FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK:

I am reading a book by H. Eddie Fox (whom I meet personally) and George E Morris titled “Faith-Sharing” Dynamic Christian Witnessing by Invitation, and I want to share with you a couple of things that had touch my life. Because is going to be longer that my monthly sharing with you, I ‘m going to divide it. I hope and prayed that would change your perspective about faith-sharing.

FAITH-SHARING IS GOD’S IDEA (Second Part)

Not only is faith-sharing founded in God’s love, is also fulfills the Great Com-mission (Matt. 28:19b) Christ commanded his follower to carry his message to all people and to the ends of the earth. Michael Green said: “The obligation depends not upon the letter but upon the Spirit of Christ, not upon what he orders but upon what he is, and the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of divine love and compassion and desire for souls astray from God.”

The Christ who called people to follow him in grace is the same Christ who turned around and taught people how to live with him responsible and how to share faith effectively. Grace, not guilt, motivates people to share faith. It is when the love of God becomes the great compulsion that faith-sharing becomes the Great Commission.

In the final analysis the question of motivation cannot be answered theoreti-cally or by some lofty argument. The question can only be answered by each person who claims to follow Christ. We would put the question this way:

How much difference would it make in your life if at midnight

you ceased to believe in Jesus Christ?

Would you reply: “Well, I suppose life would go on about as usual. I would get up in the morning, go to work, come home for dinner, watch TV until bedtime as always.

However, if you have encountered the living God in Jesus Christ you would have to say: “If at midnight I ceased to believe in Jesus Christ, I don’t know how I could go on living. I have learned to say with Paul, “For me to live is Christ. Jesus is the very center of my being. If I ceased to believe in him, all of the lights would go out of my sky, and I would be left in utter darkness, I think I would just want to lie down and die.”

Now, we ask you this: If your faith matters that much to you, is there any person on the face of God’s earth for whom it ought to matter less? If you could not live without Christ, can you lie down comfortably in your bed at night so long as there is one single person who has not heard the good news? Is the love that we have for God that constrains us to share our faith.

In one country where Christians are not allowed to share faith openly a youth told the story of how he witnesses. On Sunday morning he walks to church. He takes the biggest Bible he owns and puts it under his arm as he heads towards church, but he does not go the shortest way! He takes the long way. He winds through the streets with the Book. It is his way of inviting people to church. We can witness by our deeds and practices as well as our words.

Each Christian is unique and each Christian’s story is unique. Each Christian should tell that story at the appropriate time. Many contemporary Christians have pulled back at the thought of verbally sharing faith with another. Talking about deep matters is one of the basic sacramental experiences. Taking about Jesus Christ is harder than giving money, painting buildings, mowing the law, attending committee meetings, and many other important matters that are part of the life of the church.

In faith-sharing we tell what God is doing in our lives. The focus is not on what we are doing for God. Rather, we attempt to witness to the grace of God in our lives. Each disciple is called to be a witness. Each has a unique story to share. There is a gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There is also a gospel according to George, Eddie, Mary, Barbara, and Shirley. The witness of each Chris-tian matters a great deal. Each is called to spread the gospel by word and deed. (Will continue next month)

May God bless you,

Pastor Dora