We Have A Mission

Ever since I wrote Represent on a now defunct blog, the burden to equip people to live out their faith has grown. I teach it is by trying to live it myself and share the successes and failures. Picking up The Fi5th Gospel by Bobby Conway after I had read a post here at Cold Case Christianity to learn more. I was going through the book again with a pen in my hand when I had an interesting night at church…

God Spoke

We had ended the teaching part at FirstNLR and a voice rang out in the lull during the music. Echoing against the walls. Suddenly, a man in the back started speaking in an unknown language. I locked eyes on him until he finished, thinking to myself, “now the interpretation” in the pattern that Paul told the church in Corinth.

Seconds later, another voice carried through the sanctuary clearly as another guy started speaking. I hadn’t even heard our pastor’s voice carry with that much authority. I noticed the sound of wind rushing through the sanctuary. The hair on my arms stood up as the sensation moved through me. The Holy Spirit was moving.

The interpretation was about collecting the harvest. The words were familiar but I couldn’t place the passage at the time. He, God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit, had called for workers throughout the ages, and he would be returning soon with his reward.

Looking For Myself

Later, I checked for every time the word ‘harvest’ is in the Bible. I found the one I was looking for in John 4: 35-39 NIV:

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

After that, I hit Bobby’s book even harder, wanting to live and train people to live as true followers of Jesus. It makes me nervous, too; I am willing to teach it myself on a classroom level at church, or here. Except it is more than just working within the church, it’s also outside in our daily lives.

Soon after that thought came to mind, a guy at work sat down beside me to talk. I stopped doing my favorite thing, reading, to give him something no one can get back. Time. Another guy was going to California after that night. Out of character for me, I reached out to shake his hand and wish him well. I don’t have being able to approach others down yet.

We’re The Only Bible Some Will Read

Part of what makes being a 5th Gospel Christian effective is people see it in action, and we don’t knowwho is watching. Sometimes we do find out who’s watching. A friend commented on a post thanking me for posting the apologetics links. It encouraged him in his own case-making at work. A little later I noticed two people started posting a little of their own stuff instead of just liking what I posted.

It is the proverb “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” in action. Truly, we don’t know who’s watching us. I think we would be surprised at the waves we do make as we travel through life.

It is important to show what life is like in Christ, being a light in the world to draw people to Jesus.
I encourage you to get the book; he goes deeper than I do. I’m just pulling parts out of it. He even preaches on it in the Life Fellowship podcast if you just want to listen.