Good stuff. I agree with you.

Since I'm a runner and our family is very active in sports. I use the analogy of a runner (as did Paul) and say there is no bench sitting in race running. Yes, it can also be a team sport but once in the race you keep going until you reach the finish line. There is no such thing as side-line Christians. We must all get in the race. We must all do our part to further the gospel. Sometimes it may be like a relay where we pass the baton onto another to take it further but we always stay in the race, never quitting.

I thank God for opportunities to serve. I thank him for allowing me to serve him, and as I continue, I find he keeps giving me another task to finish getting stronger as I do so. It's an exciting race, not boring at all. I look forward to reaching the finish line someday and will really understand then that's when REAL life begins.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith....Hebrews 12:1-2a

Chris,

Just for the record, we haven't stopped working. We're just focusing our efforts where they are bearing fruit. And they ARE bearing fruit.

I truly hope you make a difference here. I'm learning not to be bitter about it, I'm learning to accept it. But I also have prayed continually for some evidence, ANY evidence, that God wants us to stay and work in Lefors. It's not coming.

Meanwhile, I'lve been promoted at work, many side efforts are paying off, and things are going well to transfer in the spring. We have no plans to leave this area long term, just this community.

For the record, Chris, at the beginning of the year, we decided that if the marshall went, we would stay. If he stayed, we would go.

HE's not going anywhere.

There are other things at stake, too. Amy does not have fellowship with other ladies, and it is extremely hard on her. We need to move to a place where she can have fellowship with other Christians.

The kids have nobody to play with, as most of the people will not allow their children around them. We are treated as complete pariahs. We can't open these doors.

I understand being salt and light, Chris, but you can only do so much if people will not let you in. And, I believe, sometimes it is not productive to stay when you've been clearly told that you're not wanted.

In your church, it goes all the way to the top, basically. When you preached your sermon about the issue, Chris, you were the ONLY person to approach us. I have a total of about five households in this community who will even speak to me. You can't preach to people who won't listen.

If I saw walls going down instead of coming up, we would stay regardless of the cost. But that's not what's happening. We're not wanted here, and I have seen absolutely nothing to convince me that God has a continuing ministry for us here, despite having prayed fervently for that.

Gid, Thanks for telling me all that. I realize that it might have seemed like I was preaching to you in the blog, but I really wasn't. I find that God used the natural progression of subsequent articles to spur me on to what is in this current one. I will tell you that, even from the time I preached that sermon, there have been radical changes taking place. True, many times it won't reach to your door, but realize that what is taking place currently in the church is a healing of this church body. I am seeing a revitalization take place. Unfortunately, I seem to be one of about 5 who are reaching beyond the walls of the church on an ongoing basis. It is frustrating, but I believe what we are looking at is the personal spiritual growth of these individuals and a decline of many others. The line is getting larger and larger between cultural Christians and Biblical Christians in and out of the church. The good news is that these 5 individuals ARE reaching some people and allowing the Spirit to start an excitement about serving. I pray that it continues. As for you and your family, just continue to serve the Lord as He sees fit and strive to find a place where your family can be a part of a family of believers. (I think you had told me that you were going to a church in Pampa.) Know that we are praying for you and if you ever need to come by, you are always welcome.

No, I understand you weren't. It's good advice any way you slice it, and I'm glad that you care enough to keep in contact. I think, though, that in every sermon preached you should look and see when/if the sermon applies, and respond accordingly.

As we're getting ready to leave, I've made a personal inventory of "lessons learned". I think things might have had a different outcome had I had less of a "bull in the china shop" approach coming in. It's good to want to change things, sometimes, though, there's a right and a wrong way to go about it. Because we're staying in the general area, I believe that's a lesson we can take with us when we head on.

I also realize admitting you made a mistake isn't the easiest thing to do, and that we may have helped some people in the community to take personal inventory. True, we won't necessarily see the results of that, but what's important is that they happen, not that we see them.

Thanks again for these articles. Keep 'em coming. Yeah, we have some jaded Christians on here (and for the most part, the virulent anti-Christians usually steer clear of the religion thread), but you have an insight people definitely could use. And your persistence is a strong witness as well.