Too many Christians are feeding mouths but neglecting souls. I have a plan to change that

Earlier this summer I knelt down on a makeshift stage at Trafalgar Square and sobbed as children prayed for the church and nation. 

A month later, I was in tears again as hundreds of young people responded to the call to follow Christ at the Excel Centre during Franklin Graham’s God Loves You Tour.

A few weeks ago I was crying (again!) as the presence of the Lord flooded my car as I drove along the North Circular in London. The Lord by his spirit challenged me to believe in the Gospel with the supernatural signs from the Book of Acts.

I believe it is time. 

It is time for the Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland to respond with faith and authority to preach and witness the Gospel to a generation and society in desperate need of God.

More than deeds

Christian social action is on the rise, but the preaching of the gospel for salvation of souls is on the decline.

I have observed that more and more Christians are ditching preaching for feeding. It seems the UK Church is more comfortable with doing good deeds rather than sharing Good News.

But Jesus has given us clear instructions: “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

How healthy are we as a collective body in the UK and Ireland?

Our benchmark is not how many visit our social outreach programs but how many have been baptised. This is the proper health index for the Church. 

If all our activities and wonderful transformation programs do not result in more regenerated hearts, then we are regressing and not progressing.

There should be an end goal to our good works. Jesus said: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 6:16, my emphasis)

The end result of all our wonderful light shining is that mankind may glorify God. The Greek word translated 'glorify' is doxazo “to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged.”

We pray that the whole of society may acknowledge and know the God we love and serve in the Person of Jesus Christ.

This Christmas, the charity I lead, The National Day of Prayer and Worship, is collaborating with The Salvation Army, The Church of England, The Evangelical Alliance, the Black majority churches and many other networks to unite together to preach the Gospel through the Christmas story.

We are all uniting under one banner called Shine Your Light (shineyourlight.org.uk).

We want Christians and churches everywhere to shine the light of the Gospel through dance, music, creativity and activity. The aim is that the Gospel be preached to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, this Christmas.

If every believer and local church switched on their lights, then the whole of the isles will be lit like a Christmas tree!

Imagine every shopping mall, railway station, town hall and city centre filled with Christians sharing the Good News of Jesus and Joy to the World! Imagine every school and workplace flooded with the light of Christ!

I invite you to join us. Shake off the negative news about the Church, take seriously Jesus' commandment to preach the Gospel and do your little bit by shining your light.

For more information on the campaign, visit shineyourlight.org.uk