DON'T MYTH OUT ON JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS

As we all know, more wars have been waged because of religion than any other reason. Even more prevalent than the hellish experience of wars is the continual spirit of divisiveness. A deadly misunderstanding of Jesus and his teachings has caused most of these wars and divisions. We have been missing out on Jesus by embracing a variety of myths about Him.

A myth is passed on so frequently that you blindly accept it as THE truth and it becomes a vital doctrine in your religious beliefs. Therefore it is, at best, a legend, a sort of spiritual fairy tale that has become a sacred belief for you and your community, yet it is really a well-intentioned falsehood or misunderstanding. They have developed from one generation to another without questioning its veracity.

The result? Jesus has become distorted and misunderstood. He has been hijacked by a variety of religious groups and his teachings have been twisted. This is at the core of why fewer and fewer people are attracted to the Church. The greatest attraction ever is missing or minimized. Jesus.

There is a desperate need to re-introduce Jesus to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see.

FIRST-We desperately need to re-introduce Jesus back into our Churches and spiritual gatherings. The last two weeks I've listened to a pastor of one of the largest churches in the USA. Although the sermon was very good and delivered well, Jesus was never named. I'm sure it was not this man's intent, but without Jesus people can only identify as a member/spectator of some organization. Jesus came to launch a dynamic participatory movement. The messages of the Church tend to be less Jesus and more self-help in substance.

SECOND-We desperately need to re-introduce Jesus back into all forms of communication-newsletters, websites, blogs, small groups and conversations. Without Jesus being the emphasis, Jesus will surely fall through the cracks and will be greatly missed.

THIRD-We desperately need to re-introduce Jesus to our children. I've noticed Christian children don't know much about Jesus. They know lots about the Old Testament characters, which are highly interesting stories. But other than Jesus' birth story (with presents attached), the many stories and teachings of Jesus are just not part of the regular curriculum for children. Without Jesus, kids become turned off with the religious system of do's and don'ts and are leaving Churches as they are old enough to be on their own. If they do stay, it's usually because of some level of guilt and social obligation that has a grip on them.

FOURTH-We desperately need to re-introduce Jesus to our community-family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. Most people continue to demonstrate that they don't want to go to church-not yours, not any. The statistics tell the story very clearly. Without Jesus they are turned off and turned away by the religiosities that are presented to them.

Some of the most important things we must share about Jesus and His teachings are the following: * Re-introduce the name of Jesus. We talk too much about God, the Lord, Christ, or the man upstairs. It is the name of Jesus that embodies the power. * Re-introduce the idea of following Jesus. We talk too much about being a believer, accepting Jesus as your Savior, being a Christian or being born again. The most common tag Jesus and all of the Gospel writers used was being a follower of Jesus. * Re-introduce Jesus into our conversations. Talk about being a Christian or your Christian faith and people are put on the defensive, thinking you want to convert them. Talk about Jesus and there is an unusual attraction and irresistibility. We need to advance the conversation of Jesus whenever possible and appropriate. * Re-introduce Jesus as the Gospel, the Prince of peace, and the source of real joy.

You know what it all comes down to is this: Jesus unites; all other religious systems and teachings divide. Jesus is for everyone! Millions of Buddhist, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, agnostics and even Christians are becoming followers of Jesus today worldwide!

Don't myth out on Jesus this Christmas season. Get to know Jesus a little better and make Him known. Check out Mything Out On Jesus and His Teachings, where you can examine 32 myths that keep people from knowing and following Jesus. You can find it at www.timtimmons.com or on www.Amazon.com.

Remember: Jesus alone is enough. Jesus plus something is nothing. Jesus plus nothing is everything.