You've heard of “Where's Waldo?”  It's the kids book series featuring oversized pages crammed with hundreds of tiny people.  Hidden somewhere among them is the red and white striped image of Waldo.  Your job, of course, is to find him.

But today, I'm not asking “Where's Waldo?”  Instead, I'm wondering “Where's Jesus?”

Let me explain.

Increasingly, as I look at church outreach events and ministries, I wonder what they're reaching out with.  The gospel--the simple saving message of Jesus--sometimes appears to be so far beneath the surface, it would take a deep sea diver to retrieve it. 

We're big on reaching out with social programs (which a previous generation of Christians rather overlooked).  Yet I suspect we've swung the pendulum too hard to the other extreme. 

Have we unwittingly disconnected our goodness from our God…our meals, from our message?  Are we so busy handing out food, we've forgotten that an appetite for God is the appetite that matters most?

I fear that in many cases, we have convinced ourselves that--quote--doing good things for God is good enough.  But making disciples—as Jesus commanded us to do—inevitably involves words.  Jesus never healed for the sake of healing—but always for the sake of a soul.  There was almost always a conversation.

No doubt there are countless churches doing a wonderful job of balance here, and I don't wish to paint with too broad a brush. And- please understand--I am not saying we should STOP doing soup kitchens and food pantries and Celebrate Recovery.  Let me repeat myself in the vain hope of avoiding a flood of hostile email.  I believe that followers of Jesus SHOULD be engaged in feeding the hungry and digging wells and a host of other social programs. 

Yet there must be balance.  Eventually there must be gospel words…not just gospel activity. When we reach out in this way we will be loving in word AND deed.  Then…the “Where's Waldo” problem will disappear—and Jesus will be clearly seen.