Jesus' disciples had only five loaves of bread and a couple of small fish, and Jesus had called on them to feed over five thousand people. This was of course an impossible task for them to accomplish with their very limited resources, the fish and loaves would never meet the need. I'm sure you remember what happened in this miracle, as Jesus blessed the small amount the disciples brought to Him and it was multiplied so that there was enough to feed the multitude with leftovers.
I remember a faith building "fish and loaves"moment for me, back when I was a twenty three year old, newlywed, newly hired youth pastor. I was hired by a denominational church to oversee the youth, and my first assigned task was to meet with the parent leaders of the church's "teen club". I was sure zealous for Jesus and for His word, and I just knew these parent leaders would be also. Boy was I wrong!
As I met with the parents, the first thing I did was get rid of the name "teen club". I told them we weren't a club, but a ministry. I then canceled all of the club activities for the next couple of months, and told them our main focus would be a Sunday night Bible study. We would have social activities eventually, but at first I wanted to make the Word of God the clear foundation of the ministry. So, it was out with the bowling night and the miniature golf night, and in with the Bible study.
I really thought that the parent leaders would be as excited as I was about this new direction, but they weren't. There was at least an hour of resistance and lecturing on how I was out of touch with the youth of the day. It was difficult, but I didn't back down on what I knew the Lord was calling me to do. By the end of the evening all but one of the fifteen or so leaders resigned. The night I had been so excited about blew up in my face, and the parents I was so sure would be behind me, were hoping for my failure.
As I drove home feeling pretty weak and alone, I prayed a prayer that I have said many times since that night, it went like......Lord I think I'm in over my head, but I have to obey what You are calling me to do, so here I am, I have Your Spirit, Your word, and I can pray, help!!
As in the Gospels, this "fish and loaves" story also had a miraculous ending. Within a couple of months our Sunday night study overflowed the church library with over one hundred high school students, and many young people came to salvation through the ministry.
How we need to continue to learn this lesson of the "fish and loaves" and realize it's not about us, but all about Jesus, He's the miracle worker. Our job is to bring what we have to Him, and have Him bless and multiply and be glorified.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Soft Touch Evangelism?
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23
I recently saw a set of interesting questions used by Asian Access, a Christian missions agency in South Asia. The questions are used to determine the readiness of a new convert to follow Christ. As you will see their evangelism technique is very different than what we use here in the States.....see what you think.
*Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?
*Are you willing to lose your job?
*Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?
*Are you willing to give an offering to the Lord?
*Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?
*Are you willing to go to prison?
*Are you willing to die for Jesus?
At first these seemed to be pretty harsh questions to be putting to someone who is near to coming to Christ. I felt like they were almost making it too difficult to commit to Jesus. But when you consider the intense persecution that Christians are under in South Asia, you realize it is right that these new converts should be told the truth about the cost of following Jesus.
There are many blessings promised to those who commit to Christ, but an easy life here on earth is not one of them. Our path in following Jesus is heading in a completely opposite direction than the path of this world, therefore we ought to expect resistance and harassment.
I heard one pastor who felt that because of all of our freedoms here in America, we proclaim what he termed "soft touch" evangelism. He said this type of evangelism does not speak of the cost of discipleship. That got me wondering, along with him, if the "soft touch" breeds Christians who are soft in their commitment, and who wither too quickly when trials arise. Not that we should make it difficult to accept Jesus, but that we should more fully explain what it means to take up the cross daily.
How would you have answered the questions that Asian Access puts to their new converts? I'm hoping you would answer yes to all of them, I know I would. And though we may never be confronted with the same persecution facing our brothers and sisters in South Asia, may we have the same resolve to follow our beloved Jesus, no matter the cost.
I recently saw a set of interesting questions used by Asian Access, a Christian missions agency in South Asia. The questions are used to determine the readiness of a new convert to follow Christ. As you will see their evangelism technique is very different than what we use here in the States.....see what you think.
*Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?
*Are you willing to lose your job?
*Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?
*Are you willing to give an offering to the Lord?
*Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?
*Are you willing to go to prison?
*Are you willing to die for Jesus?
At first these seemed to be pretty harsh questions to be putting to someone who is near to coming to Christ. I felt like they were almost making it too difficult to commit to Jesus. But when you consider the intense persecution that Christians are under in South Asia, you realize it is right that these new converts should be told the truth about the cost of following Jesus.
There are many blessings promised to those who commit to Christ, but an easy life here on earth is not one of them. Our path in following Jesus is heading in a completely opposite direction than the path of this world, therefore we ought to expect resistance and harassment.
I heard one pastor who felt that because of all of our freedoms here in America, we proclaim what he termed "soft touch" evangelism. He said this type of evangelism does not speak of the cost of discipleship. That got me wondering, along with him, if the "soft touch" breeds Christians who are soft in their commitment, and who wither too quickly when trials arise. Not that we should make it difficult to accept Jesus, but that we should more fully explain what it means to take up the cross daily.
How would you have answered the questions that Asian Access puts to their new converts? I'm hoping you would answer yes to all of them, I know I would. And though we may never be confronted with the same persecution facing our brothers and sisters in South Asia, may we have the same resolve to follow our beloved Jesus, no matter the cost.
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