how can we really be god's hands and feet????

ever read something real thought provoking then sat around trying to figure it all out? that is what i am doing right now. i am trying to figure out how to help a smaller church (the group of people, not the building), get excited about what god is doing, so they will get out in the community and tell others about him. the problem is we are all kind of stuck in this rut, we talk a good game on sunday but then during the week we take very little action. we had an awesome gathering this past sunday-the holy spirit came and people shared many testimonies of how god was currently at work in their lives-just plain awesome!! u should have been there!

now we need to convert that into "being god's hands and feet" which isn't such an easy task. we have to get out and tell others about him, and practice loving our neighbors as ourselves-and loving god with all our heart soul mind and strength. we have to practice forgiveness mercy and justice. we have to take care of the poor oppressed and downtrodden. we have to do more than just meet together and have talks and lessons and sermons, we need to start some action. what we do needs to come from the peoples desire to follow jesus, not from their pastor telling them they should do this or that. it is good to help them along but, it is more important for them to start to make the decisions and to want to do these things because it pleases god.

there needs to be more sharing what jesus has done for us with others-too often we act like it is a big secret and never get it out there. it can be difficult for me to share with others so i am not pointing any fingers, but i just want to hear encouraging stories and get advice from others on how to authentically talk to people about their need for jesus (i have read several books) (and i know that the spirit will tell me what to say when the time comes).

one last side note while eating lunch yesterday i encountered a guy who appeared to be homeless, outside the door. after way too much discussion about what we should do we decided to go and invite him to eat with us-and i was named spokesman (probably cause i am a pastor). when i went outside to talk to him he was nowhere around-i circled the whole building-we left some money in the cup on his bike and went back inside. the guy was inside drinking at the bar-i totally overlooked him on the way out to get him. anyway i wonder if i did the right thing-did i talk too long about it-did the guy really need some lunch-was he put in my path to feed and i failed??? or was it just god checking to see if i would be willing???

any thoughts or stories please share!!!