BY GREG CRUM

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:18-20

In this passage from the book of Revelation, the churches of Asia Minor were symbolized as candlesticks. Now, most of us living today know what a candlestick is, even if in utility it has lost its significance in the face of growing technology. Most of us have seen a candlestick, even if just in a decorative setting, but have you ever thought about its original purpose?

In the days before electricity was harnessed and routed to homes and businesses, candlesticks served a vital purpose. They provided the best setting for a candle, allowing that candle to project its light safely and effectively to nullify the effects of the darkness.

Can you see where I’m going with this? Think about Matthew 5:14-16 for a moment. There Jesus states that believers are lights in this world, but he also relays that these lights, or candles, are to be placed on a candlestick so that light can give needed illumination to all that are in the house. Believers in Jesus are the lights, but every light is most effective when placed in a candlestick.

Now, allow me to be frank for a moment. We need not kid ourselves about the darkness in this county. Just because we don’t deal with some of the ills prevalent in urban areas doesn’t mean we live in the “Holy Land.” Corruption and selfishness have been the historical norm in our governance. Poverty and addiction have generationally ruined families. Apathy has settled into a lot of our churches.

I once heard a startling statistic concerning our county that was reported in the 2010 U.S. Census. It stated that at that time, we had around 12,000 residents in Martin County. Of those 12,000, only around 2,000 claimed any affiliation with a church. Mind you, we’re not talking people who said they were regular attendees, but rather just affiliated with a church!

That was an eye-opener to me, showing me that so many of our county citizens are unreached concerning the Gospel and that our churches are more important now than ever.

If we would look at things objectively, we’d have to admit that Martin County probably isn’t on many people’s top 10 places to live. Yet, for us, it’s home! More importantly, it’s the place God has called us to serve Him. With these negatives acknowledged, here’s the thing: Martin County can be a better community to live in.

God is not a respecter of persons, so He can’t be a respecter of the communities that people make up. I don’t believe God has destined Martin County believers a bad lot in life. He desires His best for all His children, and that includes us! With that said, to see our community bettered, we must be determined to cooperate with Him, and that’s where our churches come in.

Our county churches are our candlesticks. Our churches are the settings for the lights of our community, a place to give believers purpose and focus. We were instructed in Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together for a reason! Without our churches, our individual lights are dimmer and much less effective in this dark world.

Martin County needs strong churches—all of them! For this reason, we need you, brothers and sisters, to be in our churches as men and women that love the Lord and that refuse to allow disappointments, discouragement and past hurts to keep you from walking the path God has laid out for you.

Honestly, Martin County is in the shape it’s in, not because of poor government, poor economics, poor utilities or poor educational services. If it’s true that we are lights and our churches are the lighthouses to direct our communities to safe haven, then it’s in the shape it’s in because of us!

Friends, we can make a difference! We are the only thing that can. Government programs won’t solve all our problems. If they could, they already would have. Our only hope for a better Martin County is Jesus working through His lights as they find their fuel to shine in our houses of worship.