Local church evangelismby Miles Stutts

KILLEN, Ala. (BNc) — When I moved to the Atlas congregation, I started turning the light on over the baptistry before services. Then, whenever the lights were turned off after services in the building, those lights over the baptistery would get left on. That became the norm.

One day it occurred to me to “leave the light on.” So we started leaving the light on, on purpose. The I started talking about it.

We talk about baptism a lot and pray about lost souls.

We have a prayer service here at Atlas every Monday morning at 6:00 a.m. We have prayed about people who need to hear the gospel and those who have been here to hear the gospel.

We have called, sent cards and made personal visits to people’s homes.

We recently remodeled the baptistry area. We added additional lights to make that area brighter. There are no windows in the auditorium except for the small windows in the back doors going into the foyer. When the lights are on over the baptistery and the lights are off in the auditorium, there is a glow that is brightly shining in a dark room.

That is much like our role as Christians. We are lights shining in a dark world. Leaving the light on just reminds us that there are lost souls who need to hear the gospel and that baptism is the final step in God’s plan in order to be saved.

In a religious world where so many are discounting baptism, I was hoping to kindle a flame again by inviting the Lord’s Church to “leave their Light on” too.

During the time that the lights have been on over the baptistry, we had 4 baptisms from the middle of September to Dec. 31, 2011, and 14 so far during 2012.

We thank God and praise him for giving the increase. To God be the glory!

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