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Articles
Gospel Meeting
The week of our 2022 Spring meeting starts today. The speaker has been chosen and the meeting week has finally arrived. We made the announcements for it, prayed about it, invited people to it, and now it is here. Let’s take a few moments to remind ourselves of some necessary traits that will make our gospel meeting a great success. We will all be tired come Saturday morning, but if we are willing to go the extra mile this week, our gospel meeting can be a success and a source of encouragement for everyone who attends.
The most important aspect in our preparation has been praying for our meeting and its success. We need to continue to pray throughout this week that our meeting will be pleasing to God. We need to pray that we will come ready to praise God and hear His Word. We need to pray that our sacrifice, no matter its size, to attend every meeting will be received as a “sweet aroma” to God. Our prayers need to extend beyond our own physical and spiritual needs as we pray for those who may be weak in their faith, or those who have not yet obeyed the gospel. We need to pray that God will strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble (cf. Hebrews 12:12). We need to pray that God’s Word will be taught with boldness and love, convicting the hearts of the lost, and encouraging all to draw closer to God!
A second trait necessary for a successful meeting will be our willingness to attend. We need to prepare so that we are bringing our very best to God every night. We may encounter distractions which will try to keep us from meeting each evening, but if we make the commitment to attend every meeting, then we will certainly be blessed in the end. We will have to make sacrifices with work, school, homework, ball practice, but each sacrifice will be worth the time spent in worship and study of God’s Word. David wrote – “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1). Will we be able to say the same thing this week?
A third necessary trait is that we continue to invite our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family. The general consensus is that for every ten people invited, one person will accept and attend. Therefore, if each family can invite ten people, think about the visitors we could generate for this meeting. While there may be some who you have invited in the past who have never attended, who knows if this could be the meeting and invitation that opens the door. We cannot allow the past to dictate our willingness to invite someone this week. Let’s challenge ourselves to invite at least one new person each day throughout this week.
The final necessary trait is that we need to come with a hunger and thirst for righteousness. If we are willing to pray for the meeting, prepare physically and spiritually for the meeting, invite others, and come with an appetite for God’s Word, then this will be a successful meeting. Jesus said – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). God has promised His Word will never return in vain; therefore, if we come as eager listeners and actively listen during the lessons, we will be strengthened by the end of the week.
Our gospel meeting gives us a wonderful opportunity to grow - spiritually. How will our meeting effect you spiritually? Will you pray for our meeting? Will you invite others? Will you come prepared each night? Are you excited about this week? May God bless our efforts as we begin this week together!
