Last year, just out of curiosity, I whimsically tallied the number of attendance I invited people to our birthday party, house warming, and other social gatherings, and also tallied the number of attendance I invited people to church-related activities such as prayer meetings, recollections/retreats, Christian concerts and the like. Well, to no surprise, the percentage results are... (are you ready?)
About 99.7% = attendance to birthday party and other social get-together invitations.
As to attendance to church-related activities invitation? A peewee 17% .
Huge and far contrast. Not even close, wait... not even half-close.
Especially when you are already here in America (where time with God seems to be hidden somewhere in their kitchen cupboards).
I have been to these "invitating" circumstances long enough to know that excuses would be coming (valid or invalid it may be). So it's not surprising. All of a sudden, somebody got sick, or all of a sudden somebody threw a party on the other side; Suddenly somebody got motivated to do their paperwork that's been piling up for weeks or somebody remembers to do house chores or pack luggage to go on a vacation trip or play sports. All of a sudden, people got real busy! Some would just simply flash the "silent treatment" card, or try be indifferent, pretend phones were turned off or pretend they didn't read the message or didn't get the invitation soon enough.
This is not a question of how bad my methods were in inviting people to attend Christian-based activities, you don't need to go to college to learn how to invite people to birthday parties and baby showers or any other leisure or sports activities, yet people shows up almost 100% of the time. All of a sudden, people got some time back in their hands once again! Perhaps they even felt bad or anxious if they wouldn't make it to their friends' birthday parties or social dine-outs, perhaps they are worried the celebrant would be offended.
Thankfully, our God is not a vindictive God. Good thing He does not take back all the blessings He has been giving you and continues to give you all this time: your health, your family, your time, your money to buy that new grill, new basketball or tennis rack, party balloons, burgers, sodas, 60 inch LED's in preparation and showing for your house parties. Never mind the fact that you don't spend more time giving Him more of your time in return. He never expects you to, He just and will keep on giving, hoping until the time you will also come to your senses. The question is: When will you?
"Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)
About 99.7% = attendance to birthday party and other social get-together invitations.
As to attendance to church-related activities invitation? A peewee 17% .
Huge and far contrast. Not even close, wait... not even half-close.
Especially when you are already here in America (where time with God seems to be hidden somewhere in their kitchen cupboards).
I have been to these "invitating" circumstances long enough to know that excuses would be coming (valid or invalid it may be). So it's not surprising. All of a sudden, somebody got sick, or all of a sudden somebody threw a party on the other side; Suddenly somebody got motivated to do their paperwork that's been piling up for weeks or somebody remembers to do house chores or pack luggage to go on a vacation trip or play sports. All of a sudden, people got real busy! Some would just simply flash the "silent treatment" card, or try be indifferent, pretend phones were turned off or pretend they didn't read the message or didn't get the invitation soon enough.
This is not a question of how bad my methods were in inviting people to attend Christian-based activities, you don't need to go to college to learn how to invite people to birthday parties and baby showers or any other leisure or sports activities, yet people shows up almost 100% of the time. All of a sudden, people got some time back in their hands once again! Perhaps they even felt bad or anxious if they wouldn't make it to their friends' birthday parties or social dine-outs, perhaps they are worried the celebrant would be offended.
Thankfully, our God is not a vindictive God. Good thing He does not take back all the blessings He has been giving you and continues to give you all this time: your health, your family, your time, your money to buy that new grill, new basketball or tennis rack, party balloons, burgers, sodas, 60 inch LED's in preparation and showing for your house parties. Never mind the fact that you don't spend more time giving Him more of your time in return. He never expects you to, He just and will keep on giving, hoping until the time you will also come to your senses. The question is: When will you?
"Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)
 |
| I don't think this is a Church Seminar. One thing for sure, the attendance was wild and jam packed! |
