Blog

by Nathan Buck

Right now today there are many people, especially Americans, who believe the world is worse than ever before. They feel like crime, terrorism, juvenile delinquency, police brutality, political strife between nations, etc. is all worse than ever before. I have to say it is tempting to believe that. I am sure if we did an in depth statistical analysis, we might find that the moral compass of the world is a bit more bent and off target than ever before. Maybe.

I often wonder if it is just different than before, or more “seen” than ever before because of technology. And then I read articles about how the American Christian church may be shrinking, but those who are firm Bible believing followers of Jesus are becoming more intentional and active in serving others. Then I read that more Muslims are coming to Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior every day than ever before in history. Muslims are reading the Koran in their common language, realizing the fullness of what Muhammad taught, and casting the tyranny aside for the love of Jesus. Some are even having dreams and visions from God, leading them to Jesus.

Then I read about how many people have no understanding of the Bible and are sick of the caricature of Christianity, but they would be more than willing to sit down and learn what the Bible says from a follower of Christ. And I read about small groups of believers preparing to seek out Muslim, Syrian refugee, LGBT, liberal academic, atheist, and scientific communities to build a dialogue in hopes of demonstrating the love of Jesus by sharing life with them.

I could go on, but suffice it to say I realize there is HOPE and OPPORTUNITY for God to be seen, everywhere we are tempted to despair. In fact, those places may be more open to receiving Jesus, than the casual churchgoer.

The Apostle Paul intentionally sought out places where people had never heard of Jesus, in order to go and share God's Truth. Read Romans 15:14-21.

He tried to avoid preaching and teaching where others already were succeeding. He was not in competition. He wanted to go to the “hard” places, the “tough crowds,” because he knew they might be quick to receive God's ways. Why? The same reason any believer may have - what we were already living wasn't working, and we didn't have any real hope to look forward to.

He wanted to go to those places because part of God's promise in sending Jesus was that people who had never heard of God would hear and understand. But Paul did more than just go and talk. EVERY place he went to share God's message, he was able to demonstrate the truth of God's promises, and the resurrection of Jesus, with POWER. The Holy Spirit provided signs and wonders, healings, raising the dead, casting out wicked spirits, etc. When God's living power was active on the scene, people realized that nothing they believed compared to Almighty God.

So, here's a question: who has heard about Jesus for the first time because of you? Are you even able to talk to non-believers about faith stuff? Take a page from Paul's example; get out of the insider conversations about Jesus that are mostly used as excuses to justify how spiritual we are and pontificate on what is wrong with the Church or the world. Go and learn how to communicate with those who don't know Jesus. And I mean communicate, not browbeat and endlessly quote Scripture at them. Share life with them, and demonstrate the love of Christ. And if your heart is as Paul's was, desiring to show Jesus to others as of first and only importance (even through ordinary everyday life), I am certain God will provide the demonstration of His power everywhere He needs to - through you.

(Warning: once you learn to talk like a real believer with real unbelievers, you may wonder how you ever understood all the religious babble in the first place. You may also experience people giving their lives to Jesus.)

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