does it appear that we all get dressed up and we talk about Easter Sunday, but by the Monday after or Tuesday….we are back to living ours lives like before the Cross that Friday….or in mourning as in the 2^nd day? I have just seen this, and I believe if you are being honest you have see it too!

 Somewhere we have allowed the colorful eggs and the a bunny…..look there were no eggs in that tomb and they did not nail a Bunny to that Cross. Please don’t get me wrong, but it’s time we take a stand and show others we do believe in what we say…. 

I have been around Churches who have stopped trying to reach out. They have gotten to the “Motel 6” attitude, “We will leave the light on for you”. Some communities have changed so much, that the Church has not kept up…or in such fear…..and I must say, the communities have got to know that. “What; go knock on doors? In this neighborhood?”  So I ask, by changing the name or the name of a convention….it that where the change or type of change is needed? 

I know we are missing the mark…..I know I am missing the mark…..but have we stopped trying…..or maybe we need to stop trying and “nike up” and “Just Do It!” The Change we need is not a sign, or letters, or dropping names…..it’s about a change of heart, it’s about Jesus Christ….that’s is where it started…didn’t? With the 12? See it is about the compassion to lead others to the Cross. 

Are we attempting to make a difference? Are we reaching out….? What about outreach? Can we not hand out a cup of coffee and a donut, or a coupon for a cookie at a local eating place? There is a Church around the corner from where Kay and I live that is growing, because they are reaching out……what, coffee, donuts? They are not even leaving their property, they are handing these out in their lot. 

What if, they have 30 people come through? What if their have only 20 come through? What if there was only 10? What if just one person says, “I think I will visit them one Sunday? What if because of this kindness they are lead to Jesus? 

I say this but, I don’t know, they might be knocking on doors….just saying “Hey” have a cookie with your Church Family’s name on it? No tracks, no popping them in the head with the Bible(even though that has worked on me)….being real, being what we say we are, showing that we believe the tomb is empty….and Jesus is ALIVE! 

See that is the kind of Family I want to be part of, are we talking a building….nope, we are talking a body of believers…..but do you know where it starts? Right here in this Booth at The Huddle House….right there at our kitchen table, right there in the parking lot or checkout line at the Wally world. It’s starts with showing what we say believe and that is the Cross, The Blood, The Heart of Jesus…, it might start with the person sitting beside you in Church, with a hug? 

If we say we really have the passion on Jesus Christ living in us, in our hearts…..then we should have the compassion too….right? Is this tough? You bet it is? Jesus Christ showed us what we need to be doing…..How many times did HE say “If you Love Me?”

So I guess what I am saying is.....Lets do something in HIS name today....Let's lift them to HIM, lets roll our sleeves up and get our hands dirty....In Jesus name....it starts right where we all standing Right Now! The Revival starts in our Hearts when we ask Jesus in.....and we need to do like he told the woman at the well or the woman they brought to HIM to be stoned....."Go and sin no more".....tough to do....but have we stopped trying? 

It starts with being real….no mask, but real! See folks know we will stumble and fall….they know that, that doesn’t turn them off, nope; what turns them off when we do stumble and fall, we act as if we didn’t or don’t.

Look what Jesus said in John 14: 9-12  

“Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” 

What if (go with me on this) but what if….when folks saw us they saw the Father…..could me make a difference then? 

I am proud to be a Child of the only God Almighty first…..I am proud to be a Southern Baptist….but isn’t time we dance with what got us here….The Blood and the foundation of Jesus Christ!