What is the Gasp Effect?

What is the Gasp Effect? Ernest Smith, the pastor of the college/20somethings ministry at Seacoast Church delivered a powerful message Thursday night about the Church being the bride of Christ.  He spoke about weddings and in the moment when the bride first appears – everyone gasps.  So he asked, do people gasp when they see us?  Are we actually living out the whole gospel and serving the downtrodden?  When we are, it is in those moments that our marriage to Christ is truly realized and has the gasp effect.

I had never really thought about my walk with Christ in that way before.  How often do I actual have the gasp effect?  How often am I truly living out the gospel of Christ, bringing hope to the hopeless, and spreading the good news? Is it alright to participate for just two hours on the weekend, in a service project in your community?  Does that get my “live out the gospel” box checked off for the week?

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  Phillipians 1:27

Is it possible to live a life so transformed by God’s love that every moment reflects that relationship?  What would that mean for how you spend your time and money?  What about how you plan your future?

What would it mean to truly serve those who are affected by the disaster in Haiti?

What about the almost 1 billion people who lack safe water, or are all those dying in the third world from treatable, preventable diseases?  What about your next door neighbor who recently lost his job?

Join me in thinking about these questions.