#148: THE FORGOTTEN ONE'S 2

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col 1:27)

What is stopping you?

A preacher once told his congregation that they were not living right and he’d be far more interested in a quality church rather than a quantity church. I wondered if he was giving his members the leverage to leave the church if they were not willing to grow. But love never gives up, it believes the best, and that’s why even God Himself never gives up on us; it’s His desire that all His children come to the knowledge of Him and grow in this knowledge.

I however do not think that there can be a quality church without a quantity church because, the one’s whom we call quality would definitely be equipped to go out there and bring in the quantity. And when the quantity comes in, they also can be transformed into the quality and hence go out again and bring in more quantity, and the train continues.

One major reason why the mission of Jesus has not yet become the mission of the believer is ignorance. If you came from a church like mine where we grew up never hearing about soul-winning, then you’d probably see no need to go out there. Where I hailed from, no one, not even the pastor ever spoke about. It was not the pastor’s business and surely not the member’s business. It was believed that such a thing was a no go area for the common believers like us. It was only for the qualified; the evangelists and missionaries. 

But Jesus, before he left committed to us; every believer, the ministry of reconciliation. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”(2 Cor 5:18-20)

Another major reason why believers struggle to go out there where the people are is fear.

This believer knows the mandate that Jesus has committed to him but he cannot go out there despite his knowledge because he’s held back by his limitations. I do not have the utterance. What if I’m rejected? I’d rather stay here in my room and pray for them. I’m introverted and it’s not in my nature to speak to people. And so many other excuses the enemy has given us. But God has not given to us the spirit of fear or timidity but of power, love and of a sound mind (2Tim 1:7). 

This is only but the strategy of the devil to keep us from emptying his kingdom. As much as Jesus is interested in the souls of men, so is the devil and he’d do anything to keep you from going out there where the people are. 

Before Jesus left, he told his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). and then, they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The only way to fight this thing called fear is by coming into a knowledge and undertanding of who we are in Christ, knowing that we are not the ones in ourselves carrying out this mandate but Christ through us and by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

God would want us to rise above our weaknesses, fears and limitations and trust Him to help us carry out the mission that he has left in our hands.

Another reason why a believer would not go out there where the people are is because he or she doesn’t care about the work of ministry. 

This believer knows the mandate given, may not necessarily be afraid of going out there, but just would not go out there because he or she has not placed the mission of Christ a priority over other aspects of his life.

This person is usually more engaged with so many other things like academics, business or family life, that he cannot make out some time out of his busy schedule to minister to someone. His prayers are almost always centered around himself, his family and probably his friends, not even having a single thought about the people outside there who have not come to the knowledge of Christ.

Until this believer stops thinking only about himself and organizes his priorities and set them right, he would never see the need to go out there and he’d ultimately never go out there where the people are. A person whose priority is Jesus would definitely have the kingdom of God at heart.

T.L. Osborn once said, “God has you where you are, to be His contact with people. The pastor may not be able to reach your contacts. You are there-among your classmates, in your factory, in your neighborhood. You are God’s connection with those around you. You are His voice, His body. Be His witness. Let Him speak through you. When you tell what Christ has done for and through you, we could call your stories… The Gospel According to Y-O-U.”

PRAYER:

Father, open the eyes of our understanding as to matters concerning the work of ministry. That the advancement of the kingdom become our priority and that we may rise above our limitations and go out there where the people are.