I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it a challenge to live out my commission. For a variety of reasons--business, spiritually struggling, distractions, etc. I thought that maybe you struggle sometimes with living out your commission also. So I thought I'd post for you what is helpful to me:
1. Making disciples is two different steps--leading unbelievers to believe and encouraging believers with Truth to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. I'm commissioned to do both. I must do both. So must you.
2. Evangelism--generally I have two kinds: strangers and unbelievers with whom I'm building relationships for the purpose of sharing. Today, I'm travelling from North Carolina to Texas. My travels are requiring 2 flights and 2 (shuttle)bus rides. I was the only person on the first shuttle so I engaged Aziz with the gospel and got to share it with him. He doesn't believe. We exchanged contact info. I sat next to 2 people on my flights home. I engaged both with the gospel and both confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. I had to initiate all 3 gospel encounters today. They almost never initiate--if I am going to live on mission, I am going to have to bring up the gospel almost 100% of the time. So are you. I've learned the #1 reason we don't share is courage, or lack there of. Often, the only difference b/w whether or not we share is whether or not we have on our big boy/girl underwear.
3. Discipleship--when my two airplane neighbors both confessed a relationship with Christ, I wasn't done. My commission is also to encourage growth in believers. So both times I asked them how their relationship with Christ was going. Their responses presented opps to encourage them in the Lord.
4. When I live on mission, I live on mission even more. If you've been on a mission trip you know what I mean. The first day you go around handing out tracts is hard. Each day gets easier and slowly exhiliration replaces fear and at the end you are asking yourself why you don't do the same back home. I've found that when I live on mission it makes me want to live on mission more. Nothing is more thrilling. The more I share, the more I see opps to share. The more I share, the bolder I become. The more I encourage other believers, the more I'm encouraged.
Fellow missionaries, let's live on mission. We have already been commissioned and sent. Who will you share the Good News with this week? Which believer will you encourage?
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