“Boom!!!!” The noise of crunching metal and a loud impact tell us that a car accident has occurred outside of our house. The sound of a barking dog might alert you to the arrival of a visitor. Crying from a child tells you that some sort of need may have arisen. Noise is always produced by something and it points to that cause. Gospel noise is the life that is produced by Christ’s Lordship in your life. It is the action that comes out of you and alerts others to the reality of what the gospel of Jesus is doing in your life.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” 1 John 3:18 talks about how we should love in deed and truth, not just in word or talk. Gospel noise is a way to describe our efforts as the body of Christ to love and serve people in tangible ways that point to the truth of the gospel. The kindness expressed in a plate of cookies or leaves raked or a meal that is shared together points to the kindness that has been shown to us by Christ. Some of these acts of kindness may not immediately afford you the opportunity to speak the gospel to someone, but they do appropriately accompany gospel proclamation and sometimes open the door for it.
"Gospel noise is a way to describe our efforts as the body of Christ to love and serve people in tangible ways that point to the truth of the gospel."
This fall we want to have a special focus on gospel noise for several weeks: October 26 through November 9. Of course your efforts to let your light shine before others are not limited to these two weeks! However, we want to make a concerted effort during these two weeks to think about together how we can make some gospel noise that points people to Christ.
How can your family use the falling of leaves, the coming of cold weather, the celebration of Halloween, or whatever else to find a way to let your light shine before others? How can your growth group or your friends from church work together in one of your neighborhoods or with one of your friends to love and serve people who do not know Christ yet?
For several years families from FBC’s youth ministry worked together to rake the leaves of many in our church neighborhood. We also collected leaves at FBC for the last several years as a way to serve our church neighbors. Many years ago we had a “fall festival” on Halloween for our church neighborhood. The challenge with each of these activities is they were not connected to people that we were spending time with and reaching out to throughout the year. What if, instead of trying to do events like a leaf raking or fall festival in our FBC neighborhood, we each did those kinds of things in our own neighborhoods with people that we see throughout the year?
“This fall we want to have a special focus on gospel noise...”
What if you and your kids or your growth group went down your street and raked up the leaves of whoever would let you help them one Saturday? What if you found a neighbor who needed help with winterizing their house? What if you baked some delicious pumpkin something and took it to different people who lived around you? What if you had a front yard party on Halloween and invited your neighbors and people from your growth group who don’t have a neighborhood with much activity?
I encourage each of us who are members of FBC to talk with our families and/or friends about how we can make some gospel noise together this Fall! If you need money to haul your neighbors leaves to the waste to energy plant, we would love to help you from our outreach budget. Just let us know if there are any ways we can help you to make some gospel noise! And then pray for and look for those doors that God will open up for you to speak of Christ through all of these acts of kindness!
Nathan Thiry is the Growth Groups & Outreach Pastor at Faith Bible Church. He enjoys biking and outdoor activities, and has a passion to see the gospel spread throughout our community and the whole world!
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