We must take care that the Great Commission does not become the grave omission! The sharing of the Gospel begins in our family and extends to our church community. We are to let our light shine in the marketplace, at the worksite, in the schoolhouse, and wherever our steps may lead.
I have been blessed to travel to places as far away as Albania, Brazil, and India on international mission trips. Closer to home, I have been to Canada, Vermont, West Virginia, Indiana, and Virginia on mission efforts. It is always a joy to tell others of Jesus and His love. We are either soul-winning or sinning, for Christ did not give us an option concerning evangelization. We are commanded to do it!
Now, I realize that physically we are somewhat limited in how many people we can talk to and how many places we can travel to. But, as we also pray and give, we can support others who can extend beyond our reach. Partnering with other churches, we can have a global impact!
That is what the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions is all about. Do you realize that 100% of those monies is used to support thousands of missionaries. Some of these labor in places where we cannot tell you, nor even share their names, because they would be in peril of getting kicked out...or worse. These courageous witnesses deserve our fervent prayers and financial aid.
There are close to eight billion people in our world and over three billion of those have little to no access to the Gospel! If people die in their sins without hearing about Jesus, they have no hope. You may say, "That's not fair!" But, don't blame God. He has provided the means of salvation in His Son, and the manner of sharing the Gospel through His church. If there are those who have not heard, it is because we have not heeded our marching orders!
What would God have you to do? How much can you give? Seek His will. Seek God's heart. Share His love.
Yours for the Gospel,
Dennis Thurman, Haywood Baptist Associational Mission Strategist
