Blog https://www.mileonemission.ca Tue, 19 Mar 2024 02:11:14 -0400 http://churchplantmedia.com/ I am with you always… https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the-little-things- https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the-little-things-#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the-little-things- I Am With You Always

 When was the last time you got alone with God and really mediated on the Words of Christ in Matthew 28:20?

I am with you always.”

You see, in context, Jesus is both commissioning His eleven disciples[1] to bring the Good News out into the world and, yet, He is also affirming that He will be with them as they go.

The application for us is much more personal than we might think. But first, as a reminder, Matthew’s Gospel begins by telling us that “they will name him [Jesus] Immanuel” which means “God is with us.”

Matthew begins and ends his Gospel reminding his readers that God is with them…always.

God not only took on flesh and dwelt among His people, but now, by His Spirit, He is with all His children regardless of their circumstance, situation, or environment. He’s not only with them as they bring the Gospel to all nations, but He’s with them in their coming and their going, etc., etc.

And the Lord certainly knew that His disciples – both then and now - would need a constant reminder that He was with them as they went.

 

Church Planting is Discouraging

If you’ve never participated in church planting, let me be the first to say that it can be an exercise in discouragement.

No one has ever written an instruction manual on how to do it. There is no Church Planting for Dummies book. Even the most seasoned church planter could only ever give suggestions or recommendations on what to do based on their personal experiences, context and culture. Church planting is a highly contextual activity. What works in one location may not work in another.

Regardless, the principal is still the same: go, gather, grow. And that’s the basic formula that Paul and his fellow-workers adopt as they go. They enter a city, they gather people around them, they preach the Gospel, and the community grows; rinse, wash, repeat. Now, yes, that’s an oversimplification but it is what it is.

Paul understood[2] the importance of contextualization and meeting the culture where it was at.

And it’s in that space where, I’m convinced, the most discouragement exists for church planters.

You see, for all the theological training you may receive, there’s nothing that prepares you for what’s out there.[3]That’s why at Mile One Mission, before you are sent out to plant, you go through boot camp (so to speak). You spend time contextualizing your planting community, you spend time learning the culture, you spend time actually in the community, and you spend time getting to know what’s out there before you go out there.

Because when you are finally embedded in your community – as James 1 reminds us – trials will come. They will. In fact, I would go so far to say that if everything is always sunshine and lollipops with your plant, you’re doing something wrong[4].

And this is where, at least for me, Christ’s words in Matthew 28:20 take root. Because when you’re on the ground, doing ministry and trying new things and are face to face with failed expectations, lack of commitment, the realities of sin, and the day-to-day slog of trying to establish a new church, “I am with you always” can be the very thing that makes you put one foot in front of the other.

 

The Little Things…

This week has been a James 1 type of week filled with disappointments, frustrations, and discouragement. We’ve had to backpedal, change plans, and pivot on a dime. There have been tough conversations, moments of truth-buried-in-criticism, and arrows of doubt shot my way.

But it’s the little things the Lord does to remind you that He is with you always.

On my way to work this morning, I decided to turn the radio off and pray. And for the next little while, I offloaded and brought a grocery list of items before Him.

And, as I’m driving, I look ahead and I see the fog and clouds starting to break. The sun is shining and, out of nowhere, a rainbow forms. In that moment, all I could do was think of Matthew 28:20: “I am with you always.”

 Now, it’s not the exact same scenario that Noah experienced all those centuries ago, but seeing that rainbow was enough for me to cast my mind on Christ and be reminded that He is with me always.

 

He is with me when the pressure is on.

He is with me when it feels like progress has stalled.

He is with me when it feels like I’m hitting roadblock after roadblock after roadblock.

 

He is with me always, even to the end of the age.

 

And that’s what we need to constantly remind ourselves of as we press forward with the Gospel.

So, let me ask you again, when was the last time you got alone with God and really mediated on the Words of Christ in Matthew 28:20?

He is with you, always.

 

--------

[1] Judas has died.

[2] 1 Cor 9:20-22:  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like…

[3] Unless you’re on a work-term or you’re an intern getting real life experience.

[4] …or you have been EXTREMELY blessed and you’re a rock star church planter. If that’s the case, hit me up at matthew@mileonemission.ca

]]>
I Am With You Always

 When was the last time you got alone with God and really mediated on the Words of Christ in Matthew 28:20?

I am with you always.”

You see, in context, Jesus is both commissioning His eleven disciples[1] to bring the Good News out into the world and, yet, He is also affirming that He will be with them as they go.

The application for us is much more personal than we might think. But first, as a reminder, Matthew’s Gospel begins by telling us that “they will name him [Jesus] Immanuel” which means “God is with us.”

Matthew begins and ends his Gospel reminding his readers that God is with them…always.

God not only took on flesh and dwelt among His people, but now, by His Spirit, He is with all His children regardless of their circumstance, situation, or environment. He’s not only with them as they bring the Gospel to all nations, but He’s with them in their coming and their going, etc., etc.

And the Lord certainly knew that His disciples – both then and now - would need a constant reminder that He was with them as they went.

 

Church Planting is Discouraging

If you’ve never participated in church planting, let me be the first to say that it can be an exercise in discouragement.

No one has ever written an instruction manual on how to do it. There is no Church Planting for Dummies book. Even the most seasoned church planter could only ever give suggestions or recommendations on what to do based on their personal experiences, context and culture. Church planting is a highly contextual activity. What works in one location may not work in another.

Regardless, the principal is still the same: go, gather, grow. And that’s the basic formula that Paul and his fellow-workers adopt as they go. They enter a city, they gather people around them, they preach the Gospel, and the community grows; rinse, wash, repeat. Now, yes, that’s an oversimplification but it is what it is.

Paul understood[2] the importance of contextualization and meeting the culture where it was at.

And it’s in that space where, I’m convinced, the most discouragement exists for church planters.

You see, for all the theological training you may receive, there’s nothing that prepares you for what’s out there.[3]That’s why at Mile One Mission, before you are sent out to plant, you go through boot camp (so to speak). You spend time contextualizing your planting community, you spend time learning the culture, you spend time actually in the community, and you spend time getting to know what’s out there before you go out there.

Because when you are finally embedded in your community – as James 1 reminds us – trials will come. They will. In fact, I would go so far to say that if everything is always sunshine and lollipops with your plant, you’re doing something wrong[4].

And this is where, at least for me, Christ’s words in Matthew 28:20 take root. Because when you’re on the ground, doing ministry and trying new things and are face to face with failed expectations, lack of commitment, the realities of sin, and the day-to-day slog of trying to establish a new church, “I am with you always” can be the very thing that makes you put one foot in front of the other.

 

The Little Things…

This week has been a James 1 type of week filled with disappointments, frustrations, and discouragement. We’ve had to backpedal, change plans, and pivot on a dime. There have been tough conversations, moments of truth-buried-in-criticism, and arrows of doubt shot my way.

But it’s the little things the Lord does to remind you that He is with you always.

On my way to work this morning, I decided to turn the radio off and pray. And for the next little while, I offloaded and brought a grocery list of items before Him.

And, as I’m driving, I look ahead and I see the fog and clouds starting to break. The sun is shining and, out of nowhere, a rainbow forms. In that moment, all I could do was think of Matthew 28:20: “I am with you always.”

 Now, it’s not the exact same scenario that Noah experienced all those centuries ago, but seeing that rainbow was enough for me to cast my mind on Christ and be reminded that He is with me always.

 

He is with me when the pressure is on.

He is with me when it feels like progress has stalled.

He is with me when it feels like I’m hitting roadblock after roadblock after roadblock.

 

He is with me always, even to the end of the age.

 

And that’s what we need to constantly remind ourselves of as we press forward with the Gospel.

So, let me ask you again, when was the last time you got alone with God and really mediated on the Words of Christ in Matthew 28:20?

He is with you, always.

 

--------

[1] Judas has died.

[2] 1 Cor 9:20-22:  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like…

[3] Unless you’re on a work-term or you’re an intern getting real life experience.

[4] …or you have been EXTREMELY blessed and you’re a rock star church planter. If that’s the case, hit me up at matthew@mileonemission.ca

]]>
Wasted Opportunity https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/wasted- https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/wasted-#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/wasted-  

 

  I remember from my time at trade school when all the students would get together in the locker room to chat while we were getting dressed for shop class. I was attending automotive trade school, and to paint the picture, the class was mostly young and male and the setting was very casual and social. You can probably imagine how crude the environment could be at times. Being a Christian, I was often not engaged with most of the typical locker room banter. One time during a locker room chat I was approached by a student who said "you must be religious because you don't swear." And just like that I had access to an unbeliever to share the gospel, surely I was ready to jump on this opportunity ... right? Honestly, I was caught off guard, especially because this particular student didn't seem to be concerned about religion, let alone Jesus. Really I thought he was just going to make fun of me, but in retrospect I suspect he was being sincere.

  I don't remember my exact response but I believe it was the typical, "Yes, I'm a Christian, I go to church, but it’s more than just a religion” ... something “cookie-cutter”, along those lines. As fast as it started, the conversation segued into another topic and we went off to class.

  After the exchange, I began to regret my response, feeling like I should have been a bolder witness. It was obvious this person could see somewhat of a difference in my life than the other students and was curious as to why. Not that being "religious" or abstaining from profanity makes you a believer, but being set apart undoubtedly draws attention, especially in a situation like this. Unfortunately,  when it came time for me to verbally witness my faith, I fell short. I knew the gospel and even shared it before, but it was usually with someone I knew fairly well or at least in more of a "christian" atmosphere.  I was in enemy territory and was unprepared for battle. 

  The gospel of Mark Chapter 16:15 says: And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

This is the great commission, not just for the disciples or for preachers,  but for everyone who has been born again. So why is it that so many christians shy away from really sharing their faith in difficult situations? More than likely it is because we have become too casual in our christian walk. Our prayer life has grown weak, and our bible is collecting dust. Don’t forget to add a dash of pride to the mix. After all, we don’t want to make things awkward, lose our friends or be the weird  “religious” person in the group, right?  When we get right down to it, there is no acceptable excuse for this behavior in the life of a believer. Let us be challenged as the body of Christ to hold fast to our convictions and to be diligent to obey the commands of our Lord. May we pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the strength to be a faithful witness to the world.

  Being set apart from the world is a command for all christians ( 1 Peter 1:16, Romans 12:1) but as Christ followers we have to be prepared to give an answer at any time (2 Timothy 4:2), even when we are being mocked or uncomfortable - let's be real, sharing our faith with others is usually uncomfortable.

  A few years went by after this brief interaction when I was informed that this student had  tragically passed away. I was deeply saddened to hear this, and my mind immediately raced  back to that conversation and the wasted opportunity I had to share the gospel.  

  Friends, If you are given the privilege to share Jesus to a curious soul, be prepared. Let your lifestyle be set apart from the world, but make sure you are ready at all times to explain why and what our eternal hope is, with boldness. 


---> Have you had a similar experience, if so how did you respond?

 

---> Are you prepared to faithfully share the gospel, no matter the circumstances?

 

---> Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you boldness when you are questioned about your faith.

]]>
 

 

  I remember from my time at trade school when all the students would get together in the locker room to chat while we were getting dressed for shop class. I was attending automotive trade school, and to paint the picture, the class was mostly young and male and the setting was very casual and social. You can probably imagine how crude the environment could be at times. Being a Christian, I was often not engaged with most of the typical locker room banter. One time during a locker room chat I was approached by a student who said "you must be religious because you don't swear." And just like that I had access to an unbeliever to share the gospel, surely I was ready to jump on this opportunity ... right? Honestly, I was caught off guard, especially because this particular student didn't seem to be concerned about religion, let alone Jesus. Really I thought he was just going to make fun of me, but in retrospect I suspect he was being sincere.

  I don't remember my exact response but I believe it was the typical, "Yes, I'm a Christian, I go to church, but it’s more than just a religion” ... something “cookie-cutter”, along those lines. As fast as it started, the conversation segued into another topic and we went off to class.

  After the exchange, I began to regret my response, feeling like I should have been a bolder witness. It was obvious this person could see somewhat of a difference in my life than the other students and was curious as to why. Not that being "religious" or abstaining from profanity makes you a believer, but being set apart undoubtedly draws attention, especially in a situation like this. Unfortunately,  when it came time for me to verbally witness my faith, I fell short. I knew the gospel and even shared it before, but it was usually with someone I knew fairly well or at least in more of a "christian" atmosphere.  I was in enemy territory and was unprepared for battle. 

  The gospel of Mark Chapter 16:15 says: And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

This is the great commission, not just for the disciples or for preachers,  but for everyone who has been born again. So why is it that so many christians shy away from really sharing their faith in difficult situations? More than likely it is because we have become too casual in our christian walk. Our prayer life has grown weak, and our bible is collecting dust. Don’t forget to add a dash of pride to the mix. After all, we don’t want to make things awkward, lose our friends or be the weird  “religious” person in the group, right?  When we get right down to it, there is no acceptable excuse for this behavior in the life of a believer. Let us be challenged as the body of Christ to hold fast to our convictions and to be diligent to obey the commands of our Lord. May we pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the strength to be a faithful witness to the world.

  Being set apart from the world is a command for all christians ( 1 Peter 1:16, Romans 12:1) but as Christ followers we have to be prepared to give an answer at any time (2 Timothy 4:2), even when we are being mocked or uncomfortable - let's be real, sharing our faith with others is usually uncomfortable.

  A few years went by after this brief interaction when I was informed that this student had  tragically passed away. I was deeply saddened to hear this, and my mind immediately raced  back to that conversation and the wasted opportunity I had to share the gospel.  

  Friends, If you are given the privilege to share Jesus to a curious soul, be prepared. Let your lifestyle be set apart from the world, but make sure you are ready at all times to explain why and what our eternal hope is, with boldness. 


---> Have you had a similar experience, if so how did you respond?

 

---> Are you prepared to faithfully share the gospel, no matter the circumstances?

 

---> Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you boldness when you are questioned about your faith.

]]>
What's the biggest roadblock in evangelism? https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/whats-the-biggest-roadblock-in-evangelism https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/whats-the-biggest-roadblock-in-evangelism#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/whats-the-biggest-roadblock-in-evangelism Our church recently finished our first retreat in almost 3 years and it was a wonderful weekend. And one of the highlights of the retreat was the challenge and teaching on evangelism. I know that I was certainly convicted and challenged to share the gospel more. And just to be clear, a biblical assumption that I will have throughout writing this is that all Christians should spread the gospel. For this, I am focusing more on why Christians, probably you, and definitely me, often find it difficult.

As I’ve talked with other Christians, it seems that most of us have a hard time sharing the
gospel and our faith. This reality should and often does lead us to ask why? Just take a minute and think about it, what is the biggest roadblock for Christians in sharing the gospel? I’m going to guess that you likely answered that the biggest roadblock in evangelism is fear. And this is in some ways right. But here’s the scenario that often gives me tension with that answer. Often when I’ve spoken with believers and fear comes up as our big problem, the solution offered typically sounds like this,
“If Jesus is with you (which he is based on Matthew 28:20), then you have no reason to be afraid. You need to just do it and stop being afraid.”

Now, the fact that Jesus is with us and that this helps us with fear is absolutely true. And saying that many of us probably just need to go and get the raw experience of sharing the gospel is likely accurate. But at the end of the day, even with us knowing that and doing that, are we not far too often still afraid?
And yes, part of this does come down to a lack of faith. But what if there is also another heart issue that we often don’t address and therefore remain in fear?

Let’s take a closer look at why we actually fear. Michael Reeves writes,


We fear when we face the prospect of either losing something we love or experiencing
something bad. We even fear when we face the prospect of gaining something
wonderful, when that thing seems to impossibly wonderful to us. Drilling to the bottom
of the matter, the Dutch theologian Wilhelmus a Brakel explained that ‘fear issues forth
from love.’ That is, we fear because we love: we love ourselves and so fear bad things
happening to us; we love our families, our friends, our things and so fear losing them.

 
So, the reason we are afraid is because we actually love. If we love our status, being liked by our friends, and comfort so much to never want to feel tension, it naturally makes sense then that we would be afraid of losing these things by sharing the gospel. 

1 Michael Reeves, Rejoice & Tremble, pg. 27.
2 Proclaiming the good news of Jesus will cause division as Jesus himself says that he will cause division in Luke
12:51.

But if we really believe that the gospel is good news and that people need to hear it in order to be saved, then telling them about the gospel is more loving than saying nothing. And if we really do love and trust God, then we should joyfully strive to follow his commands. This leads me to a hard question. What do we really love most? Ourselves, our comfort, and our relationships? Or do we love God and other people?

To put it another way, what if our biggest roadblock in evangelism, fear, is really at its core, a lack of love for God and others? We fear evangelism because our hearts love the wrong things. And if this is a proper diagnosis of the problem, then it tells us a lot about the solution of overcoming our fear. We need a greater love for Jesus.
An example of this in the bible is in John chapter 4:1-45 with the woman at the well. If you haven’t read it recently, go read it right now.

We can see that this woman had a lot of relationship issues. A couple of clues to this that John intentionally includes are the time of day she went to draw water and the fact that she was alone. Typically, women would go draw water together at another time in the day. 3 On top of that, she’s also had five husbands and is currently living with a man who is not her husband. It doesn’t take much to see that her relationships with men and women were not what they should be. Her life and her relationships were messy to say the least. But then she encounters Jesus. And what she does after talking with him is she “left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘come sees a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’”

Given her status and relationships, I’m sure she could’ve come up with a lot of reasons as to why she shouldn’t go tell people about Jesus. But that didn’t stop her. She actually leaves her water jar behind, the whole reason she was out in the first place! And she goes to tell people. I can’t help but imagine her excitement, her joy, and her wonder as she went and told people about a man who knew all that she had done and yet, still loved her.
Likewise, if I have a similar love and joy for what Jesus has done for me, should that not propel me to tell others?

I naturally do this in other areas of life. I am a huge fan of Real Madrid (Spanish soccer team). And I have enough passion for my team that I’ll go up to just about anyone (even a rival Barcelona fan) and tell them why my team is the best team in the world. In those moments I don’t tend to think or fear all the relationship tensions that may occur.

3 D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, pg. 217.
4 John 4:28-29

If I’m going to overcome my fear of sharing the gospel, I need to grow in my love and joy of Christ. And how we do that is by looking at his love for us. That is the message of        1 John 4:7-21, that we love because he first loved us. His love fuels our love. And we can see his love for us is by spending time with him in his word and in prayer.
And also, know your past and present testimony. Take time to reflect on how God has changed your life and how God is changing your life. If I take the time to recognize how God is working in my life it will help me appreciate Him and love him more. Just like how when we consider all of the things our spouse does for us, that produces thankfulness and affection. And if you know your testimony, if you know how God has and is working, then you can tell people about it! Sharing our faith doesn’t always need to be difficult, sometimes we just need to be real and give God the glory he deserves for how he is working. Really at the end of the day we must be devoted to Jesus. If we’re not, we will struggle with evangelism.

To overcome our fear let us love and enjoy Jesus while having the assurance that he is always with us to the end of the age.

]]>
Our church recently finished our first retreat in almost 3 years and it was a wonderful weekend. And one of the highlights of the retreat was the challenge and teaching on evangelism. I know that I was certainly convicted and challenged to share the gospel more. And just to be clear, a biblical assumption that I will have throughout writing this is that all Christians should spread the gospel. For this, I am focusing more on why Christians, probably you, and definitely me, often find it difficult.

As I’ve talked with other Christians, it seems that most of us have a hard time sharing the
gospel and our faith. This reality should and often does lead us to ask why? Just take a minute and think about it, what is the biggest roadblock for Christians in sharing the gospel? I’m going to guess that you likely answered that the biggest roadblock in evangelism is fear. And this is in some ways right. But here’s the scenario that often gives me tension with that answer. Often when I’ve spoken with believers and fear comes up as our big problem, the solution offered typically sounds like this,
“If Jesus is with you (which he is based on Matthew 28:20), then you have no reason to be afraid. You need to just do it and stop being afraid.”

Now, the fact that Jesus is with us and that this helps us with fear is absolutely true. And saying that many of us probably just need to go and get the raw experience of sharing the gospel is likely accurate. But at the end of the day, even with us knowing that and doing that, are we not far too often still afraid?
And yes, part of this does come down to a lack of faith. But what if there is also another heart issue that we often don’t address and therefore remain in fear?

Let’s take a closer look at why we actually fear. Michael Reeves writes,


We fear when we face the prospect of either losing something we love or experiencing
something bad. We even fear when we face the prospect of gaining something
wonderful, when that thing seems to impossibly wonderful to us. Drilling to the bottom
of the matter, the Dutch theologian Wilhelmus a Brakel explained that ‘fear issues forth
from love.’ That is, we fear because we love: we love ourselves and so fear bad things
happening to us; we love our families, our friends, our things and so fear losing them.

 
So, the reason we are afraid is because we actually love. If we love our status, being liked by our friends, and comfort so much to never want to feel tension, it naturally makes sense then that we would be afraid of losing these things by sharing the gospel. 

1 Michael Reeves, Rejoice & Tremble, pg. 27.
2 Proclaiming the good news of Jesus will cause division as Jesus himself says that he will cause division in Luke
12:51.

But if we really believe that the gospel is good news and that people need to hear it in order to be saved, then telling them about the gospel is more loving than saying nothing. And if we really do love and trust God, then we should joyfully strive to follow his commands. This leads me to a hard question. What do we really love most? Ourselves, our comfort, and our relationships? Or do we love God and other people?

To put it another way, what if our biggest roadblock in evangelism, fear, is really at its core, a lack of love for God and others? We fear evangelism because our hearts love the wrong things. And if this is a proper diagnosis of the problem, then it tells us a lot about the solution of overcoming our fear. We need a greater love for Jesus.
An example of this in the bible is in John chapter 4:1-45 with the woman at the well. If you haven’t read it recently, go read it right now.

We can see that this woman had a lot of relationship issues. A couple of clues to this that John intentionally includes are the time of day she went to draw water and the fact that she was alone. Typically, women would go draw water together at another time in the day. 3 On top of that, she’s also had five husbands and is currently living with a man who is not her husband. It doesn’t take much to see that her relationships with men and women were not what they should be. Her life and her relationships were messy to say the least. But then she encounters Jesus. And what she does after talking with him is she “left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘come sees a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’”

Given her status and relationships, I’m sure she could’ve come up with a lot of reasons as to why she shouldn’t go tell people about Jesus. But that didn’t stop her. She actually leaves her water jar behind, the whole reason she was out in the first place! And she goes to tell people. I can’t help but imagine her excitement, her joy, and her wonder as she went and told people about a man who knew all that she had done and yet, still loved her.
Likewise, if I have a similar love and joy for what Jesus has done for me, should that not propel me to tell others?

I naturally do this in other areas of life. I am a huge fan of Real Madrid (Spanish soccer team). And I have enough passion for my team that I’ll go up to just about anyone (even a rival Barcelona fan) and tell them why my team is the best team in the world. In those moments I don’t tend to think or fear all the relationship tensions that may occur.

3 D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, pg. 217.
4 John 4:28-29

If I’m going to overcome my fear of sharing the gospel, I need to grow in my love and joy of Christ. And how we do that is by looking at his love for us. That is the message of        1 John 4:7-21, that we love because he first loved us. His love fuels our love. And we can see his love for us is by spending time with him in his word and in prayer.
And also, know your past and present testimony. Take time to reflect on how God has changed your life and how God is changing your life. If I take the time to recognize how God is working in my life it will help me appreciate Him and love him more. Just like how when we consider all of the things our spouse does for us, that produces thankfulness and affection. And if you know your testimony, if you know how God has and is working, then you can tell people about it! Sharing our faith doesn’t always need to be difficult, sometimes we just need to be real and give God the glory he deserves for how he is working. Really at the end of the day we must be devoted to Jesus. If we’re not, we will struggle with evangelism.

To overcome our fear let us love and enjoy Jesus while having the assurance that he is always with us to the end of the age.

]]>
The Inspiring Life of Patrick of Ireland https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/learning-from-st-patrick https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/learning-from-st-patrick#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/learning-from-st-patrick I have always enjoyed learning; I can remember back in kindergarten trying to get every book humanly possible at the Scholastic book fairs our school would have. One particular genre that has always fascinated me was history. I have recently been interested in the history of Ireland as my family comes from there, and we have records going back to when they came to Newfoundland from Southern Ireland. Combining my faith with my interest in learning Irish history naturally led me to Patrick of Ireland.

Many know the myth that Patrick drove snakes from Ireland and nothing more; this is a disservice. Our general lack of knowledge of church history beyond Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the church door and the names of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas is to our detriment. The Bible itself is sufficient for all we need to know, but I believe God blessed us with the records of just some of the ways He has been using His people throughout history. For now, I will focus specifically on Patrick.

Patrick’s story should encourage us in many areas, including evangelism and the need to see those who harm us as image bearers who need the gospel, not enemies on whom we must enact vengeance. Contrary to popular belief, Patrick was not born in Ireland but instead in Britain. He was at least a third-generation Christian as his father was a deacon and his grandfather a presbyter. But when Patrick was 16, he was captured by Irish slave traders and spent six years tending sheep as a slave in Ireland. Patrick writes that he recognized his sin and came to faith while in slavery. He recognises that it was by God that he was sold into slavery but that he was also protected by God the whole time.

This story is reminiscent of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery and was later able to see the sovereignty of God by proclaiming to his brothers that “you planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people” (Gen 50:20 CSB). God had also used Patrick for the survival of many people as God did not allow bitterness to build up in Patrick against the Irish who enslaved him but instead showed him their need to know Jesus. Patrick eventually escaped Ireland and went to France, where he studied before being called back to Ireland to evangelize those who once enslaved him.

 How would I react if God called me to evangelize someone who had wronged me, especially if it was on the level of slavery? This made me think about how we are called to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, not just those we may get along with. Patrick was living out Jesus’s words from Matthew, in which He tells us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44 CSB). Our sinful hearts do not want to do this by default, but may we praise God for the grace of giving us a new heart and the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we may obey God’s commands.

Why would we want some to not know Jesus? Is it because we are self-righteous in thinking, “this person does not deserve to be saved?” Or maybe we know the truth about how they will become our brother or sister and that we will have to see and treat them as such. For the first point, we would be correct that a person does not deserve to be saved. Our fault is that we fail to recognize our unworthiness to be saved. The second reason stems from our stubbornness in not wanting to change. Seeing someone who sinned against us as our brother or sister requires heart change in us, but thankfully we have a God who softens hearts. Think about how hard it must have been for the early Christians to welcome Paul in after being an infamous persecutor of the church. We must recognize that God elects people, not us. I have been challenged by the story of Patrick because I am sure I have used these excuses before.

We are living in an increasingly hostile culture with regard to the gospel message, but Patrick’s story showed me that those who oppose and threaten us are image bearers who need the light, not enemies we ought to fight. I have been encouraged to reinforce the truth that the great commission means the whole world, not just those I think should be saved. I have also been encouraged to be bolder in telling others about my faith as God will protect us just as He protected Patrick in his hostile environment and promised us in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church. So let us speak gracefully but boldly about our faith. Even to those who may oppose us because maybe God is using us for the salvation of modern-day Nicodemus, who begin with doubt and questioning or modern-day Sauls who begin as persecutors.

I could go on for ages about the things I have learned from my still brief look into the life of Patrick and how God used him for the spreading of the gospel in Ireland, but I will conclude for now. I hope this encourages others to investigate the lives of the saints who came before us and how God used them for His glory and the good of so many.

Let me now leave you with the last words of Patrick’s confession which states:

 

I pray for those who believe in and have reverence for God. Some of them may happen to inspect or come upon this writing which Patrick, a sinner without learning, wrote in Ireland. May none of them ever say that whatever little I did or made known to please God was done through ignorance. Instead, you can judge and believe in all truth that it was a gift of God. This is my confession before I die.

 

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I have always enjoyed learning; I can remember back in kindergarten trying to get every book humanly possible at the Scholastic book fairs our school would have. One particular genre that has always fascinated me was history. I have recently been interested in the history of Ireland as my family comes from there, and we have records going back to when they came to Newfoundland from Southern Ireland. Combining my faith with my interest in learning Irish history naturally led me to Patrick of Ireland.

Many know the myth that Patrick drove snakes from Ireland and nothing more; this is a disservice. Our general lack of knowledge of church history beyond Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the church door and the names of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas is to our detriment. The Bible itself is sufficient for all we need to know, but I believe God blessed us with the records of just some of the ways He has been using His people throughout history. For now, I will focus specifically on Patrick.

Patrick’s story should encourage us in many areas, including evangelism and the need to see those who harm us as image bearers who need the gospel, not enemies on whom we must enact vengeance. Contrary to popular belief, Patrick was not born in Ireland but instead in Britain. He was at least a third-generation Christian as his father was a deacon and his grandfather a presbyter. But when Patrick was 16, he was captured by Irish slave traders and spent six years tending sheep as a slave in Ireland. Patrick writes that he recognized his sin and came to faith while in slavery. He recognises that it was by God that he was sold into slavery but that he was also protected by God the whole time.

This story is reminiscent of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery and was later able to see the sovereignty of God by proclaiming to his brothers that “you planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people” (Gen 50:20 CSB). God had also used Patrick for the survival of many people as God did not allow bitterness to build up in Patrick against the Irish who enslaved him but instead showed him their need to know Jesus. Patrick eventually escaped Ireland and went to France, where he studied before being called back to Ireland to evangelize those who once enslaved him.

 How would I react if God called me to evangelize someone who had wronged me, especially if it was on the level of slavery? This made me think about how we are called to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, not just those we may get along with. Patrick was living out Jesus’s words from Matthew, in which He tells us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44 CSB). Our sinful hearts do not want to do this by default, but may we praise God for the grace of giving us a new heart and the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we may obey God’s commands.

Why would we want some to not know Jesus? Is it because we are self-righteous in thinking, “this person does not deserve to be saved?” Or maybe we know the truth about how they will become our brother or sister and that we will have to see and treat them as such. For the first point, we would be correct that a person does not deserve to be saved. Our fault is that we fail to recognize our unworthiness to be saved. The second reason stems from our stubbornness in not wanting to change. Seeing someone who sinned against us as our brother or sister requires heart change in us, but thankfully we have a God who softens hearts. Think about how hard it must have been for the early Christians to welcome Paul in after being an infamous persecutor of the church. We must recognize that God elects people, not us. I have been challenged by the story of Patrick because I am sure I have used these excuses before.

We are living in an increasingly hostile culture with regard to the gospel message, but Patrick’s story showed me that those who oppose and threaten us are image bearers who need the light, not enemies we ought to fight. I have been encouraged to reinforce the truth that the great commission means the whole world, not just those I think should be saved. I have also been encouraged to be bolder in telling others about my faith as God will protect us just as He protected Patrick in his hostile environment and promised us in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church. So let us speak gracefully but boldly about our faith. Even to those who may oppose us because maybe God is using us for the salvation of modern-day Nicodemus, who begin with doubt and questioning or modern-day Sauls who begin as persecutors.

I could go on for ages about the things I have learned from my still brief look into the life of Patrick and how God used him for the spreading of the gospel in Ireland, but I will conclude for now. I hope this encourages others to investigate the lives of the saints who came before us and how God used them for His glory and the good of so many.

Let me now leave you with the last words of Patrick’s confession which states:

 

I pray for those who believe in and have reverence for God. Some of them may happen to inspect or come upon this writing which Patrick, a sinner without learning, wrote in Ireland. May none of them ever say that whatever little I did or made known to please God was done through ignorance. Instead, you can judge and believe in all truth that it was a gift of God. This is my confession before I die.

 

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How Do We Share Our Faith? https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/how-do-we-share-our-faith https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/how-do-we-share-our-faith#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/how-do-we-share-our-faith June was evangelism month for Calvary Baptist Church and Mile One Mission. We took time to focus on how we share our faith and knowing our own testimony or “story.” All of us have a story about how Jesus changed our lives, even if some of us don’t seem to be as messy as others. It’s odd for us to think that, really, if we truly believe that we’re all sinners in need of God’s grace. I’m in need of the same grace as someone who has done far worse things in their life.

I’m sitting here in Tim Hortons and a variety of people are coming in and out of the coffee shop. I see people with summer clothes on, some with work clothes, and some who are rougher around the edges. I have to wonder what their stories are and even how I could go about sharing my faith with them. Am I more comfortable approaching some more than others because of their appearance? Would certain parts of my story speak to them better than other parts?

I also wonder about their lives and the experiences they’ve had. Have they been hurt by a church in their past? Have they come face-to-face with their sin before only to refuse to see their need for Jesus? Are there complex relationships that would need to eventually change if they were to embrace the gospel?

These are all questions that I often run through when I think about sharing my faith. Sometimes it paralyzes me and I fail to approach anyone at all. Other times it helps me to be aware of what arts of my story they could relate to the most. We shouldn’t be afraid to share our faith, but we need to realize that doesn’t mean we’ll always get it right, or that someone will confess faith in Jesus every time we share our faith.

What we do need is a trust in God, prayer, and actually knowing how God has worked (and continues to work) in our lives.

Trust God

Trusting in God is key if we’re going to share our faith. I’m not someone’s saviour. Their salvation doesn’t rise and fall with me. God is the only one who can save and change people. Your view of God has a great impact on how your share your faith. If you think that someone’s salvation hinges on your ability to get evangelism perfect, then I wonder how you sleep at night and there’s no wonder why you may be afraid to share.

If, however, you realize that God is in control, then you will be much more likely to share your faith and leave the results with God. Ephesians 1:5 says, “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” God knows who’s going to be saved before we share our faith. He chose us to be saved through Jesus for His glory before the world was founded.

Salvation doesn’t rest with us. Take a look at Mark 4:26-27, “And he said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.” The farmer is not responsible for the growth of the seed. Likewise, what happens when we plant the seed of the gospel doesn’t lie with us. We leave the results with God.

Be In Prayer

We also need prayer as we go to share our faith. As Christians, we would do well to remember Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Why would we enter a spiritual war with physical weapons? It doesn’t make sense. Ephesians 6 also outlines the armour of God that will be our strength and protection. A part of that is prayer, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth godly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel….”

Pray that God softens the hearts of the people you share with. Pray that he will guide you and give you the words to speak. Pray that God’s will be done and that you won’t try to be someone’s saviour. We cannot enter a spiritual battle without speaking with and working with the Sprit. We cannot enter a spiritual battle without relying on the one who is in control of all things.

Know Your Story

The final thing we need is to know our story. Don’t be afraid to practice your story or even write out what God has done in your life. You might be surprised how much your own testimony might speak to you and remind you of how good God has been to you. We can often overestimate how well we can articulate our story without actually practicing it.

Don’t do it so much that it becomes mundane, but rehearse your story to yourself so that God gets the glory. Be reminded not only of what God has done, but of what He’s still doing right now in your life. We don’t do this as a sales pitch to recruit new believers, but as proof that the gospel is true and that God is good.

And when you do give your testimony or story to someone do it with gentleness and respect. Remember the words found in 1 Peter 3:15a-16, “…always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.”

Share your story out of love for the other person and for the glory of God. Rejoice in what God is doing in your life and share it with others! This is a spiritual battle and souls are at stake, but God is good. He will save people and save them to the utmost. Trust in God, be in prayer, and know your story. And share it.

]]>
June was evangelism month for Calvary Baptist Church and Mile One Mission. We took time to focus on how we share our faith and knowing our own testimony or “story.” All of us have a story about how Jesus changed our lives, even if some of us don’t seem to be as messy as others. It’s odd for us to think that, really, if we truly believe that we’re all sinners in need of God’s grace. I’m in need of the same grace as someone who has done far worse things in their life.

I’m sitting here in Tim Hortons and a variety of people are coming in and out of the coffee shop. I see people with summer clothes on, some with work clothes, and some who are rougher around the edges. I have to wonder what their stories are and even how I could go about sharing my faith with them. Am I more comfortable approaching some more than others because of their appearance? Would certain parts of my story speak to them better than other parts?

I also wonder about their lives and the experiences they’ve had. Have they been hurt by a church in their past? Have they come face-to-face with their sin before only to refuse to see their need for Jesus? Are there complex relationships that would need to eventually change if they were to embrace the gospel?

These are all questions that I often run through when I think about sharing my faith. Sometimes it paralyzes me and I fail to approach anyone at all. Other times it helps me to be aware of what arts of my story they could relate to the most. We shouldn’t be afraid to share our faith, but we need to realize that doesn’t mean we’ll always get it right, or that someone will confess faith in Jesus every time we share our faith.

What we do need is a trust in God, prayer, and actually knowing how God has worked (and continues to work) in our lives.

Trust God

Trusting in God is key if we’re going to share our faith. I’m not someone’s saviour. Their salvation doesn’t rise and fall with me. God is the only one who can save and change people. Your view of God has a great impact on how your share your faith. If you think that someone’s salvation hinges on your ability to get evangelism perfect, then I wonder how you sleep at night and there’s no wonder why you may be afraid to share.

If, however, you realize that God is in control, then you will be much more likely to share your faith and leave the results with God. Ephesians 1:5 says, “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” God knows who’s going to be saved before we share our faith. He chose us to be saved through Jesus for His glory before the world was founded.

Salvation doesn’t rest with us. Take a look at Mark 4:26-27, “And he said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.” The farmer is not responsible for the growth of the seed. Likewise, what happens when we plant the seed of the gospel doesn’t lie with us. We leave the results with God.

Be In Prayer

We also need prayer as we go to share our faith. As Christians, we would do well to remember Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Why would we enter a spiritual war with physical weapons? It doesn’t make sense. Ephesians 6 also outlines the armour of God that will be our strength and protection. A part of that is prayer, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth godly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel….”

Pray that God softens the hearts of the people you share with. Pray that he will guide you and give you the words to speak. Pray that God’s will be done and that you won’t try to be someone’s saviour. We cannot enter a spiritual battle without speaking with and working with the Sprit. We cannot enter a spiritual battle without relying on the one who is in control of all things.

Know Your Story

The final thing we need is to know our story. Don’t be afraid to practice your story or even write out what God has done in your life. You might be surprised how much your own testimony might speak to you and remind you of how good God has been to you. We can often overestimate how well we can articulate our story without actually practicing it.

Don’t do it so much that it becomes mundane, but rehearse your story to yourself so that God gets the glory. Be reminded not only of what God has done, but of what He’s still doing right now in your life. We don’t do this as a sales pitch to recruit new believers, but as proof that the gospel is true and that God is good.

And when you do give your testimony or story to someone do it with gentleness and respect. Remember the words found in 1 Peter 3:15a-16, “…always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.”

Share your story out of love for the other person and for the glory of God. Rejoice in what God is doing in your life and share it with others! This is a spiritual battle and souls are at stake, but God is good. He will save people and save them to the utmost. Trust in God, be in prayer, and know your story. And share it.

]]>
Seeing the Body of Christ in Action https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/seeing-the-body-of-christ-in-action https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/seeing-the-body-of-christ-in-action#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/seeing-the-body-of-christ-in-action I can remember learning about the body of Christ in youth group and finding it very intriguing. Paul does a fantastic  job of showing that everyone has a place and a role to play as a Christian. In a time where worship bands were, and still are to some degree, idolized and put above others, it was a comfort to know that I was still a valued part of the greater body. I always wanted to see the body of Christ actually function.

You know, 1 Corinthians 12:12, “For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body, so also is Christ.” Paul goes on to describe how believers should work together and not be divided. The body is a system that best works together. We all know how much an inner ear infection or even stubbing your pinky toe can affect the rest of your body.

Each of us has a role to play as a Christian in the body of Christ. Not one of us can say that we don’t have something to offer or that we don’t fit in. The gifts that God has given you of hospitality, understanding finances, vision casting, or service can all be used and are of no less value than flashy gifts. Remember what Paul says starting in verse 21, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that we weaker are indispensable.”

Have you ever wanted to see a hand, arm, torso, hip, leg, and foot work together? Have you thought about what that might look like on a large scale? I know I have, and God allowed me to get a glimpse of this because of a message from Labrador. Our director, Steve Bray, received a message from a lady in Labrador asking if we had any contact in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her friend had cancer and was in real need of some comforting and even discipling.

Seems like a real shot in the dark, except that we actually did have a contact in Las Vegas. This past November I was down in Atlanta for our Send Network orientation. I walked out of the NAMB (North American Missions Board) building intending to go for a walk in the 20 degree Celsius weather. I didn’t get to take that walk because I entered into a conversation about where I was planting with a man who was attending. Damian was the new head of the Nevada Baptist Association.

I had started to form a friendship with him, so I sent my brother in Christ a message to ask if he knew of anyone who could help. After we got some more information he was able to get some ladies in contact with her, and they’re even trying to help her find some work. I’m still in awe that God had connected believers from Labrador to Las Vegas without a hitch. A friendship I had started to form in November was able to help a lady in Labrador find help for her friend in Nevada.

Let’s not miss the beauty found in believers coming together in service for others of the faith. We really are brothers and sisters in faith. Our faith is not an individual one, but a corporate one that is best seen as the body works together. Remember verse 26, “So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”

Those ladies might not think much about what they’re doing, but they’re acting as the body of Christ in unison with believers on the far east coast of Canada. To those ladies and to Damian I say, thank-you. Thank you for being willing to serve and coming to the aid of another sister in Christ. Our faith really is a corporate one and not meant to be walked alone. We can’t all be those really cool worship leaders, and that’s just fine.

 “18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

1 Corinthians 12:18-20

 

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I can remember learning about the body of Christ in youth group and finding it very intriguing. Paul does a fantastic  job of showing that everyone has a place and a role to play as a Christian. In a time where worship bands were, and still are to some degree, idolized and put above others, it was a comfort to know that I was still a valued part of the greater body. I always wanted to see the body of Christ actually function.

You know, 1 Corinthians 12:12, “For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body, so also is Christ.” Paul goes on to describe how believers should work together and not be divided. The body is a system that best works together. We all know how much an inner ear infection or even stubbing your pinky toe can affect the rest of your body.

Each of us has a role to play as a Christian in the body of Christ. Not one of us can say that we don’t have something to offer or that we don’t fit in. The gifts that God has given you of hospitality, understanding finances, vision casting, or service can all be used and are of no less value than flashy gifts. Remember what Paul says starting in verse 21, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that we weaker are indispensable.”

Have you ever wanted to see a hand, arm, torso, hip, leg, and foot work together? Have you thought about what that might look like on a large scale? I know I have, and God allowed me to get a glimpse of this because of a message from Labrador. Our director, Steve Bray, received a message from a lady in Labrador asking if we had any contact in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her friend had cancer and was in real need of some comforting and even discipling.

Seems like a real shot in the dark, except that we actually did have a contact in Las Vegas. This past November I was down in Atlanta for our Send Network orientation. I walked out of the NAMB (North American Missions Board) building intending to go for a walk in the 20 degree Celsius weather. I didn’t get to take that walk because I entered into a conversation about where I was planting with a man who was attending. Damian was the new head of the Nevada Baptist Association.

I had started to form a friendship with him, so I sent my brother in Christ a message to ask if he knew of anyone who could help. After we got some more information he was able to get some ladies in contact with her, and they’re even trying to help her find some work. I’m still in awe that God had connected believers from Labrador to Las Vegas without a hitch. A friendship I had started to form in November was able to help a lady in Labrador find help for her friend in Nevada.

Let’s not miss the beauty found in believers coming together in service for others of the faith. We really are brothers and sisters in faith. Our faith is not an individual one, but a corporate one that is best seen as the body works together. Remember verse 26, “So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”

Those ladies might not think much about what they’re doing, but they’re acting as the body of Christ in unison with believers on the far east coast of Canada. To those ladies and to Damian I say, thank-you. Thank you for being willing to serve and coming to the aid of another sister in Christ. Our faith really is a corporate one and not meant to be walked alone. We can’t all be those really cool worship leaders, and that’s just fine.

 “18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

1 Corinthians 12:18-20

 

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When You Can’t Hear God https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/when-you-can-t-hear-god https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/when-you-can-t-hear-god#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2021 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/when-you-can-t-hear-god ‘Why can’t I hear God?’

 

‘Where is the Holy Spirit?’

 

‘What happened to my joy in Christ?’

 

All these are questions that I’ve asked myself many a time throughout my Christian walk. Perhaps you have as well. It can be frustrating and discouraging. You want to experience God, but so often prayer feels like a chore, nothing more than words spoken into thin air. Meanwhile, the attraction of the world is so enticing. It feels like hours can fly by amid the mindless, aimless scrolling of YouTube, Facebook, and Netflix. Yet, the mere act of opening up your Bible sounds like a burden. Then we read passages like Matthew 11:30,

 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

This is the kind of joy we long for, the kind of peace we yearn for. Yet sometimes, this kind of joy and delight seems so foreign in the midst of our everyday lives where we try to muster up enough strength to be spiritually disciplined. Why is it that the very thing meant to be a wellspring of peace feels like a heavy weight? Why is it that oftentimes, opening up our Bibles and pouring over the words of God, exhausts us rather than gives us rest?

 

I think part of it may be the fact that we live in a culture that is obsessed with instant gratification and has the attention span of a squirrel. Like pulling a slot machine, we mindlessly scroll through media for hours on end. Only after we’ve wasted the day away do we then ask ourselves, “Where has the time gone?”

 

I want to be careful here, because my desire is not for us to simply summon up the willpower to resist the temptations of the Internet. That is well and good, but it is not enough. Nor do I want us to find our joy in Christian performance. My hope is that we will not go to bed after a long day, pleased with ourselves that we accomplished today’s checklist. My hope is that we will have joy in Christ regardless of how good or bad a day it’s been.

 

So with that, my challenge to us is this: What if we treated prayer and Bible reading not as something we must “accomplish for Christ,” but rather as something we have already been given power from Christ to do. What if we didn’t view this as a duty that requires all my strength and willpower, but rather as a fountain of refreshment from which we can draw strength from. Now we move from being exhausted to being energized, from being burnt out to being well-rested, from being weighed down to being freed.

 

I was encouraged to start treating the Word of God this way upon recently listening to a podcast episode of Ask Pastor John by John Piper. The title of the episode was “Why is My Delight in God So Short-Lived?” And his main point was this:

“When you read your Bible everyday, pause before you read and earnestly, with heart-felt longing, pray to God that He would come and meet you in the reading of Scripture. Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart and show you what is really there, to make Himself real and bring about amazing changes in your life. Or to put it very simply, pray earnestly about the reading of Scripture, just before you read the Scripture.”

 

He goes on to say that “This moment is not just about you and a book, it’s about you and the Living God!”

 

I’ve found this has helped alter my view of spiritual discipline. Sometimes it requires discipline yes, but when we begin looking at the Bible and prayer as a place where we can go to draw strength, not exert it, and when we cry out to God, asking Him that He might reveal Himself to us more clearly, then we begin to understand what Jesus meant when He said,

 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

 

 

]]>
‘Why can’t I hear God?’

 

‘Where is the Holy Spirit?’

 

‘What happened to my joy in Christ?’

 

All these are questions that I’ve asked myself many a time throughout my Christian walk. Perhaps you have as well. It can be frustrating and discouraging. You want to experience God, but so often prayer feels like a chore, nothing more than words spoken into thin air. Meanwhile, the attraction of the world is so enticing. It feels like hours can fly by amid the mindless, aimless scrolling of YouTube, Facebook, and Netflix. Yet, the mere act of opening up your Bible sounds like a burden. Then we read passages like Matthew 11:30,

 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

This is the kind of joy we long for, the kind of peace we yearn for. Yet sometimes, this kind of joy and delight seems so foreign in the midst of our everyday lives where we try to muster up enough strength to be spiritually disciplined. Why is it that the very thing meant to be a wellspring of peace feels like a heavy weight? Why is it that oftentimes, opening up our Bibles and pouring over the words of God, exhausts us rather than gives us rest?

 

I think part of it may be the fact that we live in a culture that is obsessed with instant gratification and has the attention span of a squirrel. Like pulling a slot machine, we mindlessly scroll through media for hours on end. Only after we’ve wasted the day away do we then ask ourselves, “Where has the time gone?”

 

I want to be careful here, because my desire is not for us to simply summon up the willpower to resist the temptations of the Internet. That is well and good, but it is not enough. Nor do I want us to find our joy in Christian performance. My hope is that we will not go to bed after a long day, pleased with ourselves that we accomplished today’s checklist. My hope is that we will have joy in Christ regardless of how good or bad a day it’s been.

 

So with that, my challenge to us is this: What if we treated prayer and Bible reading not as something we must “accomplish for Christ,” but rather as something we have already been given power from Christ to do. What if we didn’t view this as a duty that requires all my strength and willpower, but rather as a fountain of refreshment from which we can draw strength from. Now we move from being exhausted to being energized, from being burnt out to being well-rested, from being weighed down to being freed.

 

I was encouraged to start treating the Word of God this way upon recently listening to a podcast episode of Ask Pastor John by John Piper. The title of the episode was “Why is My Delight in God So Short-Lived?” And his main point was this:

“When you read your Bible everyday, pause before you read and earnestly, with heart-felt longing, pray to God that He would come and meet you in the reading of Scripture. Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart and show you what is really there, to make Himself real and bring about amazing changes in your life. Or to put it very simply, pray earnestly about the reading of Scripture, just before you read the Scripture.”

 

He goes on to say that “This moment is not just about you and a book, it’s about you and the Living God!”

 

I’ve found this has helped alter my view of spiritual discipline. Sometimes it requires discipline yes, but when we begin looking at the Bible and prayer as a place where we can go to draw strength, not exert it, and when we cry out to God, asking Him that He might reveal Himself to us more clearly, then we begin to understand what Jesus meant when He said,

 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 

 

 

]]>
When the wind and waves begin to blow https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the- https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the-#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/the- Planting in a pandemic

In 2016, while still living in Australia, my wife and I felt an overwhelming burden to follow God’s call into church planting. For both of us, there never really was any opposition to the call except for the where: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

Let me just paint a picture before going any further. Not only did we both feel the call to church plant, but we believed God was calling us back to Canada, to a specific city ~16,000km away, I was in the middle of Bible college, working a second job to pay tuition, my wife had just given birth to our second child and we had next to no savings[1].

But we had the “call!”

Despite the busyness of our lives, we were both convicted that God really was calling us to pack up and move our family ~16,000km from sunny Australia to the city of 5 seasons[2].

And so, fast forward to 2019, we’re now living in St. John’s, Newfoundland, we’re part of the Mile One Mission network, we’ve watched God move – rather miraculously – throughout the relocation stages, we’ve just started laying the foundations of Kilbride Community Church, we have some traction in the community and then COVID-19 washes onto our shores in March 2020.

Great. Now what.

What do we do now?” I thought.

After all, we were still very early on laying our roots, doing community exegesis, building relationships and just trying to figure out what KCC would look like in this particular part of the city.

Now I’m not an experienced church planter by any stretch of the imagination, but I in no way – even remotely – anticipated church planting in a pandemic. If someone had of said to me in 2016 that we’d be doing this in a pandemic, I would have laughed and said “you’re dreaming!”

But here we are.

 

The storm on the sea 

You know, there’s a lot of people I can relate with in Scripture and I find the Apostle Peter particularly relatable. He had a lot going for him, don’t get me wrong, but he also did and said some things that makes you want to scratch your head.

For example – we all know this story – one evening, after a long day of ministry, Jesus sends his disciples out ahead of him onto the Sea of Galilea. During the journey a massive storm breaks out[3].  Early in the morning Jesus sees the disciples fighting against the wind and decides to walk out to them – on the water.

If you remember, it was Peter who first recognized Jesus walking towards them, it was Peter who called out to him and it was Peter who – despite all that was happening around him - trusted in his Saviour long enough to step out of the boat, onto the water and walk towards Jesus.

But it was also Peter who took his eyes off Christ when he realized how strong the wind and waves had become.

In the moment, he let his fear, uncertainty, and anxiety overwhelm him to the point where his trust in Jesus waned.

I know that’s an oversimplification of the passage but as I read it, I can’t help and relate it to church planting, especially the call to church plant.

Remember, just before Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water, Jesus said to him “come.” Jesus called Peter to himself.

 

Of uncertainties and anxieties...

One of the things I’ve noticed in my short time as a church planter is the sheer number of churches that have closed their doors. I know of a handful in St. John’s that are in rapid decline or have shut their doors during the pandemic.

Planting a church in a pandemic isn’t for the faint of heart. On any normal day doing “church” can be hard enough but toss a deadly virus into the mix, include lockdowns, physical distancing, social anxiety, fear and a whole host of uncertainties and unanswered questions and, well, the ease of planting becomes that much more difficult.

This is the reality that my team and I encountered in 2020.

And if I’m going to be honest, there hasn’t been a month where I haven’t’ had a Peter moment since the pandemic started. There have been many times when the proverbial winds of the pandemic have rattled me.

I’ve quite literally sat on my couch, head in my hands, and prayed “God, how do I do this?”

And in that quiet moment I usually hear Him say this: you can’t do this, but I can…just keep your eyes on me. Come.

 

Amazing Grace!

The reason why I began this blog post emphasizing our call, was because sometimes in church planting, all you can do is come back to that call. When the winds are blowing and the rain and waves are overpowering, and you feel like you’re going to drown, sometimes you need to come back to the call and remind yourself who called you and what He called you to do.

The beautiful thing about this interaction between Peter and Jesus is the amazing grace he displayed towards his fear-filled disciple.

 

“Lord save me!” Peter cried out. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”[4]

Imagine if the story had of been different. Imagine for a moment if Jesus let Peter drown, walked into the boat and said “Alright, boys, let this be a lesson. Peter took his eyes off me and couldn’t trust me with his life. Now he’s dead.” But he didn’t.

He knew what was going to happen and he knew how Peter would respond. Instead of letting him drown, he reached down, grabbed his friend[5], brought him into the boat and the disciples worshipped God.

There have been many times in my short two years as a church planter where I’ve questioned what God was doing in Kilbride and how He could possibly grow a church in light of the given situation. And, as I should have expected, He’s shown me nothing but grace.

We’re still here and we’re growing. By the grace of God, we’re growing!

In this season of church planting, I now not only remind myself of what God has called us to and all the things He’d done to get us to this point, but I look at the lives He’s changing and the work He’s doing here in Kilbride.

God has been so good to us. And sometimes we need to look to the past to be reminded of where (and how) God is leading us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] An international move isn’t cheap. For perspective, when my wife and I moved to Australia in 2012, it set us back about $20,000. This included airfare, moving costs, visa fees, etc., etc.  

[2] Spring, summer, fall, winter and fog.

[3] Matthew 14:22-33

[4] Matthew 14:30-31

[5] With a small grace-filled rebuke

]]>
Planting in a pandemic

In 2016, while still living in Australia, my wife and I felt an overwhelming burden to follow God’s call into church planting. For both of us, there never really was any opposition to the call except for the where: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

Let me just paint a picture before going any further. Not only did we both feel the call to church plant, but we believed God was calling us back to Canada, to a specific city ~16,000km away, I was in the middle of Bible college, working a second job to pay tuition, my wife had just given birth to our second child and we had next to no savings[1].

But we had the “call!”

Despite the busyness of our lives, we were both convicted that God really was calling us to pack up and move our family ~16,000km from sunny Australia to the city of 5 seasons[2].

And so, fast forward to 2019, we’re now living in St. John’s, Newfoundland, we’re part of the Mile One Mission network, we’ve watched God move – rather miraculously – throughout the relocation stages, we’ve just started laying the foundations of Kilbride Community Church, we have some traction in the community and then COVID-19 washes onto our shores in March 2020.

Great. Now what.

What do we do now?” I thought.

After all, we were still very early on laying our roots, doing community exegesis, building relationships and just trying to figure out what KCC would look like in this particular part of the city.

Now I’m not an experienced church planter by any stretch of the imagination, but I in no way – even remotely – anticipated church planting in a pandemic. If someone had of said to me in 2016 that we’d be doing this in a pandemic, I would have laughed and said “you’re dreaming!”

But here we are.

 

The storm on the sea 

You know, there’s a lot of people I can relate with in Scripture and I find the Apostle Peter particularly relatable. He had a lot going for him, don’t get me wrong, but he also did and said some things that makes you want to scratch your head.

For example – we all know this story – one evening, after a long day of ministry, Jesus sends his disciples out ahead of him onto the Sea of Galilea. During the journey a massive storm breaks out[3].  Early in the morning Jesus sees the disciples fighting against the wind and decides to walk out to them – on the water.

If you remember, it was Peter who first recognized Jesus walking towards them, it was Peter who called out to him and it was Peter who – despite all that was happening around him - trusted in his Saviour long enough to step out of the boat, onto the water and walk towards Jesus.

But it was also Peter who took his eyes off Christ when he realized how strong the wind and waves had become.

In the moment, he let his fear, uncertainty, and anxiety overwhelm him to the point where his trust in Jesus waned.

I know that’s an oversimplification of the passage but as I read it, I can’t help and relate it to church planting, especially the call to church plant.

Remember, just before Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water, Jesus said to him “come.” Jesus called Peter to himself.

 

Of uncertainties and anxieties...

One of the things I’ve noticed in my short time as a church planter is the sheer number of churches that have closed their doors. I know of a handful in St. John’s that are in rapid decline or have shut their doors during the pandemic.

Planting a church in a pandemic isn’t for the faint of heart. On any normal day doing “church” can be hard enough but toss a deadly virus into the mix, include lockdowns, physical distancing, social anxiety, fear and a whole host of uncertainties and unanswered questions and, well, the ease of planting becomes that much more difficult.

This is the reality that my team and I encountered in 2020.

And if I’m going to be honest, there hasn’t been a month where I haven’t’ had a Peter moment since the pandemic started. There have been many times when the proverbial winds of the pandemic have rattled me.

I’ve quite literally sat on my couch, head in my hands, and prayed “God, how do I do this?”

And in that quiet moment I usually hear Him say this: you can’t do this, but I can…just keep your eyes on me. Come.

 

Amazing Grace!

The reason why I began this blog post emphasizing our call, was because sometimes in church planting, all you can do is come back to that call. When the winds are blowing and the rain and waves are overpowering, and you feel like you’re going to drown, sometimes you need to come back to the call and remind yourself who called you and what He called you to do.

The beautiful thing about this interaction between Peter and Jesus is the amazing grace he displayed towards his fear-filled disciple.

 

“Lord save me!” Peter cried out. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”[4]

Imagine if the story had of been different. Imagine for a moment if Jesus let Peter drown, walked into the boat and said “Alright, boys, let this be a lesson. Peter took his eyes off me and couldn’t trust me with his life. Now he’s dead.” But he didn’t.

He knew what was going to happen and he knew how Peter would respond. Instead of letting him drown, he reached down, grabbed his friend[5], brought him into the boat and the disciples worshipped God.

There have been many times in my short two years as a church planter where I’ve questioned what God was doing in Kilbride and how He could possibly grow a church in light of the given situation. And, as I should have expected, He’s shown me nothing but grace.

We’re still here and we’re growing. By the grace of God, we’re growing!

In this season of church planting, I now not only remind myself of what God has called us to and all the things He’d done to get us to this point, but I look at the lives He’s changing and the work He’s doing here in Kilbride.

God has been so good to us. And sometimes we need to look to the past to be reminded of where (and how) God is leading us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] An international move isn’t cheap. For perspective, when my wife and I moved to Australia in 2012, it set us back about $20,000. This included airfare, moving costs, visa fees, etc., etc.  

[2] Spring, summer, fall, winter and fog.

[3] Matthew 14:22-33

[4] Matthew 14:30-31

[5] With a small grace-filled rebuke

]]>
Gospel Contextualization: Labrador https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/gospel-contextualization-labrador https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/gospel-contextualization-labrador#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/gospel-contextualization-labrador Gospel Contextualization: Labrador

 

Last month, myself and Steve Bray had the opportunity to travel to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador. This is my second time and Steve’s first to Labrador, a vast and expansive land that often gets forgotten about, not just by the rest of Canada, but even by Newfoundlanders themselves. Our primary incentive for travelling up there was to get a lay of the land for church-planting; what’s the history of the Church in Labrador, how different is the culture from Newfoundland, how do we contextualize the gospel for its people. These are all questions that we wrestled with during our brief visit, and as each day passed, I began see more plainly the importance of understanding culture. Just as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 9,

 

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 

 

To put it bluntly, what works in Toronto, or Dallas, or New York, or Montreal, will never work here. Ever. Cookie-cutter solutions won’t do it, and never have I seen this more clearly demonstrated than by the history of the church in Labrador. There is a litany of church hurt and abuse in this part of the province, especially towards the Innu and Inuit peoples. Under the residential school system, much of their culture was stripped away from them. Children were taken from parents, educated elsewhere, punished for speaking their native languages. I’ve heard heart-breaking stories of children being sexually abused by a priest. Men who claimed to know Christ, to be His ambassadors, all the while dragging His Name through the mud with their abuses, their domination, their evil.

 

So now try to plant a church in this kind of context, where the people have been told

“Jesus died for your sins” thousands of times, but where the name of Christ is associated with sexual abuse scandals. During our trip, we got to talk to one of the community leaders of Sheshatshiu, the Innu Reserve close by. As we sat in a Labrador tent lined with spruce tree branches, eating ‘Innu donuts’, and hearing about Innu culture, my heart instantly became desperate to see the gospel properly proclaimed in this place. In these neighbourhoods, where drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence reign, both in the aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities, I wanted to see the gospel restore. And as I sat and listened to the story of a woman, and how all her sons were sexually abused by a priest, I became incensed that such evil could be committed by a man who claimed to know Jesus.

 

All this to say, church-planting in this province is hard. And unless you’re willing to be here for the long haul, to move into a community, meet new people, become a part of their lives, and listen to their stories and their culture before just assuming that you know exactly what they need, you’ll never make it here. Many prospective church-planters have come to Newfoundland and Labrador with unrealistic expectations, imagining themselves to be our great saviours from the mainland. But if there’s one thing I learned from my trip to Labrador, it’s this: Just start by listening. If we take time to learn the people, the dialect, the history, the culture, then we can better understand how to contextualize the gospel to that culture. If I may make a small substitution to the apostle Paul’s words,

 

‘To the Newfoundlanders I became as a Newfoundlander, in order to win the Newfoundlanders. To the Labradorians I became as a Labradorian, in order to win the Labradorians. To the Innu and to the Inuit. To the baymen and the townies. To the people from Kilbride, Downtown, Shea Heights, Harbour Grace, Bay Roberts, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Rabittown, and every other community in this beautiful province, I became as one of them, in order to win them. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.’

 

          

 

]]>
Gospel Contextualization: Labrador

 

Last month, myself and Steve Bray had the opportunity to travel to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador. This is my second time and Steve’s first to Labrador, a vast and expansive land that often gets forgotten about, not just by the rest of Canada, but even by Newfoundlanders themselves. Our primary incentive for travelling up there was to get a lay of the land for church-planting; what’s the history of the Church in Labrador, how different is the culture from Newfoundland, how do we contextualize the gospel for its people. These are all questions that we wrestled with during our brief visit, and as each day passed, I began see more plainly the importance of understanding culture. Just as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 9,

 

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 

 

To put it bluntly, what works in Toronto, or Dallas, or New York, or Montreal, will never work here. Ever. Cookie-cutter solutions won’t do it, and never have I seen this more clearly demonstrated than by the history of the church in Labrador. There is a litany of church hurt and abuse in this part of the province, especially towards the Innu and Inuit peoples. Under the residential school system, much of their culture was stripped away from them. Children were taken from parents, educated elsewhere, punished for speaking their native languages. I’ve heard heart-breaking stories of children being sexually abused by a priest. Men who claimed to know Christ, to be His ambassadors, all the while dragging His Name through the mud with their abuses, their domination, their evil.

 

So now try to plant a church in this kind of context, where the people have been told

“Jesus died for your sins” thousands of times, but where the name of Christ is associated with sexual abuse scandals. During our trip, we got to talk to one of the community leaders of Sheshatshiu, the Innu Reserve close by. As we sat in a Labrador tent lined with spruce tree branches, eating ‘Innu donuts’, and hearing about Innu culture, my heart instantly became desperate to see the gospel properly proclaimed in this place. In these neighbourhoods, where drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence reign, both in the aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities, I wanted to see the gospel restore. And as I sat and listened to the story of a woman, and how all her sons were sexually abused by a priest, I became incensed that such evil could be committed by a man who claimed to know Jesus.

 

All this to say, church-planting in this province is hard. And unless you’re willing to be here for the long haul, to move into a community, meet new people, become a part of their lives, and listen to their stories and their culture before just assuming that you know exactly what they need, you’ll never make it here. Many prospective church-planters have come to Newfoundland and Labrador with unrealistic expectations, imagining themselves to be our great saviours from the mainland. But if there’s one thing I learned from my trip to Labrador, it’s this: Just start by listening. If we take time to learn the people, the dialect, the history, the culture, then we can better understand how to contextualize the gospel to that culture. If I may make a small substitution to the apostle Paul’s words,

 

‘To the Newfoundlanders I became as a Newfoundlander, in order to win the Newfoundlanders. To the Labradorians I became as a Labradorian, in order to win the Labradorians. To the Innu and to the Inuit. To the baymen and the townies. To the people from Kilbride, Downtown, Shea Heights, Harbour Grace, Bay Roberts, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Rabittown, and every other community in this beautiful province, I became as one of them, in order to win them. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.’

 

          

 

]]>
Missed Opportunity https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/missed-opportunity https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/missed-opportunity#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2021 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.mileonemission.ca/blog/post/missed-opportunity  

Everyone I know has spoken about an opportunity in life where a wrong decision was made causing an unwanted result that brought months or years of regrets. For believers, this often involves an opportunity to share our faith in Jesus Christ with an unbeliever. The Gospel message is for everyone to share, not just deacons and pastors. We must make the best of the opportunities God provides in order to be obedient to Him as followers of Jesus.

 

When I was a police officer I responded to thousands of calls for assistance. Once such call was at a residence and upon arrival I heard a man’s voice calling out from inside an apartment. I tried to make entry, but he was laying on the floor against the front door of the residence and he was rather obese. I had to push quite hard to gently move him far enough so I could enter the residence. Once inside I was able to reposition him so responding medics could also enter his home and render assistance.

 

Immediately I noticed the man’s skin had a dark yellow tone, which was indicative of imminent liver failure. His apartment was littered with empty beer cans and this state of extremely poor health in his 40’s meant that he had lived a life of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. The man just looked up at me and I could see in his eyes that he was frightened. He managed to say that he was having trouble breathing, so my impulsive response in an effort to comfort him was, “Don’t worry, buddy. We will get you to the hospital and get you fixed right up.”

 

The problem was that my statement was a blatant lie. We both knew he was dying and my suspicions were soon confirmed when he passed away during the ambulance on the ride to the hospital. Why did I lie to him? In my feeble attempt to offer comfort to a dying soul I thought that a well-intended lie would be what he needed to hear. What I should have done was speak the words of eternal life to him while there was still time, but I failed to do this and wasted the opportunity. I now live with regret over this incident.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:3-6 ESV)

 

My problem was that I was not walking (or acting) in wisdom, but rather in impulsive behavior of my own design. Had I followed Paul’s advice I would have made the best use of the time and responded with biblical wisdom to comfort him. God had given me this opportunity to be there with this man during the last minutes of his life and I failed to do my duty as a Christian to share the Gospel. I don’t know what he believed because time was too short to really inquire. I pray that he was reconciled with God prior to his death, but I will not know this for certain until I meet my Savior.

 

Think of the people in your life right now who do not know Christ as Savior. Have you been faithful to your Lord and shared the Gospel? If not, don’t allow time to get away from you. Use your time wisely and with the wisdom that God provides (Proverbs 9:10) to ensure no opportunity is ever wasted. Your efforts may be the necessary step for them to hear and respond to the Gospel, so that they may have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

]]>
 

Everyone I know has spoken about an opportunity in life where a wrong decision was made causing an unwanted result that brought months or years of regrets. For believers, this often involves an opportunity to share our faith in Jesus Christ with an unbeliever. The Gospel message is for everyone to share, not just deacons and pastors. We must make the best of the opportunities God provides in order to be obedient to Him as followers of Jesus.

 

When I was a police officer I responded to thousands of calls for assistance. Once such call was at a residence and upon arrival I heard a man’s voice calling out from inside an apartment. I tried to make entry, but he was laying on the floor against the front door of the residence and he was rather obese. I had to push quite hard to gently move him far enough so I could enter the residence. Once inside I was able to reposition him so responding medics could also enter his home and render assistance.

 

Immediately I noticed the man’s skin had a dark yellow tone, which was indicative of imminent liver failure. His apartment was littered with empty beer cans and this state of extremely poor health in his 40’s meant that he had lived a life of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. The man just looked up at me and I could see in his eyes that he was frightened. He managed to say that he was having trouble breathing, so my impulsive response in an effort to comfort him was, “Don’t worry, buddy. We will get you to the hospital and get you fixed right up.”

 

The problem was that my statement was a blatant lie. We both knew he was dying and my suspicions were soon confirmed when he passed away during the ambulance on the ride to the hospital. Why did I lie to him? In my feeble attempt to offer comfort to a dying soul I thought that a well-intended lie would be what he needed to hear. What I should have done was speak the words of eternal life to him while there was still time, but I failed to do this and wasted the opportunity. I now live with regret over this incident.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:3-6 ESV)

 

My problem was that I was not walking (or acting) in wisdom, but rather in impulsive behavior of my own design. Had I followed Paul’s advice I would have made the best use of the time and responded with biblical wisdom to comfort him. God had given me this opportunity to be there with this man during the last minutes of his life and I failed to do my duty as a Christian to share the Gospel. I don’t know what he believed because time was too short to really inquire. I pray that he was reconciled with God prior to his death, but I will not know this for certain until I meet my Savior.

 

Think of the people in your life right now who do not know Christ as Savior. Have you been faithful to your Lord and shared the Gospel? If not, don’t allow time to get away from you. Use your time wisely and with the wisdom that God provides (Proverbs 9:10) to ensure no opportunity is ever wasted. Your efforts may be the necessary step for them to hear and respond to the Gospel, so that they may have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

]]>