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Actor Kirk Cameron Challenges Christians

Kirk Cameron

Fountain Inn, SC (AgapePress)… "The cross is a whole lot more important than I am." With those opening words, the congregation at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, knew this wasn't your typical celebrity entertainment. Kirk Cameron, star of the award-winning television series, Growing Pains, said he was there for one reason: "To bring people to the foot of a blood-stained cross."

On Sunday, September 15, Cameron gave his personal testimony and encouraged Christians to share the gospel of Christ with a lost world. With his impish grin and dark, curly hair, Cameron still looked the part of Mike Seaver, teenage heart-throb of the 80s. But his words now carry a much more important message.

In an event to kick off "See You at the Pole" week, Cameron challenged the audience of over 1,000 to avoid a watered down gospel.

"When we tell people they need Jesus in order to have peace, love, joy, and fulfillment, and we don't help them see their sin, we have shared a man-centered gospel - and that doesn't work," Cameron said. "Oh, they may decide to give this Jesus thing a try to see if they can get a buzz out of it, but they aren't broken over the sinfulness of their hearts because they don't really know what sin is."

"Then, when something goes wrong, they say, 'What's this? I ordered peace and joy.' See, they came without repentance, and repentance is necessary (for salvation)."

Cameron said Christians need to follow Christ's way of sharing the gospel. "When I first read the account of Jesus and the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18, I thought, 'Man, Jesus could have really benefited from a friendship evangelism course."

But then Cameron said he realized we should share the gospel the way Jesus did - by first pointing out the law. "We have to open up God's law and show him what he's done first."

Cameron explained that the law acts as a mirror to convince the unbeliever of his sin. "The law helps him understand his need for Jesus - to prepare for the wrath to come. Many say you can't win by condemnation, but we have to remember, they're condemned already. The door of salvation hinges on repentance. Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but not legitimate calls to salvation."

To the unbeliever, he said, "You will stand before your Maker. You will give an account to God. I'm not judging you. I want you to judge your own heart before God judges you."

Quoting scripture from memory, Cameron asked followers to stop being lukewarm. "The Bible says to examine yourself, to make your calling and election sure. Get on fire for God! We were the ones who broke the law - but Jesus paid our fine."

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