Just Do It

In 1988 Nike launched, “Just Do It” a marketing campaign that became more than just a slogan; it was a motivational message that inspired people to overcome their limitations. The very first commercial featured 80-year-old runner Walt Stack jogging across the Golden Gate Bridge while talking about running 17 miles every morning. Instead of focusing strictly on technical product specs, the campaign focused on raw human emotion and determination. My difficult question for you is this, has the church became a destination rather than a staging ground. Weekly, millions of Christians gather inside beautiful buildings, sit in comfortable pews or chairs, listen to excellent music, and absorb a message and we call this "going to church." But the New Testament never views the Church as a place you go to. It views the Church as a body of people sent out.

 Matthew 28: 19-20 ESV Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

The comfort of the pew can easily become a spiritual narcotic. We can begin to substitute attendance for obedience. We sit, we consume, and we leave feeling fulfilled, yet the neighborhood surrounding our building remains entirely unchanged by our presence. Jesus did not say, Invite the world to sit in your pews. He said, Go into all the world. Getting out of the pew requires a shift in how we view our everyday lives. Your community, your workplace, your gym, the local grocery store, and your neighborhood is your mission field. Being a missionary doesn't require you to leave your local community and travel to some third world country, it can begin right in your own back yard, your local coffee shop or the grocery store. Sharing the gospel doesn’t always require a microphone or a stage; it requires a willing heart, an open mouth, and a life that reflects the love of Christ.

Romans 10:14 NLT But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

When we get off the padded seats and step into our communities, we transition from being consumers of the faith, to partners in the Gospel. People out there are hurting, broken, and searching for hope. They won't always walk through the doors of a church building, so the Church must walk out to them.

Mark 16:15 ESV And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

So here is my challenge to you. This week, intentionally "break the huddle." Get out of your favorite pew where you feel comfortable and choose one specific location in your community, a local coffee shop, a park, or even your front yard and pray for the people there. Look for one practical opportunity to serve someone or initiate a spiritual conversation. Commit to being the hands and feet of Jesus where you live. It's not enough to know God's word in your own heart you must share it with those around you. You must apply it in your daily life! Is your relationship with church more about what you consume on Sunday or what you give during the week? What fears or hesitations are currently keeping you attached to the safety of the pew? What will it take to get you motivated enough to share the gospel? What will it take to get you to “Just Do It?”