Jesus. All About Life...
By Ross Nicholson
This professional media campaign (prime time TV ads, billboards, banners etc) has been created by the Bible Society and is supported by the combined churches of Tasmania: 22 denominations and over 150 local churches. You can find out more at www.jesusallaboutlife.com.au or phone 6349 1932, or ask your minister.
Here's an example of what one parish, St John's Launceston, will be doing...
I had a friend who was a radio technician in the Air Force. He told me that in the Air Force the whole organisation is geared to keeping a pilot safely in his seat. This wasn't because pilots were the most prestigious people in the force or that they were the most important but they were critical for the success of the mission. If you don't have pilots in planes you don't have an air force.
However, and this was the point of my friend's story, as significant as they were, there is only so long you can keep pilots in the hot seat if you don't have mechanics to service the planes; cooks to feed the mechanics and the pilots; quartermasters to supply the cooks, the mechanics and pilots; administrators to organise the quartermasters, cooks, mechanics and pilots. You probably get the point.
In September we're taking part in the 'Jesus. All About Life' campaign as one of over 140 participating churches. During that campaign ads will be running on TV and in newspapers. But the ads won't be doing what they're supposed to do if we don't take an active part personally.
At St John's our plans currently are to run Alpha, preach a series on 'Jesus. All About Life' in our services and be involved with the Marriage Course. But there are many other activities that we can organise and arrange. Your small group should be thinking of what they can do for an event which will move a person from where they are spiritually at least one step closer to committing themselves to be a follower of Jesus.
Individually we can be praying for the campaign. We can be giving financially to the media cost. We can be volunteering to use the time and talents that God has given us to help run the Alpha Course or Marriage Course, be involved with 'Buddies' or 'Stepping Stones'.
The Bible describes the church as a body where each part is vital and has a unique role to play. What is your unique role? What contribution will you make? Can I encourage you not to wait to be asked to play a part, but step forward and offer what God has led you to so that as a church together we will be extending His Kingdom.