Lessons On Faithfulness

God continues to bless the ministry of Exploring Christianity course after course, year after year. As you know, Exploring Christianity exists to provide straight answers to difficult issues in a relaxed setting. This past winter we had sixty people, about ten per discussion group, start and finish Exploring Christianity. Every time CrossWay hosts Exploring Christianity, God teaches us several lessons in faithfulness.

First, God teaches us how the people of CrossWay faithfully serve in this ministry. There are over 80 people preparing food for our guests, 20 people who serve in Explorer Kids, setup and take down teams, a hospitality team, discussion group leaders, and people serving our technological needs. God always provides a team that serves with joy, gratefulness, servanthood, excellence, and with a focus on our guests. This is a lesson on how the church body uses its various spiritual gifts evangelistically.

Second, God teaches us to faithfully speak clearly and consistently about the gospel in the weekly talks and discussion groups. There always seems to be a point in the course where we can tend to think many of the people are “Christians,” only to find out later that we didn’t actually know where people stood. Our job is to faithfully press people further into the goodness, and glory, and grace of the gospel wherever they stand. We get our cue from Paul who said to the Corinthians, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).

Third, God teaches us about His faithfulness to change lives by the power of the gospel. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). We get great encouragement from reading the feedback forms completed on the last evening of Exploring Christianity. We want you to be encouraged as you read about the power of God.

People wrote the following responses to the questions, “Before the course, how would you have described yourself in terms of the Christian faith?” and “How would you now describe yourself in terms of the Christian faith?” Praise God along with us as you read what God did and please pray for God’s continued work in their lives.

Just existing \ Focused and confident
A Christian \ An encouraged Christian
Not very strong \ Definitely Stronger
Shy and unsure \ Peaceful and encouraged
Strong in doctrine, needing a church home \ Strong in doctrine, feeling more at home here
I was a Christian since I was young, but I wanted to renew my faith. \ I feel much closer to the Lord
Not understanding or knowing much about the Bible and how to be saved \ Feeling better, still needing a lot more work
Cloudy, off and on \ The light is much brighter
Believer, but not knowledgeable \ Still learning
I didn’t know what to believe in \ I now have found what was missing in my life
Somewhat lacking \ Better informed
I was saved (born again) during the last course \ Stronger knowledge, renewed faith
Not committed, divided between the Word and serving God \ My heart is captivated by the Lord
Confused \ I have a better understanding
I believed in Jesus Christ as my Savior, but my walk with Him has become very weak \ I want the relationship I once had with Christ, but an even better one
I really didn’t believe \ Now I have a better understanding of it and I feel confident in my faith.
Weak, wondering if I am really saved \ Stronger and getting there
Struggling to understand and accept certain ideas taught in my religion \ Stronger, I have more knowledge of what it truly means to be a Christian
I had doubts and needed to commit to God \ I am a Christian, I don’t have any doubts and I have an increasing love for God
Wanting to grow more in the Lord by serving Him \ Enjoying the sweet fellowship in EC
A Christian who is going through some severe doubts \ A Christian who is going through some severe doubts, maybe worse than before
A committed Christian who loved the Lord and was grateful for Gods gift of salvation \ A believer who desires to know more of God and longs to grow in my awareness of who He is as sovereign Lord, even more grateful for His sacrifice on my behalf