Being a Seed Sower
I recently came across a documentary called “Jesus Mission.” It tells the story of Daniel MacLeod and an outreach movement he started in Nashville, TN called Fireplace. He and anyone who wants to join go downtown every Friday night to pray, worship and engage people with the gospel. I would highly recommend watching it (free here!). My main takeaways were:
- The gospel - the truth that Jesus paid the debt for my rebellion against God and gives me a place with Him forever - IS GOOD NEWS! It’s actually amazing news. Sharing it makes sense!
- The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Luke 10:2). There ARE people around me who have soft hearts and are ready to receive - I won’t know unless I start the conversation.
- We are not soul savers - we are seed sowers.
Recently, God has been giving me more and more of a burden for those around me who don’t know Jesus. Because the gospel is really GOOD NEWS! And I want God to use me as He brings more people into His Kingdom.
I am still very much in process and slowly growing in this, but in the past few months, I feel like God has been teaching me what intentional, obedient, faithful evangelism looks like for me:
- Spend more time actually reading my Bible and communicating with Jesus than I do watching other people do this. Then, my desire to share with others will be authentic and joyful and filled with the Holy Spirit - not with obligation or guilt.
- Ask God daily to put people in my path who I can love, be a light to, point to Jesus, share the gospel explicitly with, etc.
- Actually know the gospel and be able to clearly and concisely articulate it. This is something I am still learning how to do!
- Know my testimony(ies). I don’t have an exciting/dramatic salvation story, but I do have stories of God’s faithfulness, healing, kindness and power in my life. I want to clearly be able to share those as I have opportunities.
- Carry Bibles around - in my car, diaper bag, purse, etc. My husband and I bought a bunch of pocket Bibles - and God has given several opportunities!
- Slow down, see people. In Costco - the people handing out samples. At the grocery store - the cashiers or workers restocking shelves. The person sitting on a bench outside the library…etc.
- Let God root out my pride. It can feel awkward and uncomfortable talking with strangers in this way at first, but I want to get to a place where that no longer bothers me and I can walk in freedom and obedience and humility - and love toward the lost.
- Know that God is in control and it is not my job to convict or save - I can love people. I can be obedient and faithfully share truth in love. I am a seed sower. I can trust God to keep working in peoples’ lives.
Saying YES to God’s call to share the Good News can look so many different ways - it doesn’t have to look like how others around you are doing it. If it’s helpful, here’s how it’s looked for me lately.
- Say hello, ask if I can pray for them in any way
- Genuinely listen
- If time allows and conversation feels open, ask if they have any spiritual beliefs
- Genuinely listen
- If time allows and conversation feels open, share the gospel and/or a God story of mine
- Pray for them - then and there if time allows - for their request and also that God would reveal himself to them
- Ask if they have a Bible - give them one if they want
- Note their name and pray for them regularly!
Speaking of sharing the Good News! VBS is coming up August 3-6. We’re still looking for volunteers to be part of introducing kids to Jesus! Find more info below.
If you're not able to volunteer during the actual VBS evenings, here are a few other ways you can be involved!
- Bring in cardboard boxes to church. We will need lots of boxes to build our decor (think volcanoes and waterfalls!)
- Sign up for an hour time slot on Saturday, Aug 1 to decorate for VBS! We will need as many hands as possible. Sign up sheet is in the church lobby.
- Purchase items from our Amazon wishlist here.
Have a great weekend!