Share the Good News!

When it's all said and done..more is said.

That was my response to a friend a while ago over the topic of evangelism and outreach in our local church. We study the passage to death (Matthew 28:18-20). We have events to fire up people to go out and share the Good News. We have group activities, sharing, games to talk about evangelism, Great Commission. Yet all these effort, the proclaiming of the gospel still yet to be seen. (note: this might be a rather negative statement.)

For my own experience, nothing is more convicting than the truth of the Bible. Like a mirror. A glimpse of what I consider 'doing' the work for Christ is not what the Bible points to.

In John 1:41, two disciples of John the Baptist heard Jesus is the Messiah, one of them, immediately told his brother.

In Acts, where Paul traveled, he would go into the synagogue and preaches the Gospel (Acts 17:1, 10, 17, 18:5 etc.)

It is amazing what I learn from reading the Bible :). Page after page. Passage after passage. The gospel is being spread. It is told. It is proclaim. At times during persecution. At times when it is in peace. No matter what season or the circumstance. The Good News ispreach!

This month is Mission Month in my church. The weekend my pastor invited another pastor from NYC to talk about evangelism.

Yesterday we went to pass out gospel tracts in Mississauga. I told my pastor, "I am afraid but I am still going to go."

So yesterday, a bunch of us, in a busy corner passing gospel tracts. To be honest, I rather be doing something else. BUT...a big BUT....when Jesus calls and if I told Him I will follow, I will.

My pastor described evangelism as being obedient to the Lord's work. It wasn't about the result. There were those who took the tracts. Some rejected it. A lady yelled at me screaming, "my arms are full!" (hehe...really both of her hands were holding groceries). A man questioned me and asked me what about Islam.

We will not know where the tracts will lead to. We are just the messenger. God is the One who grows and changes the heart. The saddest part will be standing before Jesus and He asks me, "Cliff, what have you done with the blessings I bestow upon you?"

If all the blessings I spend on myself and my indulgence....I think we are pretty sure we know whether I am cliff-centered of Christ-centered. I just want my faith to be something real. Authentic. If it is puff up with nothing inside...I might as well forgo accepting this faith. It is either all-in or all-out. There is no other way.

Today, I had an opportunity to sit down with Don. We talked about my trip to Australia. A lot of laughs over pho. Before I dropped him off, I gave him a Bible. He told me he got one from me already (OOPS! Forgot about that). I told him this one is easier to read (it is a NLT version). I told him to read Luke and Acts. They are easier to read and give a good story of being a Christian. We prayed at pho and I told him God has been blessing him being able to row at 70 and still win medals.

Lord, I am not worthy to proclaim your message or consider as your children.

Because of your grace through Jesus Christ, my broken life was reconciled.

Might You be pleased with this offering.

Might Your Kingdom come upon Mississauga.

Might those who are your children be filled with the Spirit.

To be bold and courage to proclaim the Truth.

To be compassionated and love those who are lost.

As we were all lost before You reveal Yourself to us.

To not be distracted by many things in life.

Because these things, no matter how fine they are, will not last.

Might we focus on the eternal.

For temporal is second class.

And it is a shame to spend forever to dwell upon things that will pass away.