For the past twenty years we have had a simple strategy to reach our generation with the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  With the motivation of our motto “changing lives one soul at a time,” we ask each person to reach one person each year.  The potential of this seemingly simple system is amazing, not just for us as an organization but for the cause of the Kingdom in the world.   I first thought the genius of this method is the little effort it required of all of us.  Given what we believe and have experienced, reaching one person each year was in effect asking us to underperform.  After all , we have experienced the abundant life in Christ. Who else promises a full and meaningful life, a kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and the abiding presence of God?

On the other hand there are the consequences of rejecting the love of God freely extended to us in the person of Jesus Christ.  Hell, the unquenchable fire; a place of eternal torment.  It seems  to me that natural human compassion would require every effort to ensure no one goes there, especially anyone we love.  Yet over the years we have failed miserably, and the mystery of our failure haunts me every day.  This is why the Bible teaches that love is the great motivator, only love overrides all our objections to reaching out, or our fears of inadequacy and our comfort zones of slothfulness and procrastination. Every day we pray for the will of God and revelation of our ministry while promising to act on it tomorrow.  Some people say tomorrow never comes, but the more precise reality is that tomorrow brings the same entrenched patterns of yesterday.  We will ask the same questions; make the same promises and the same worthless pledges to begin tomorrow.

I am always asked how to overcome this rut, and honestly, I don’t know the answer myself.  I have tried a couple of remedies over the years. Discipleship is the method used in the Bible to advance the growth and ministry of believers.  So I have implemented the structures of discipleship and provided the best training available without avail.  So I resorted to making it easier all the time for people to reach out to those around them in the natural course of their day.  One great idea was a printed invitation on a business card, like people give out every day.  The challenge was to take about five or ten cards each week, and give out two or three a day to people in passing.   In my mind this is so easy surely it would work.  Think again!

This week I was at the bank with a fellow member when the situation called for one of those easy to pass out cards.  Between us we did not have one, even though I have sworn to myself if no one else passes them out I would. There is a little good news about that, we still have the desire to make the invitation, and not having any cards meant that at least I had given away the ones I keep in my wallet.  At least that’s how I consoled myself! The bad news you already figured out; however, the lesson I learned is the value of commitment.  We will not do what we are not totally committed to just because it’s easy!

"It's Just A Thought"

EF

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