Missions at Home

A book that I recently enjoyed reading was “Reaching and Teaching by David Sills.” Dr. Sills is Missiology professor at Southern Seminary. Dr. Sills defined an intercultural missionary in this way: “One whom God has called and sent as an ambassador of Christ with the message of reconciliation to make disciples, baptize, and teach to obey all that He has commanded, and who intentionally crosses cultural boundaries to do so.”1

Evangelism and discipleship to prison inmates, urban immigrants, people with different religious backgrounds, and people from sectarian cults are all different cultures than my own. Therefore, I think that evangelizing to these, all though within the boarders of America should be defined as missions.

This morning I read and essay by David Wheeler called “Hanging Out with a Purpose.” The purpose is sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the essay he gave four practical principles for hanging out with the purpose of sharing the gospel:

1.   Be fully present as you walk through daily life.

2.   Be intentional about seeking witnessing relationships.

3.   Be available to seize Divine moments.

4.   Be prepared to respond to ministry opportunities.

5.   Be bold with the message of Christ.2

As an ambassador of Christ with the message of reconciliation to make disciples, baptize, and teach them to obey all that He commanded I must do so in the culture of my everyday life. I work as a Registered Nurse in Cardiac Rehab. I have coworkers who I work with 5 days a week and I have patients that go in and out of my life. I see them 3 days a week for 1-3 months. I am to be always present, intentionally seeking witnessing opportunities and be bold with the message of Christ when Divine moments come. I also go to restaurants, gas stations and stores in the community that I live in; I must be fully present at all times, intentionally seeking opportunities to preach the gospel and be bold with the message of Christ when Divine moments come. I occasionally go to running events in my community. At these events, hundreds, if not thousands are their; this Saturday, Lord willing, I will run in the Fresh 15K in Tyler, Texas. Before the run, I will preach the gospel, handout gospel tracts and talk with people when the opportunity arises. Could I plan to go into prisons, seek out immigrants and different religious people? Yes, but why not first seek to evangelize in our everyday life? If you are not currently fully present in daily life, available should Divine opportunity arise, and bold with the message of Christ when they do; then do not seek to cross cultural boundaries until you are intentional with the gospel at home. 

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[1]Davis Sills, Reaching and Teaching(Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010), 94.

[2]David Wheeler, “Hanging Out with a Purpose,” in Evangelism Is…How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, Dave Earley and David Wheeler (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2010), 208-209.

Repent•Believe•Follow

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gn.1:1;26-27)

You were created in the image of God. Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt.5:48) However, you are not perfect. You have sinned. You fall short of God’s glorious standard. When you lie you make God out to be a liar. When you steal you make God out to be a thief. When you are unfaithful; whether it be physical unfaithfulness (adultery), mental unfaithfulness (lust) or unfaithfulness with you heart you make God out to be unfaithful.  What you have earned for marring the image of God is death.

However, the Lord God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; He keeps lovingkindness for thousands, He forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; (Ex.34:6-7) “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn.3:16) 

Eternal life is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eternal life is given by the grace of God. Eternal life is received through faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a righteous life and willingly died for our sins according to the scriptures and He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the Son of God Jesus Christ. Jesus is now offering eternal life to all who repent and believe in Him; and therefore, follow Him as Lord!

A word of warning: Though God is slow to anger He has fixed a day in which He will Judge the world in righteousness through His Son Jesus Christ. If you reject the Son of God you will go away into eternal punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death; but if you receive the Son of God, you will go into eternal life in the new heaven and the new earth. 

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Please, Please, Please Open Your Mouth and Preach the Gospel!

Recently I was asked to do two things: 1) Think back to my own experience of how I was evangelized and describe the experience. 2) If I could go back and give advice to the person or people who ministered to me what would it be?

I began running as a young child. At the age of 5, I ran my first mile with my dad. At the age of 10, I wanted a pair of running shoes like the big runner’s wear. My dad challenged me, if I could run 5 consecutive miles at less than 8 minutes per mile he would by me a pair of running shoes. I met the challenge and he bought me the shoes. While at the runner’s store there was a flyer for an upcoming 10k race. My dad signed us both up for the race. The next year my dad was too busy with work to run with me, but we had new neighbors across the street. I noticed that this man would come home every evening and go for a run. I began running with him, at the time he was pursuing a doctorate at D. T. S., but I did not understand what that was. The man befriended me when my father was absent, this is something that I have never forgotten. Like Spurgeon said, his life was full of soul blessing.1 However, I do not recall his sharing the gospel with me; perhaps because I was a child and my parents would have been resistant. I do not know the reason, but I did know that this man was a Christian and he was very kind to a young man who lived across the street from him.

At about the age of 12 my mother started taking us to a Methodist church. In the spring of that year I went on a retreat with the other kids to a state park. The retreat was called conformation. We played lots of games and swam in a lake. I remember the adult councilors gathering us together and telling us what would be expected of us the following Sunday when we were confirmed as members of the church. It amounted to saying yes to whatever the person leading the service asked. I remember that they were all kind and that they were Christians, but I do not remember anyone sharing the gospel with me.

At the age of 25, after living for many years in sin, my wife decided that we should go to a local church because one of her kind coworkers invited her. Every Sunday, the preacher spoke of sin, righteousness and judgment. I became filled with fear, and preoccupied that I may spend eternity in hell. I wanted to know how to escape going to hell. I knew that the preacher was new to the congregation, but the elder, retired preacher still maintained an office in the church on Sunday mornings. I saw this elderly retired pastor in his office, so I knocked on his door. I confessed my fears to him. He said, “Bow your head and repeat after me.” He then led me in what has been called the sinners prayer, though I do not remember the exact words. I was then baptized in the service that evening. Still, I do not remember him sharing the gospel with me.

My wife and I left that church a few months later and remained unchurched until I was 35. Our next-door neighbors’ son invited our son to their church’s summer camp and began attending their youth group. My wife and I attended their Christmas service and began attending church service. We came down one Sunday morning and joined the church because of the kindness of the pastor and the friendly people in the church.

On December 19, 2009, at the age of 40, I was confronted with my sin and heard the gospel in the movie Fire Proof.It was then that I repented of my sins, believed in the gospel and committed to follow Jesus Christ as Lord all the days of my life.

Here is the point: I had several Christians come in and out of my life from the age of 10 to 40. They were all kind people. I could see the character of Christ in each of their lives. I knew that they had something that I did not have but I desperately needed.2 I needed to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. How was I going to call on Him whom I had not believed in? How was I going to believe in Him unless I heard about Him? How was I going to hear unless someone told me? (cf. Rom. 10:13-14)

If I could go back and give advice to these people, here is what I would say: Please, open your mouth and tell me the gospel. Thank you for living a life that affirms the gospel because this was used by the Lord in my salvation, but I could not call on the name of the Lord unless I believed in Him, I could not believe in Him unless I heard, and I could not hear because none of you told me. Please, please, please open your mouth and preach the gospel!

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1 C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1995), 183.

2 Dave Earley and David Wheeler, Evangelis Is…How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence(Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2010), 183.

Christus Victor

The Healing Ministry of Jesus Christ

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Ex 34:6-7)

For the past four weeks I have been working in the Cardiac Rehab department. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of aerobic excercise a week. Heart surgery, a heart attack or diagnosis of heart failure it is often an eye opening experience for some but for others it is not. During my time in this depart of the hospital I have seen lives changed. People severely weakened by a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits and some sort of event involving their heart grow in strength and habits change. I saw on social media yesterday where a friend of mind was boosting about his unhealthy eating habits. This friend has reached the age in which many American males develope heart disease. I have seen this many times with both men and women but especially with middle aged men. What my friend and others do not realize is that in most cases you do not simply die but suffer for many years managing a disease that could have been prevented by daily aerobic excercise and nutrition.

To extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

This is the mission statement for the health organization that I work for, but what exactly was the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. Everyone that Jesus healed during his ministry died. Even Lazareth whom he raised from the dead is no longer with us on the earth. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ was two fold: The Lord God is compassionate and gracious. Let us not forget that man was created in the image of God. Therefore, the healing ministry of Jesus Christ was a man giving loving compassion to men who were created in the image of God suffering as a result of sin. Secondly, the healing minstry of Jesus Christ was miraculous. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ was to demonstrate that God had come into the natural world. Therefore, the healing ministry of Jesus Christ was for the purpose of showing that Jesus is God in human flesh.

A miracle is not going to save you. 

When I was working in the intensive care unit everyone is hoping for a miracle but the miracles in scripture occured for the purpose of pointing to God’s invasion of the natural world. Take care of your bodies. God has given you one body in which to live on the earth. Eat healthy foods and excercises for atleast 30 minutes 5 days a week in order to prevent disease and feel better so that you may be useful in service to the Lord. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. At somepoint in time you are going to die and after this will come the judgment. (Cf. Heb 9:27) God can and will do the miraculous. He will as promised raise all from the dead and make a new heaven and new earth. Will you be in it or will you be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to suffer for eternity? The ultimate purpose of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ was so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. (Jn 20:31)

Jesus promised eternal life to all who believe in him.

Telling Other’s About Jesus

 “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[1]

The first time I remember sharing the gospel with someone was in 2010. God granted me repentance and faith in Jesus Christ on December 19^th, 2009. Prior to that date I thought that I was a Christian but would have never confessed with my mouth Jesus as Lord.[2]I was privately practicing the spiritual disciplines: weekly going to church to hear the word preached, daily reading the Bible and praying. I started practicing these spiritual disciplines after reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.However, I was not about to share the gospel with anyone. I do not think that I even knew what the gospel was. I had heard the word gospeland wanted to know what it was but was afraid to ask someone out of embarrassment. The last time asked someone, the man that I asked led me in a sinner’s prayer, but I do not remember him telling what the gospel was. After I prayed that prayer I believed that all I needed to do was pray and ask God to forgive me. 

I called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save me on December 19^th, 2009, after watching the movie Fire Proofstarring Kirk Cameron. The law and the gospel was clearly presented in that movie. During the following week a battle ensued; Satan, the flesh and the world raged but at the end of that week I resolved to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. On December 27^th, while in Sunday school class, our teacher was talking about New Year’s resolutions. I wrote down on a blank envelope which I still have.

Two things:

1.    Allow Jesus to be Lord over my life daily. Make that commitment to him daily and allow his Holy Spirit to fill me.

2.    Do to others as I would have them do to me. Do this in all aspects. 

I signed my name and dated the envelop, December 27^th, 2009. 

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”[3]

I looked up Kirk Cameron on the internet after my conversion because the Lord used him in the movie Fire Proof to convert me to Christ. I began watching The Way of the Mastertelevision program with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. I began listening to sermons by Ray Comfort: Hell’s BestKept Secretand True and False Conversion. I realized that I had previously been a false convert and had become a true convert when I called on the name of the Lord to save me. Therefore, I decided to learn how to share the gospel using the method that Ray Comfort call’s The Way of the Master: preach the law prior to preaching the gospel.

Why preach the law prior to preaching the gospel?

1.    The Law shows us our guilt before God and stops us from justifying ourselves. (cf. Rom 3:19)

2.    The law shows us that we are sinners. (cf. Rom 3:20)

3.    The law defines sin. (cf. Rom 7:7)

4.    The law was given to bring sinners to Christ. (cf. Gal 3:24)[4]

I do not remember the exact date that I first shared the law and the gospel with someone, but I do remember the year (2010) and the circumstances. A college age man came to the door of our home selling something. I do not remember what he was selling but I do remember asking him, “Are you a good person?” He answered “Yes!” I asked him, “Can I ask you a few questions to see if that is true?” He said, “Yes!” I shared the law and the gospel with him and told him that he must repent and believe in the gospel to be saved. I asked him, “Are you going to do that?” He answered, “Yes!” I put my hand on his shoulder and prayed to the Lord on his behalf. 

I had shared the gospel with this young man and he appeared receptive. I thanked God for granting it to me to glorify his name. I was emotionally elated and was set on fire from that point on to share the gospel.

However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[5]

On Sunday, January 29^th, 2012, I had read on social media that a group of missionaries in Nepal were stoned. They had been preaching the gospel outdoors. A crowd gathered around them listening to what the missionaries had to say. Then one of the missionaries espoused the words of Jesus from John 14:6; Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” The crowd erupted in anger and began stoning the missionaries. 

It was a Sunday morning when I read about this. Later, while in church service we sang, I Surrender all to You; listening to the words of that song, with the report of these missionaries fresh in my mind I was convicted to make evangelism a concerted effort in my life. I began going out to a street corner with a cross and handing out gospel tracts to everyone who walked by. Later that year I began preaching outdoors with Sports Fan Outreach international at the Super Bowl, at our local college and the court house. The Lord has given me a desire and an ability to memorize Scripture, so my preaching outdoors is very simple. I recite portions of The Gospel According to Johnwhile passing out copies of the book. If anyone engages me in conversation, I stop reciting and share the law and the gospel with them. However, most people walk by pretending that I am not there and a few hurl abuses; nevertheless, I am out there because “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”[6]

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[1]Jl. 2:32; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13.

[2]Cf. Rom. 10:9.

[3]Rom. 10:14-15.

[4]Ray Comfort, Hell’s Best Kept Secret(New Kensington: Whitaker House, 2004), 29-30.

[5]Rom. 10:16.

[6]Rom. 10:17.

The Apostle Paul’s Journey and Yours

The apostle Paul’s journey did not begin on the road to Damascus but began long before he started on that road. There was much preparatory work done in the life of Paul to put him in place to hear the gospel and be used by God as a missionary to the gentiles. The journey took him to Damascus where a brother in Christ (Ananias) meet him for follow-up. Ananias said to Paul, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17, NASB) It seems to me that Ananias preached the gospel to Paul. He repented and believed, the scales fell from his eyes and he regained sight, was baptized by Ananias, was regenerated (filled by the Holy Spirit) evidenced by his strengthening. (Acts 9:18) Paul immediately began to bear fruit keeping with repentance, preaching the gospel in the synagogues. Paul was not a stagnant Christian. Like a new born baby, he was growing stronger all the time. Paul’s evangelistic preaching had become so strong that the Jews plotted to kill him. Paul returned to Damascus from Arabia likely to follow-up on those who had received the gospel during his stay there. (Gal 1:17) Had they persevered? Where they bearing fruit? Are they growing stronger in the Lord Jesus Christ? Paul then went to Jerusalem to consult with those who were Christians before him. (Gal 2:1-6)

What Can We Learn from The Spiritual Journey of The Apostle Paul?

We can take from the spiritual journey of the apostle Paul that one’s election, calling, conversion, regeneration, justification, and sanctification is a process. Yes, on a single day we repented and believed but there is much preparatory work done by the Lord to get us to the place where we will hear the gospel and respond to it in repentance and faith. I believe that those who are saved were predestined for salvation before the foundation of the earth. However, effectual calling precedes conversion which precedes regeneration.¹ The journey does not stop at conversion or regeneration. Once converted and regenerated one is united with Christ, justified in the eyes of God and adopted as a son.² The true child of God is being sanctified; and therefore, should be growing in godliness which means bearing fruit keeping with repentance.³ All believers should be associated in fellowship with other believers. Secondly, all believers should be growing stronger in holiness. Lastly, all believers should be sharing the gospel with unbelievers, not doing so is disobedience. C. H. Spurgeon said, “I do not want to be your pastor simply so that I may preach to you; I long to see souls saved, and to see those who are saved seeking to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ.”⁴

Donald S. Whitney said, “I’m convinced that the main reason many of us don’t witness for Christ in ways that would be effective and relatively fear-free is simply because we don’t discipline ourselves to do it.”⁵ Evangelism is expected: I think that most Christians understand this but are disobedient.⁶ Evangelism is empowered: Some understand this, but many do not know that we preach by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not up to us to when soles but to preach the gospel.⁷ Evangelism is a discipline: I think that few understand this. In fact, the concept is new to me and I am now embracing it. I think that Whitney is correct the reason that Christians are disobedient in sharing the gospel is that they have not disciplined themselves to do it. 

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¹ Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 3^rded. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 863.

² Ibid, 874-895.

³ Ibid, 897.

⁴ C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1995), 110-111.

⁵ Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for The Christian Life, 2^nded. (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2014), 120.

⁶ Ibid, 120-122.

⁷ Ibid, 122-127.

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REDEMPTION

God created everything including man; therefore, whatever God commands is law.¹ Man rebelled against the law of God and has been in rebellion against the law of God from the time of the first man and woman and has continued in rebellion to this very day.² The penalty for sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.³ God is gracious; therefore, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.⁴ Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, fully God and fully man except in sin.⁵ Jesus lived a righteous life, as a man fully obedient to the will of God the Father.⁶ Jesus promised eternal life to all who would ever come to believe in him, then he died in our place for our sins. On the third day Jesus defeated death and bodily rose from the dead.⁷ After this Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father God and will return at a time of the Father’s choosing to judge the earth.⁸ When he does, all the dead will rise to face him in judgment. Jesus will put those who received him on his right and those who rejected him on his left. Those who rejected him will go away to eternal punishment, the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death. Those who received him will go into eternal life in the new heaven and new earth living eternally with God.⁹ No man knows the day or hour of Christ return.¹⁰ Nor does anyone know the day or hour of their own death. Christ may return during this life and you will face him in judgment. Like most people throughout history you may first die then after this the judgment. Either way you are going to face the Son of Man in judgement.¹¹ When Christ returns will you be on his right or on his left? Repent and believe in the gospel. “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”¹² Jesus will listen to you and will help you repent and believe. Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ today before it is too late. Now is the acceptable time to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is the day of salvation.¹³

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¹ Cf. Gn 1-2.

² Cf. Gn 3; Rom 3:10-18; 5:12-14.

³ Rom 6:23.

⁴ Jn 3:16-17.

⁵ 1 Pt 2:22.

⁶ Mt 17:5.

⁷ Lk 24:44-49.

⁸ Acts 1:9-11.

⁹ Cr. Mt 25:31-46; Rv 20-22

¹⁰ Mk 13:32.

¹¹ Heb 9:27.

¹² Rom 10:13, NASB.

¹³ 1 Cor 6:2.