You have been commissioned to participate in the Great Commission. So have I.
It’s the commission (“…go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19) we are all aware of it, but few take it seriously.
Our fruit is meager.
Our guilt is real.
My daughter, Anna, at the ripe ol’ age of 6 nailed it on the head:
“Mommy, is the most important thing about being a Christian telling other people about Jesus?”
“Yes!” I announced. My internal dialogue kicked in. “She gets it! I’m doing a good job.”
My self-affirmation was short lived.
“Well then, (long pause) why don’t you do it very often?”
She called a spade a spade.
Anna had heard me “preach to the choir” a hundred times in her short life. But she was right, she had never once heard me share my faith with someone who did not know Jesus.
Go
It was one of Jesus’ last words and it’s a word, a commission, that needs to be taken to heart.
It’s not about distance, however. Going overseas is not better than going across your backyard.
It’s all about love.
But love takes time and most of us live in the red. We “have no time.”
Programmed church activities are a great use of gifts and a part of our calling, but left unchecked they require enormous amounts of our “free time”—leaving little margin to commit to the time consuming work of getting to know and loving another human being or family.
Programs don’t bring people to Christ. People bring people to Christ.
Programs are predictable (Be there from 6-8 pm). People are messy and unpredictable.
Nine times out of ten, being a part of the Great Commission is about developing intentional friendships. It’s about taking the time to get to know someone. It’s about sharing life over the long haul, on the soccer field, at work, in your neighbor’s garage. It’s about earning the right and the opportunity to share your heart and ask life-changing questions. It happens quite naturally when love is established and the time is right and ripe.
Operation Go
It’s a matter of love, not obligation.
It takes time. It takes margin. Embracing the rhythm “Run hard. Rest well.” is a great place to start.
Who’s on your radar? A cousin. A co-worker. A neighbor.
Make love, with no strings attached, your aim. Set your sites long. Stay on your knees.
Want a game plan?
- Who is God laying on your heart? Commit them to prayer. If appropriate, invite your kids to pray as well. Include them in on the commissioning.
- Rest well.
- Pick up the phone, send a text, walk across the street, get together. Regularly.
This summer might be a great time to start.
If time allows, click to read a great, short article for sharing your faith. It’s called 5 Simple Steps for Sharing Your Faith by Gary Cobb. The 5 steps are located at the bottom of a thoughtful article by Kristin Driscoll.
How are you doing with the Great Commission these days? Join the conversation here, or on Facebook – we love hearing from you!
Is This Your First Time Here?
Welcome! We’re a group that gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We’re finding it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”
- It’s a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
- It’s an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in deep, tender places. It alters our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
- It’s adventure at its best – as we learn to run the race in a power not our own.
It’s really hard to walk out of that box we have decided to live in. It’s hard because the walls are safe. It hard because we could be hurt. It’s hard because it involves every part of our being…..especially our time which we hoard. And then you look around. Who gave you the money? Then tithe. Who gave you the time? The be a steward of that, too. Tithe your time, your resources, your talents. And if that’s too much….then begin with smaller chunks….the secret is “begin”.
“Charge!” My feet are hitting the floor, Betty.