Hello ,

The World Bank, an international organization that provides loans to developing countries, considers informing public debate a part of its mission. With that goal in mind, every year the World Bank publishes hundreds of well-researched reports like "Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth?" and "Vietnam Development Report 2009: Capital Matters." 

Shockingly, the World Bank ran a little self-assessment and discovered that almost no one is reading these fascinating-sounding reports. As a matter of fact, nearly one-third of the World Bank's 1,611 policy reports have never been downloaded, not even once. "As each report costs an average of $180,000 in terms of researchers' time and other expenses, a ballpark estimate of the amount of money spent researching and writing reports that did not merit a single download is $93 million." That's a lot of time and money to communicate absolutely nothing beyond your own institutional walls.*

What about churches that claim to have found a better way of living?  How are we communicating to the world...and is anybody actually listening?

I couldn't help but ask myself the two questions above when I read this story of The World Bank and it's "unread" reports.  Considerable time, money, and energy has been (and is being) spent in Christian churches around the globe.  The goal is to reach people for Jesus...is anyone actually paying any attention?

Questions about effectiveness should be asked of ourselves if we want to fulfill the gospel commission of telling others about Jesus.  If we're honest with ourselves, this ought to be personal.  Here are some questions that can challenge us each and every day if we're bold enough to ask them:

1.  Am I really letting my personal light shine for Jesus Christ and His kingdom today in tangible ways?  

2.  How would others know that I'm a Christian if I didn't verbally share that with them?

3.  What do I possess that others may not, and why is it important to let them know about it?

4.  What would attract others about the life that I currently claim to live, and why would they want to personally invest their time and energy into learning more?

Let me challenge you to take a few moments and come up with some questions on your own today.  If we actually believe that the world could be changed by the love of God, what insights can we arrive at that will assist us in sharing the good news?

Have a great day and God bless!

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Pastor Mike / The Open Word