We get ourselves into such worries about how to reach people. But the heart of the Gospel witness is so simple! Show hospitality to those outside the church. Express compassion to folk outside the church. And give ordinary folk opportunity to have meaningful involvement in the Christ-like thing of caring for the poor, the oppressed and marginalised. 'Draw a line' of a circle of Kingdom care and activity that can include those not yet Christians, giving fresh purpose, reason for being and hope to those who become involved.The place of the third of these aspects was the message today to our baptist pastors' fraternal of Albert Bogle, a parish minister who in earlier days was a rock evangelist and now chairman of an exciting 'Gospel action' charity, the Vine Trust. Many people are not hostile to Christianity: they just don't see the relevance of it to anything in the real world. Enrolling the 'not yet Christian' into activities of caring in Jesus' name can give them the opportunity to understand that Christian faith is a relationship with God that leads to involvement and investment, in the Jesus way, in His world.
