Presenting Gospel never a Choice, but a mandate- 1

The excitement and satisfaction after experiencing the gift of salvation does not become a revolution in most cases because somehow that experience gets boxed under a self-contentment and with a personal spiritual framework; either self-imposed or under a denominational barrier. The experience becomes too personal and rarely finds motivation to make it public.

Experiencing the gift of salvation isn’t passive in nature, or never too personal. If you recollect the amazing incident mentioned in Luke 7:36-40 about a sinful lady finding Jesus while He was dining in the house of Pharisees who invited to eat with him. Note, she is not an invitee, but probably Christ discourse and her earlier encounter with Jesus had induced conviction of sin in her, she couldn’t hold any longer private. It is told that the sinful lady barged into the house and demonstrated confession in an unusual way and was transformed with a new mission identity. Jesus declares in V48 “..Your sins are forgiven”, And Matthew records Christ said about her in Matthew 26:13 “Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed In the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

So, what am I trying to say here? When you encounter true real Salvation, you will not be able to cage it in, but you will actually become desperate to make it public and become a source of inspiration irrespective of any threats. Paul for example, after he encountered Christ, stayed with the disciples for some time (Acts 9:19), and then it is recorded this way, “immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the son of God.”. And further it records in Acts 9:22, “Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. “.  Be aware of this fact, your Commitment to Christ can never force you to stay passive.

Sharing the good news is never a choice, it is a mandate and a serious business. Peter in His discourse says in the book of Acts, that God has appointed him (and all disciples) as witnesses and commanded to preach to the people about salvation and Judgement (Acts 10: 41-42).  Sadly, today people are satisfied with their personal worship which is extended and settled to corporate worshiping and fellowshipping in their Churches alone. I am assuming people are engaging in active fellowshipping, because nowadays visiting Church building per se, has become more important than the need to actively engage with each other. The powerful question to Isaiah is still echoing strongly today, “Who shall I send? Who will go for us?...” Isaiah 6: 8.

In the powerful words of E Stanley Jones, “Let it be noted that if Christianity isn’t worth exporting, it isn’t worth keeping, if we cannot share it, we cannot keep it.”. The great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19, has not migrated to a suggestion. Just because the people aren’t taking it up seriously, does not mean it is suggesting you to stay at home comfortably and pray for the salvation of people. It’s time to break your religious boundary and denominational barriers. Enough of rest my fellow-people. Mark the words of Horatius Bonar, a Scottish clergyman and songwriter of the nineteenth century. ‘The world is still sleeping its “sleep of death.” It has a slumber for many generations; -sometimes deeper, sometimes lighter,- yet still a slumber like that of the tomb, as if destined to continue till the last trumpet sound; and there shall be no more sleep.’.  This is so real in the case of so called Christians today. Can you seriously think over it?

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When the good fails to be full good!

In my earlier blogs I have quoted this fabulous Poem “Two kinds of people” by Ela Wheeler Wilcox. Now I feel the necessity to bring once again the first three paragraphs of this poem which is so rich in its essence.

Two kinds of people by Ela Wheeler Wilcox

There are two kinds of people on earth to-day;

Just two kinds of people, no more I say.

Not the sinner and saint, for it's well understood

The good are half bad and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,

You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

The problem with many Christians is that they are close to being complete good and fail to live with the good that Christ modeled. To a larger extent, we are all affected by these factors, Dichotomy (living a life with two extremes), Mediocrity (taking a middle path, trying to be safe) and Compromising lifestyle (half-good and half-bad). It doesn’t disturb people for who they are as long as their survival is not intercepted. If you notice in the Bible, Elijah at one-point challenges the crowd who were leading a dual-life, a life with hypocrisy. Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow him, But the people didn’t answer him a word.”.  1 Kings 18:21. Many people will not say ‘no’, neither would they say ‘Yes’ when needed. They hypocritically adapt a new lifestyle.

With crisis getting deeper and deeper how are people responding now? Either completely surrendering and following God genuinely or learning to mitigate the situation and lead a life of dichotomy. Jesus warns this when He says, “Be on your guard, so that your mind are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life…” Luke 21:34. Both pleasure and pain has the capacity to dull our minds and conscience, and drive us to live without a real sense of purpose and accountability. This will further force people to live with half good. Do you see that?

In Job 36:13 it says, “Those who have a godless heart harbor anger, even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.”. Crisis and challenges point our direction to God. But people choose to ignore it and find their own way to handle the situation. We can question suffering and not be willing reach out to Him at all. However, you have a choice? Either seriously turn to Him, or remain the way you are with half good.

The unfortunate tales of selective goodness is ripping Christendom. Christians and people who are in leadership are becoming very unpredictable, who they are today are not who they will be tomorrow. In the world of technology, we started using people like social apps, we can mute them, block them and unmute them and unblock them when we need to connect. We are in the final countdown, unless our goodness gets perfected, we are sure heading for ultimate disappointment.

I want to close with the powerful words of John Wesley with which he directed his lay preachers, 

“Never be unemployed, never be triflingly employed…Be serious: let your motto be, Holiness to the Lord. Avoid all lightness as you would avoid hell-fire, and trifling as you would cursing and swearing. Touch no woman; be as loving as you will, but the custom of the country is nothing to us. Take money of no one; if they give you food when you are hungry, and clothes when you want them, it is enough; but no silver or gold: let there be no pretense for any one to say we grow rich by the gospel.”

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When everybody has a channel to follow...

We are in a digital age where connecting virtually has become easier, a fashion, a priority and the inevitable. Have you noticed almost everyone has at least one channel or a preacher who they follow and does a promotion on behalf of the channel? You send a link to the least common person and he is ready to send you back with two links of someone on earth who is there on the air already and who is desperately waiting for a follow from you.

The speaker in the YouTube, social media or a blog desperately wants a follower base and by the end of the video or a blog ensures he catches your attention by borrowing and begging your attention to like him/her and share his video link. If you carefully notice people are conceited with a false sense of satisfaction, I mean the one who is an ardent follower and the one who is begging to increase his followers’ group.

Well, you may say Paul asked his people to follow him. Yes, you are right, but if you carefully notice it says, "Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.". 1 Corinthians 11:1. Paul was worth imitating because the likeness of Christ and the gospel was revealed in him and moreover it demanded the followers to actively engage in the Mission of Christ unlike today who in social media and YouTube who are promoting self, and in most cases literally has nothing to do with you. Each day he is excited to see his likes and followers shooting up and that means it fetches him some good money. It may sound crude, and you may want to discontinue reading, that's ok, but I thought it is good to strip the deception than people partaking in it.

Everything is sadly connected with money and maintains a superficial and an uncommitted relationship. And God had to break it to an extent, that everything has come to a halt. But the big guy and one in social media is not ready to leave you to a larger extent, because it can mean loss of his business. And all are ready to virtually keep you stay connected with that person. Please don't be deceived. Such people will not go to heaven and neither allow you to go to heaven. Follow this verse, “Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were trying to go in.” Luke 11:52 CSB.

What's my point? I am not against online Churches but the mere fact that it handicaps a person to just be there connected without engaging in the grandeur Mission of great commission is treacherous. Many people are satisfied by giving some money for Mission work and escaping from their responsibility.  And sadly, many spiritual giants on TV and YouTube are also wanting them to be so as long as they benefit. Disastrous!

There are more followers of the big guys in media than followers of Christ. How do we escape the deception? Where are the big healing campaigners in this Corona pandemic? Hiding in their houses for personal safety! Where are the Christian giants who were making a big show to drive the demons and published who they are in media? Please don't be conceited with the false teachings and teachers. You have the anointing already (1 John 2:27) and a helper and a comforter too (John 14:16). Share the gospel and make disciple by all means and support who honestly are also engaging in the same.

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Mobile Church Model

Mobile church model consisted of Jesus, His disciples and people who came to hear Him at different settings. Jesus set a model of this moving, mobile Koinonia (community, fellowship or church). Jesus by all means intended to break the importance in terms of location and prominence so that these factors including Christian hyped-up celebrities don't rob the essence of the movement, which is present in the church. Today many Churches gain its prominence by means of its grandiose structure, mesmerizing music, and the pastor who most of the time becomes a celebrity in the course of time. 

The movement is not about Location and structure.

Jesus in His conversation with Samaritan lady told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." John 4:21 CSB . If you notice both these places had a significant importance in history and worthy to become a Shrine. Jesus basically intended to demolish anything that has a potential to gain importance more than God. In Matthew (18:20) it says "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” God's presence exists in the gathering that makes the church or fellowship, not the other way around. In Acts 7:48 it says. "but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says:"

The Jerusalem temple became such an important Shrine that it was broken again and again as prophesied by Jesus in Mathew 21:6. "Not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down". God dwells in human heart. Paul understood this model so correctly that he strongly emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 3:16 "Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you”? You carry the temple of God everywhere and exhibit the Love of Christ.  Today, probably when everything is getting suspended God is probably reminding us to equip our Church members to be a Church in themselves and become the temple in their community.

Coronavirus has emptied the Vatican, the capital of Catholicism, it caused restrictions in Jerusalem Synagogues, Churches of any grandeur and all other religious institutions. Is God telling us something? That He is not in places or buildings but in people! Surely if God was in building or places then these would be the safest places. But, at this very moment these are the most dangerous places. Currently the safest place is your home.

Restoring Church at home model:

Early Church didn’t view Church as a place to go. Neither, did they see their gatherings as “services”. All the gatherings were in houses, basically house Churches, I mean. With the current Challenge that we are encountering, the early Church model seems to be the best model for believers to stay intact and attract Non-Christians to the fold.  Time to help our believers use all their teachings they received in Church and demonstrate Mobile Church Model / House Church model to impact lives at the earliest.

1) Jesus ministered in homes, and much of the gospel narrative takes place in homes. Jesus ate in people’s homes, healed in people’s homes (Matthew 8:14-15; 9:10, 23-25, 28).

2) New Testament Christians primarily met in small groups or home settings. When the apostles went to a town, they often preached in the synagogue. But it usually did not take long before they were thrown out and forced to move on to more intimate home gatherings (Acts 18:4-7). The New testament includes numerous references to Church in someone’s home (Romans 16:5).

It's high time we use every opportunity strategically and creatively to reach out to the Non-Christians.You may check the link for more light on this; God's Audit- Get prepared! And that means, the individuals understand they are the Church, exemplify their obedience to the Great commission and be involved in the Mission work God has entrusted to every individual.

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Is the mission still remains undiluted?

We are all familiar with the great commission and its implication yet the challenges remain to what extent the Churches and the people are ardently obeying to God's demands. How effectively are we demonstrating the gospel and attracting people to Christ? The terms discipleship, great commission, evangelism & mission in many cases are replaced by activities, worships, events and programs. Is the mission of the Church (the good news) still centering around Christ mandate?

Let me draw your attention to some hard facts:

Unreached block         Non-Christian per 
                                       missionary

Tribal/other                   15000

Hindu                            175000

Unreligious                     80000

Muslims                       300000

Buddhist                      170000

Does the above given statistics disturb you? It is seen in most cases that the Churches focus on Christ mandate and the mission work within the four walls of the Church only. Yes, it is definitely agreed, provided it is also equipping the members to be able to demonstrate the gospel in the market places, work areas, schools and colleges? Think about it! The data and research from Joshua’s Project (A research center that provides data) are really intimidating and raises serious questions in our existence as children of God. It is also a matter of grave concern. How are we prepared to mitigate and create an impact among the dying souls in our nation?

Every other thing comes under our radar with high priority, except the mandate. Dustin Benge puts these words so powerfully and challenges us. - “Sunday by Sunday people are told how to embrace “the good life” have happy marriages, and raise nice children, but not how to be right with God. Biblical preaching is hard, Discipleship is hard serving other is hard, Evangelism is hard. Do the hard things!”

After Christ commissioned the disciples and all of us to preach the Gospel and make disciples it is recorded in the book of Mark this way, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs.”. Mark 16:20. Signs and wonders are just an accompaniment while the preaching of the gospel is kept as priority. Today many leaders make the signs and wonders as a priority drawing attention towards them, disregarding the gospel preaching.

Let’s not forget in most cases people who seek God to be free from debt, or expect their materialistic needs to be met, get healing from their physical ailments don’t find the need of God later, they actually abandon and will return only when the next need arises. The biggest miracle and signs and wonder that should happen is the transformation of life. And if you take note of the above verse it says, “while the Lord worked with them”. God works with us to transform lives and help people find eternity, to this extent God joins hands with us and works with us. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3: 9, “We are God’s Coworkers.”. God is working with us to help us reach out to the dying soul. Let me end this small article challenging all of us and putting these words of Reinhard Bonke. “So, our main task must be the implementation of Great Commission – the going, the making, and the discipling. The Church is a lifeboat, not a pleasure boat. Entertainers are neither needed nor wanted.".

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Effective Vs Ineffective zone!

“..since a live dog is better than a dead lion.".  Ecclesiastes 9:4 CSB

When God makes you (Mark 1:17), marks you (John 17:24) and starts using you (Philippines 1:6), He always does from your highest potential to complete what He has begun in you. Start operating from an effective zone and Influence everyone. There is a purpose that is tied to what you do, therefore how you behave in the process matters a lot.

When Bible talks about Lucifer it records, He was a shining morning star who received highest priority from God, but soon he miserably fell because of his ill attitude and pride (Isaiah 14:12). Till we are in the center of His will and move towards fulfilling the purpose for which we have been called we operate effectively. The slightest deviations or carnality could cater to the downfall and can force us to operate from an ineffective zone. 

Many leaders and pastors are maintaining a mediocrity and operating from an ineffective zone today. It doesn't bother them much because in most cases, it doesn't affect their livelihood. Samson is a good example who was called for a definite purpose and was operating from an effective zone, but slowly drifted to a point where he was becoming comfortable and was succeeding in what he wanted, and then he started operating from an ineffective zone, losing his credibility and the splendor God had bestowed upon him.

Whenever I happen to listen to the testimony of some amazing Christian leaders it gives me goosebumps, the way their initial ministry was on fire. But sadly, many couldn't sustain the vibrancy as comfort and selfishness slithered its way in, and they just survive thereafter. 

Therefore King Solomon nails it when he says, "..a live dog is better than a dead lion.". Ecclesiastes 9:4 CSB. To be effective like a dog is better than to be like a Lion yet lifeless. Mark how John Calvin put it, "A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.".  

The other area when one can be ineffective is when one’s motive is settled for gain alone. Picking the story of Laban and Jacob we notice at one-point Laban's attitude changes. it says, “and Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same as before.". Genesis 31:2 CSB. Many are today like Laban affected seriously with selfish motives for a gain, and their whole ambition thereafter is to build personal security. Soon their perspective and their financial dealings are affected and they start operating from an ineffective zone.

God wouldn't allow us to perform and operate from an ineffective zone very long. The best indicator is (this works in most cases), if a meeting or a deliberation is set for us to minister and then the same is cancelled or gets procrastinated, I first assume God thinks I am not ready for it. Well there can be a genuine reason for such postponement or delay. Yes! May be in some cases God allows the barrier for his sovereign reasons, but it is better to do a personal spiritual check to see if you are operating from an effective or ineffective zone. God will not allow you to operate from an ineffective zone always.

Let me close with this verse, 

"I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.". Philippians 1:6 CSB. Let's be careful to remain in Him and allow God to mold us and use us effectively for His glory.

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What is it, you want to look back on and celebrate?

I have asked this particular question to many leaders, pastors and to people who claim to be Christ's disciple is - 'What is it you want to celebrate when you look back? In most cases, invariably the response was always in terms of programs, activities and events.

In the story of the prodigal son, the father celebrated the return of his son who happened to be the cause for all the mess, but made a conscious decision to return back to his father. In heaven there is a celebration every time over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance (Luke 15:7). The ninety-nine people are already the righteous ones or maybe even good Church goers, but a successful crowd without repenting their sins. If you notice here, rejoicing was not about the quantitative accomplishment, but it's the one on which the impact is highlighted and becomes the reason for celebration.

Celebration becomes meaningful over a fulfilled expectation, when the goal is set and reached and then over an outcome achieved. The truth of the matter is that with or without a goal, people are going to work hard to get somewhere. But the question is, are they getting where they want to go? Paul makes it very clear when he says this, “So I do not run like one who run aimlessly or box like one beating the air.”. 1 Corinthians 9:26

Clarify the outcome: The most important thing in Christian walk of life and in ministry is to clarify your end goal or end win. A defined goal having definite outcome and impact enlisted will give you a purpose and keep people on proper track not allowing them to operate in random.

Have a clear roadmap: Basically, what I am saying is to have a well-defined steps to reach the end goal. Not Programs. Your programs should take people somewhere, not simply use up their time. Ask yourself, where do we want our people to be? What do we want them to become? Is our programming designed to take them there?

Exit strategy: One day someone else will be doing what you are doing. Whether you have an exit strategy or not, ultimately, you will exit. So, embrace the inevitable and prepare now for the future. And more importantly prepare second line leadership who can do better than you and sustain the work you have created.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Everything will look good if you don’t have a mechanism to evaluate what you are doing. We can all be in this thing called “Feel-good factor”. You feel good about what you are doing, you measure things to make it look good. Paul says, that such people who measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves lack understanding (2 Corinthians 10:12)

If you look carefully in the Bible you will know that to a larger extent all the celebrations were the accomplishment and impact, not events and program in itself. May God sharpen your perspective to define what you intend to celebrate and move toward the goal.

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