It struck me yesterday while we were having our monthly all-staff luncheon at Fielder. Both the church I work at and the one where I am a member are both in urban areas and the ethnic makeup of the communities around these churches is changing.
I listened to the pastor at Fielder share his vision of bringing Fielder out of the past where everyone in the church was predominately Anglo to a multi-ethnic church. He made a statement that every church, in the same position, that has failed to adapt and reach out to the new community has died.
I am reminded of this every weekend when I go to work at Pizza Hut. My store is less than three miles from Travis Avenue where I attend church. There is a mixture of Anglos, African-Americans, and Hispanics. I also have coworkers from Mexico, Sudan, Algeria, and Croatia.
I can either attempt to try and stay in my safe little Anglo haven at work or home or I can realize that the world is moving to our doorstep. Many a believer in Christ does not need to make a missionary journey like Paul. They simply need to talk to their coworker, the clerk at Walgreen’s, or their next door neighbor. I feel like God is telling us, “How much easier do you want me to make it. I am dropping them at your doorstep. I just want you to be obedient and go share the Good News with them.”