A prostitute came to a man of GOD, in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her two year old daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told the man of GOD that she had been renting out her two years old daughter to men interested in perverse sex acts. She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own in a night. She said she was doing it to support her own drug habit, but began feeling horrible about her activities and needed help. The man of GOD asked if she ever thought of going to a church for help and he remembers the look of naïve shock that crossed her face. “Church!” she scoffed. “Why would I ever go there? I already feel terrible about myself. They would just make me feel worse.” She, however, was not aware she was talking to a man of GOD. People like her and many others in similar situations are supposed to run to church for refuge, not away from it. Has the church lost that gift of welcoming? The down and out who followed JESUS when HE was on earth, no longer feel welcome among HIS followers today.

 This prostitute is only one of many who are weak, lost and despised, who have lost faith in the church and Christianity.  Christianity and its church are supposed to be solution centers, but to some it’s now a place of persecution. We have turned the Church into a social club of those who are rich, influential and supposedly righteous. The poor, sick and weak spirited, who the church was built for in the first place, rightfully feel left out. What must we do to return back to the original values and vision of the Church?

The early church believers were united in heart, to stayed together and shared everything they had. They made sure nobody lacked in anything. They had their own problems but they never turned anyone away. A Christians’ strength, training and ability come from knowing GOD. And what exactly is knowing GOD? It is the understanding and familiarity with HIS identity, will, desires and purpose for all human kind. Unfortunately today`s Christians do not take the time to know GOD. We go to church on a Sunday and never touch the Bible until the next Sunday. We quickly forget what the Pastor, Prophet, Reverend or Priest would’ve preached as soon as we step out of the church doors. For the rest of the week we revert back to our corporeal desires and behaviors. “Each man for himself GOD for us all” so they say. Why then do we even go to Church? Just to look good in front of neighbors, family and colleagues? Or is it for the convenience and benefits that goes with the label “Christian”? The heart really isn’t in it.

“A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.”-Proverbs 11 vs 13.  Sadly, during the myriad of little caucuses after church is usually when the gossiping kicks into high gear. “Did you hear that Kenny was fired for theft from his workplace?” “Their son was arrested for drugs”. “There is fire in the Deacon`s house, his marriage is on the rocks.” “You know that usher, the one with big breasts, she was caught in the act with her boss” “Did you see what that girl was wearing, she is definitely after the man of GOD.” These are some of the extracts from the weekly Sunday afternoon gossip column at your local church. Do we really understand why we are in church or why the institution was created? Church was primarily created for the sinners. A hospital for the spiritually injured and broken. Church is exactly where people with problems or sinners should be. It is where solutions are sought. JESUS CHRIST did not die for the holy and righteous, but for the sinners. The problems that members bring to church should not be headlines for gossip columns but prayer points for the intercessors.

Everything GOD created was created to solve a problem.  It is important to note that you are a reward or saviour to someone else. When Israel needed a leader, God sent Moses as their saviour and he led them out of Egypt. David was anointed King at the time when the Israelites were fighting the Philistines and he slew Goliath in battle. So David was their saviour. The Jews would have been destroyed if not for Esther. Esther was their saviour. Pharaoh desperately needed someone to interpret his dreams. Joseph was his saviour and subsequently to the people of Egypt. Because Joseph interpreted Pharaoh`s dream a famine was averted in Egypt and other nations that came to buy food from Egypt.

Joseph was quoted as saying, “…you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good…” – Genesis 50 vs 20. GOD knows the past, the present and the future. Our GOD is a GOD of order and never leaves anything to chance. Your presence in Church is not by coincidence. You don’t go there to compete, to show off your latest car or your latest Italian designer suit. “Don’t be selfish, don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interest, but take an interest in others too”-Philippians 2 vs 3-4.  You are a solution to someone else`s problem. To do that you need the love of GOD in you. “Let us love one another, because love is from GOD, and everyone who loves has been born of GOD and knows GOD.”- 1 John 4 vs 7.  Ask GOD for wisdom to open your Spiritual eyes to see how best HE can use you in ministry. The Bible says that the Church is a body of CHRIST. Every part of the Body is important. The leg cannot do without the eye, nor the arm without the head.  Everything has to work in a coordinated manner to fulfil the purpose it was designed for by the creator. If everyone could fulfil their GOD   given assignments in Church, people like the prostitute would not feel unwelcome.