By Billy Hoffman
Stewardship Development Specialist, TBC
Is God leading you and your church to share Christ where He is not known? I ask it this way because spreading the gospel is both an individual as well as a Christian community activity. In Acts 13 we continue to discover the pattern of the call and empowerment of the first missionary team from the church at Antioch. From this we see there were three things in play which led to moving the gospel into new territory — spiritual resources, human resources, and tangible resources. Until God changes the nature of the universe those three basic elements are always involved in gospel advance. The order of employing the three is also important. It’s somewhat like constructing a building — it’s important to pour the concrete after all of the underground plumbing and electrical has been installed. If you reverse the order, you’ll have problems.
My column in the Oct. 29 issue of the Baptist and Reflector explored the “spiritual” resources required for the task. We learned we’re absolutely and totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide and empower the strategy or nothing of value will be accomplished. Prayer and fasting on our part along with direction and power from the Holy Spirit are essential. You cannot skip this step.
Billy Hoffman
The next resource required for us to invest is us — you and me — the “body of Christ.” Human activity is required to advance the gospel. This is true only because God has willed it to be so. We know He doesn’t really need us. Jesus can directly engage someone, as He dramatically did Saul of Tarsus, and bring them to repentant faith. But even in Saul’s case he sent Ananias to baptize him and set him on the road to discipleship. In Acts 13, like Ananias, the Holy Spirit is now sending Saul/Paul, along with Barnabas, to share the gospel, baptize, and disciple new believers. So, even in a case of divine intervention, the pattern of disciples making disciples who make disciples continues.
The Lord has determined obedient hearts and dedicated work on our part is required. It follows the pattern of Jesus’ incarnation. He invested Himself. This included obedience to the Father, loving and caring for others, proclaiming the gospel, and suffering. Followers of Jesus must be willing to actually do that — follow Him in doing what He did. It’s the only thing that will ultimately change the eternal destiny of each human being. Will you and the members of your church pick up the cross and “follow Him” in His great mission to redeem the world? This is not a side item on the menu. It’s the main course.
Jesus clearly stated the criteria by which each of His “followers” will be judged. First is the command to “love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength” and it’s corollary, to “love others as ourselves.” His final command is to “make disciples” of all nations. If we’re not investing ourselves “heart and soul” in sharing the gospel and making disciples, there’s little evidence we actually love God and others.
If the following describes you or your church, do you or your church really love God and others?
(1) I/We am/are comfortable doing what I/we do and not interested in any major changes to lifestyle to take the gospel somewhere else;
(2) I/We don’t have a valid passport(s) and am not/are not ready to go anywhere in the world He may lead to make Him known;
(3) I/We have so much debt I/we cannot seriously consider answering His call to move my family/support a member somewhere on the planet to live and share the gospel;
(4) I/We give no attention to physical fitness and could not travel to some places He might call me/us to share the gospel because of self-imposed physical limitations.
If need be, invest yourself heart, mind, soul, and body and prepare to take the gospel across the street or around the world — wherever He directs.
