When we rely pretty much solely on opening our church buildings to the public at large and inviting them in with a sign out front or – at a very progressive church – with a newspaper advertisement or a (gasp!) flyer or a radio or TV spot …
When we tacitly invite those yet unreached by the love of Christ to sit in our church buildings and listen to our lessons and sing our songs with us and pray our prayers with us and innately comprehend our secret biblical language and all of its insider terminology …
When we kinda expect them to clean up themselves and their clothing and their lives before setting foot on our holy premises and mingling in our holy fellowship …
Are we expecting too much of the Holy Spirit?
True, He is promised to guide Jesus’ followers into all truth; to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
But …
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. ~ I Peter 1:12
Are we expecting Him to go out and do all the work for us – but without us?
Blog In My Own Eye 
Isn’t it interesting, though, that He <>could<> do all the work without us??? But He chooses not to. In Patrick’s most recent post over at Tentpegs, he writes that God “seems to be a God who relishes community and relationship” and “earnestly desires a <>working,<> loving relationship with us.”That amazes me!