....about "The Church of the 100th Sheep"!

     I have a friend who is a member of a church named, The Church of the Good Shepherd.  That is usually a common Lutheran church name.
    
      We Baptist use real creative names like: "First"!  We ought to use names that have to do with shepherding or other Biblical concepts.

    
 I was visiting a church a few months ago and the pastor briefly mentioned that famous "ninety-nine sheep" parable from Luke 15. 
     
     I was just thinkin'............do we get too satisfied sometimes with our "pretty good" attendance---and are just happy that most of the "sheep" are "safely in the fold"?
     I wondered.....how much time, energy, and money do we spend on that "100th Sheep"?  That one that's lost and NOT in the fold?
     How much of our church life and activity is concentrated on finding that "100th Sheep"?
     I've observed that most of the churches with which I'm familiar are doing a pretty good job of keeping their pews reasonably full.....and the offering plates full enough to take care of essential needs.

     But, if we take Jesus' parable literally, I think He's telling us that a pretty substantial amount of our......time.....money.....energy.....programs.....and activities, should involve "going after the one which is lost until we find it."  (Luke 15:4).

     If that's the case, maybe---to help us focus on our real purpose---all our churches ought to change their names!

                              Maybe at your next church business meeting.....

                                      you should suggest that your church change its name to:

             The (your town name) Church of the 100th Sheep!

Tommy