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Play Offense // Thursday E-Devotion

Today's devotion is taken from an article by Mark Batterson.  May God revolutionize the way we think about and do church so that we will be the church and others will become part of His church!  Mark wrote the following article for the Catalyst newsletter:
 
Matthew 11:12 (niv) --- From the time of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

There is nothing remotely passive about following Christ. Faithfulness has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo or holding the fort. It has everything to do with competing for the Kingdom and storming the gates of Hell.

Does it bother anyone else that the church is more known for what we're against than what we're for? The church needs to stop playing defense and start playing offense!

A few years ago, I started coaching my son's basketball team. And at the beginning of our first season, most of the kids didn't know how to play the game. They had zero basketball instincts. In fact, the beginning of games was pure chaos. Despite repeated attempts to point them in the right direction, most of the kids didn't know which basket to defend and which one to shoot at. Occasionally, our kids would play defense on the offensive side and offense on the defensive side. Sometimes our kids were totally oblivious to the fact that we had the ball, so I would yell at the top of my lungs: You're on offense! You're on offense!

I wonder if that is what Jesus is yelling to His church: You're on offense! You're on offense!

Jesus commissioned the church to play offense in Matthew 16:18 : I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail.

The gates of hell are defensive. The church is called to play offense!
 
 
PRAY FOR
 
A young boy battling cancer who lives in Danville.  Pray for Tammy and Teresa's sister Vicky.  An unspoken request.
 

E-DEVOTIONS are sent each week day from Michael Harrison, lead Pastor of The Community Fellowship in Collinsville, Virginia.  These devotions are intended to encourage you in your faith in Jesus and your walk with Him.  To change your subscription, send an e-mail to Michael at mharrison@thecommunityfellowship.org.

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