Taken into custody by a Baptist church

It is time for the true church of Christ to arise and meet the challenge of the times.

Perhaps you read it in the newspaper. The article was headlined "Family Ditches Clothes in Pursuit of the Lord." The contents of the story are as bizarre as the headline.

It goes like this: One summer day in Vinton, Louisiana, a driver of an auto emerged from his car "wearing only a towel." When spotted by police, he got back into the auto and sped off. The police were "dumbfounded when the car hit a tree and disgorged 20 people wearing nothing at all."

What? Are you kidding?! But the story gets better, or maybe we should say it gets worse. "The Lord told them to get rid of all their belongings," the story read, and go to Louisiana. "So they got rid of all their clothes and wallets and identification and the license plate off their car and came to our gorgeous state," Vinton Police Chief Dennis Drouillard said. "They didn't have any money. Not even a dime." It was a good thing, because they didn't have any pockets to put their money in!

So what induced this strange_but these days, not so eccentric_behavior?

Was it the hot Texas sun of Floydada from whence they came? Something in the water or some undercooked hot dogs they ate for lunch?

Correct answer: probably none of the above. More than likely an inordinate desire for spiritual intimacy coupled with a lack of biblical awareness provided the dangerous mix that led to spiritual deception and confusion.

What happened in this context with 20 people is happening on a much larger scale with millions of folks all across North America. The decline and disappearance of much of mainstream Christianity, the growth and proliferation of cults, the emergence of spiritism, the growth of eastern religions and other trends have all generated a spiritual mix that is proving deadly to the souls and hearts of millions of people. It is late in the day of spiritual conflict. It is time for the true church of Christ to arise and meet the challenge of the times.

How is that to be done? Let me suggest several steps. First, reemphasize biblical education in the lives of believers. Without the meat of the Word, Christians' lives will remain spiritually weak and deprived.

Second, encourage and equip believers to engage in personal evangelism. It is my personal conviction that 80 percent of people who join cults or non-Christian religions would have come to Christ if someone had reached them first with the gospel.

Third, plant churches in areas of spiritual need and emptiness. Nothing is a better antidote to spiritual decline in a city or other locale than a vibrant, worshiping, evangelizing, discipling body of believers.

Notably the North American Mission Board is committed to doing all of the above. It is our intent to help to redirect the tide of spiritual chaos and confusion on our continent. With the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the light of the gospel can shine afresh and anew in the lives of believers to initiate a new wave of gospel advancement in our day.

Fortunately the story of our 20 religiously energized, but flawed, pilgrims has a happy ending. The Associated Press ended the account by noting: "The car was totaled, but all injuries were minor. The entire group was released into the custody of a Baptist church." Hallelujah! That's the idea! Baptist churches across our continent and around the world must catch the vision of taking the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to captive men, women, boys and girls.

Phil Roberts is director of Interfaith Witness Evangelism, North American Mission Board.