Aurora & Our Responsibility

The tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, is unbelievable to us all, and so hard to comprehend. I know we are praying for families, and victims, but must also pray for James Holmes. I heard a testimony last week from a missionary that reminded me of the great responsibility we have to be Christian.

Alan grew up in a non-Christian home, however after being invited to an AG church, he came to a saving knowledge of Christ and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was seventeen. Alan responded to God's call on his life and went to Bible College.  There he discovered that he had actually lived a block away from an AG church for most of his life. He met a fellow classmate at college with whom he had played football during High School. He found that a board member for the Bible College brought his car to be repaired by this Alan's dad.

The tragedy, as Alan recounts is that in all of these interactions, and several others, he never knew about Jesus before attending the church where God changed his life. His mother confirmed that no one from the church down the road ever came to his door to share Christ with his family. The football player never told him about Christ, even though their lockers were next to one another for years. The board member never witnessed to his dad while getting his car repaired. (Alan's dad, unfortunately, died an unbeliever.)

Alan lived within arms reach of the Good News for 17 years without ever hearing it. When he did hear it, his life was transformed. His regret is that the message did not make until he was 17. He regrets that his father did not know God before he died. He regrets that his siblings still will not acknowledge God. He wonders what would have happened if he had grown up in a Christian home.

The point of sharing this story, and relating it to the tragedy of Aurora is this: We must take the Gospel outside of our church walls. We must witness with our lives, words, speech, & actions in everyday events. We must not expect those who do not know to come to us, we must go to them.

God's grand narrative tells us to make Him known to all who do not know. We have a responsibility to tell a lost world about Jesus and to live as people who are changed by His grace in everything we do. It won't be easy, we will be rejected, but the responsibility is still ours to take. 


Another James Holmes could be your own next door neighbor. Don't give up on him. 
Another Anders Breivik could be living across the world in Norway. We need to send a missionary who can learn his language and culture and reach him.

Please don't neglect the task; it is not complete.

May God not only burden us for the lost, but change our heart, words, and actions to reach the lost and hurting in the world.


Praying for Aurora and a world that does not know God.