Go

When we were saved, Jesus did not take us home to be with Him - that's coming, but our presence on
earth indicates that He is not finished with our work on earth. 2nd Corinthians 5 states:
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

The next verse tells us that we are His ambassadors.  He has given us a message to share - God loves us, He sent His Son to die for us, Jesus has saved us, and He has brought us out of darkness into His incredible light.  We now represent Him as light in the dark world around us, and He empowers us to make Him known.  There is a call, there is a purpose for us, and God wants us to communicate His love, grace, and truth.

+++++

At the end of the 28th chapter of Matthew, we find a passage that contains what we know as the Great Commission:
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Often, we lament the decline of Christian values in the culture, the hostility toward or ignorance to the things of God.  We fight for policies that are faith-friendly, we seek to make our moral stands based on Scriptures, and those are good things.

But, there is an element that can certainly reverse the steep moral decline: more hearts that are devoted to Jesus Christ!  Plain and simple, if more people knew Jesus and obeyed Him, that would make a dramatic difference in the world in which we live.  Yes, the world into which we are called to go, according to the Great Commission in Matthew chapter 28!

A new Barna survey gives us some clues regarding a contributing factor to our moral landslide. Comparing results from a 1993 study to a current one, the response to this statement is telling:
“Every Christian has a responsibility to share their faith.” The survey summary says, "In 1993, nine out of 10 Christians who had shared their faith agreed (89%). Today, just two-thirds say so (64%)—a 25-point drop."

The summary also says:

A growing number of Christians don’t see sharing the good news as a personal responsibility. Just 10 percent of Christians in 1993 who had shared about their faith agreed with the statement “converting people to Christianity is the job of the local church”—as opposed to the job of an individual (i.e., themselves). Twenty-five years later, three in 10 Christians who have had a conversation about faith say evangelism is the local church’s responsibility (29%), a nearly threefold increase.

Now, there is a silver lining here, as the summary says: "compared to 25 years ago, Christians today are more likely to say they are proactive about looking for or trying to create faith-sharing opportunities with non-Christians (19% vs. 11% in 1993)."

We also see there has been a change in the content one uses to share his or her faith. For instance, in 1993, "a majority of Christians 25 years ago also reported emphasizing the beneficial aspects of accepting Jesus (78%)—a strategy that today is less common (50%)."  The summary also says that...

...researchers were surprised that Christians today who have talked about their faith are more likely than those in 1993 to say they use the same basic entryways and content each time they engage in a conversation about faith (44% vs. 33%). The most common approaches, a majority says, are asking questions about the other person’s beliefs and experiences (70%) and sharing their faith in the way they live rather than by speaking about it (65%).

Regarding Christians' seeming reluctance to share their faith, Barna editor-in-chief Roxanne Stone states: "The overarching cultural trends of secularism, relativism, pluralism and the digital age are contributing to a society that is less interested in religion and that has marginalized the place of spirituality in everyday life,” adding, “As a result, Christians in America today have to live in the tension between Jesus’ commands to tell others the good news and growing cultural taboos against proselytizing—a core part of Christianity from its origins and, many practicing Christians believe, is essential for the salvation of their listeners."  She calls for church leaders to help empower believers to share their faith.

This report can challenge us to examine our willingness to share our faith, and how the boldness of Christians can be used of the Lord to transform a life and to impact our communities.  We can remember that faith can change the heart, a right heart can lead to right action, and collective right actions transform a culture.  We can certainly be challenged to ask the Lord for boldness to share what He has done.

We can also consider, "What is our testimony?"  We can and should reflect on what God has done in our lives - it's been said that the components include: what our life was like before we met Jesus, what He, in fact, did in our hearts, and the difference He has made.  We have all been given a story of God's grace and faithfulness to share.

Fortunately, there are all sorts of resources available that can equip us in sharing what God has done. If we need equipping or prompting, there are tools the Holy Spirit can use.

Finally, we can develop a sensitivity for open doors - we can take advantage of opportunities for conversation.  In the course of relationships and in one-on-one encounters, we can look for openings in which we can inject God into that discussion.