Introduction:

Many years ago I stopped by a large church in the city where I had come to make a hospital call. I was a leader for a District Event that was going to make use of many areas of this church and I wanted to determine where to have the various activities. I had not made contact with the church staff to let me in, but found the main entrance door to the sanctuary open. During my visit to the church building I walked through nearly every area of the facility that is probably about twice the size of ours. As I made my exit through the main door that I had entered I saw a couple of police cars with their flashing lights in front of the church. I explained what I had been doing and they told me that each time I went through another area of the building I set off an alarm. They also mentioned that the church had been broken into and had some minor vandalism damage a few weeks earlier. The police station was nearly as close as ours is here in Adel. A few moments later one of the pastors arrived to verify who I was and why I was looking through the building.

You see, I had entered a door that was open, actually ajar, that was supposed to be closed and locked. Apparently a musician that had been in the building practicing earlier when the pastor was present had not securely closed and locked the door.

I also recall my visit to this Adel church to meet with the SPRC last February. Sue and I walked all around this building and found six locked doors before finding one that was open so that we could meet with the committee that was gathered. I did not know that only one door was usually open for many smaller activities in the church, and of course that was the last one we came to and tried.

For several years our denomination has used the slogan: Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors. For a few moments this morning I want us to primarily focus on Open Doors, realizing that open doors involve open hearts and minds as well. I have been in some discussions in recent years when it has been suggested that if we really want to be known as a church denomination of open doors that our doors should be physically open and not locked. However, I am not aware of any church buildings in our denomination or other denominations that are not locked when the building is vacant. Are you?

If we do not literally leave our doors open, then how are we a church of the open door? You may have some more good ideas, but three words came to me as I read this passage and prayed about it last week. In writing to the Christians in Corinth Paul talked about the open door for him and the Gospel of Jesus Christ when he went to Troas. He went on to mention how God continued to lead him to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul was writing of the open door of opportunity.

This good news of Jesus Christ has been shared with us and we have the mandate of the Great Commission to share it with others, also. We are to do our part in opening the door for others to worship with us and come to faith in Christ if they have not already begun that exciting journey.

I. Application

In using the word application my thought is for us to apply this teaching that I assume many of us already know, to our daily lives. We know that God sent Jesus Christ into the world for our salvation and for the salvation of all who would call upon Him.

Sometimes people inside the church look at their church as an exclusive club of people to enjoy fellowship and teaching just for those who are already members. However while the church does exist for teaching and fellowship, we also exist in great measure for those who are not yet part of our fellowship. One of the primary reasons for the existence of the local church is to attract and bring in more persons to follow and serve Jesus Christ with us. We who are privileged to be in the church are to open the doors and invite others to come in. This in our mission statement: "To help people find and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."

If we had not been invited in where would we be today? So when I use the word application, what I am talking about is for each of us to personally apply this teaching about being an open and inviting people and church. When was the last time you invited someone to come to church with you? That is what may be meant by the open door. About a year ago I vividly recall a leader in my former church encouraging our congregation to be a more inviting people. With tears in his eyes he mentioned that particular Sunday was the twentieth anniversary of his family being personally invited to come to church by Ernie and Corrine.

II. Approach

If we have decided to apply this commandment to our lives what should be our approach? We might think about our approach in terms of our methodology and how we actually extend our invitation and share our faith with people.

A first step in our methodology could certainly be to pray that we be inviting people. We might pray for God to bring to our attention persons whom we could invite. Before actually inviting them we could pray for these persons, that they would be open to your invitation.

How we extend an invitation may vary greatly depending on the relationship we have with these persons and how the Holy Spirit may be prompting us. Some of these folks we may know well, and others we may hardly know. Our approach may also differ with our personalities and abilities.

III. Appeal

The appeal may be our invitation, our request that they come to worship with us. Or perhaps God is leading you to spend some time with them getting to know them better before extending that invitation to worship, to Sunday school, to a small group gathering or perhaps a meal.

One clarification that I would give to you is that I have observed church people provide people with information about worship and activities. I do not believe that this is an invitation. What I have in mind for an invitation is asking a person to come to worship or Sunday School with you. Perhaps you might pick them up and bring them with you or meet you to make them feel welcome. We might call this an appeal. It might be done face to face; with a telephone call; or with a personal note. Most of us do much more sharing of information concerning Christ and our church, than we do inviting them to come and experience Christ with us. An invitation is more than telling someone that we worship at 8:30 and 10:30 on Sunday morning.

Many Christians seem to think that if a person wanted to come to a church they would come and if they do not it must mean that they are not interested. Recent polls have indicated to the contrary. A Gallup poll indicated that over half of all persons who have not been to a worship service for over six months said that they could see themselves coming to worship service sometime in the future if they were personally invited. Between 70 to 90% of new persons that come to church do so because of the influence of someone in that church. To whom should you extend a personal invitation?

Another aspect of appealing is that the people of the local church should be appealing. Paul wrote of the pleasing aroma, the fragrance of the followers of Christ. Our local church should be a vital living organism of people who love the Lord deeply, love one other, and love those who may in future become followers of Christ with us.

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