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Breaking and Stirring

by Joe Thorn on August 17, 2010

This past Sunday morning as I sat in my favorite independent coffee house about 30 minutes before the start of worship I found my heart breaking for the lost and stirring for the gospel. The place was jumping. I saw runners and cyclists coming into the store for drinks after a long work out, old men reading the local paper, young men working on iPads and Macbooks, and families enjoying the beautiful weather and wonderful city of Saint Charles. At least at that moment on Sunday morning everyone was so content and happy in this coffee house, and I sat there broken.

How many of these people were enjoying God’s good gifts and common grace without knowing the Giver himself? How many of these people were educated, yet ignorant of the Truth? How many were religious, but separated from God? How many had heard the gospel? How many ever would? Who will tell them?

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
(Romans 10:13-15 ESV)

May God give us a passion for his glory and compassion for the lost that move us to befriend our neighbors and share the gospel with the eager expectation to see God bear fruit.

About Joe Thorn

I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in Saint Charles, IL, and author of Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Jen is my wife, and Katherine, Elias, Madeline and Kilian are my kids.

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  • Matthew Molesky

    Joe, Thank you so much for sharing this my friend. I pray he would do the same in my heart in increasing measure, and the hearts of the people in our churches, and in churches around the globe. You are a means of grace this morning! Grace and Peace, Matthew

  • http://jchrisland.blogspot.com Chris Land

    Joe, There are days I feel the same way when I go to Wal-Mart on a Sunday, whether it be in the morning or afternoon.

  • http://prayerexperiment.wordpress.com/ Chris

    As a fellow church employee, I’m convicted by the amount of time I spend focused only on those who are already a part of the church. I get the “…and make disciples” part of the Great Commission, but tend to neglect the “GO!” part.

    I’ve just finished reading a book called “The Tangible Kingdom” by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, which speaks to this very issue. I found it to be spot on, and very challenging. We must be out in the harvest.

    • http://www.mhoutreach.org Jeff

      Chris,

      I live in a bible belt community where the church still has influence in the culture and many misunderstand what a relationship with Christ should be about. I, too, am reading Tangible Kingdom and just finished David Platt’s Radical. I would be interested in how you are approaching your community. I’ve lived here all my life and sometimes wonder if I have blinders regarding this place. I’d be interested to hear your story and how God is leading you to reach your community.

  • http://lesliepuryear.blogspot.com Les Puryear

    Joe,

    We see a large group of bikers gathering near our church for their Sunday morning ride. We tried to engage them by asking them if we could pray for them prior to their ride. Out of 100 or so riders, four or five would allow us to pray for them. After a few weeks, none would allow us to pray for them.

    We continue to pray for these bikers. Our prayer is that they will see the need for Christ as much as they see the need for physical exercise.

    Les

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