About a month ago, our church started talking up our new Two Campaign. I have to be honest, when they used the terminology "campaign," I immediately suspected that they were going to push some financial capital/commitment deal on us. I have to confess, I inwardly groaned when I got my first email about this new, "exciting" campaign happening at church.
So we're about a week and a half into the Two Campaign, and I've been thoroughly convicted. First, because I had a bad attitude about the campaign and wrongly assumed the worst about it. And second, because it's made me re-evaluate my focus on evangelism (or lack thereof).
Our Two Campaign is a challenge to all church members to pray for and reach out to 2 people during 2013. Our goal is to share the Gospel with these people and/or to invite them to the two year anniversary of our church's re-launch on February 10. Because the church has grown so quickly over the last 2 years, we're also starting up 2 services on that day. (We're also supposed to wear and give away these ugly blue bracelets that say Two on them, but I don't see where we're called to do that in Scripture. I probably won't be wearing and handing out ugly jewelry--but that's a personal issue.)
To support this Two campaign, our pastor has been preaching on evangelism and has been questioning why we haven't been more active in sharing Jesus with others. And it's a great question. Why don't we openly share Jesus with others? I mean, it's not politically correct, but neither is owning firearms and most Texans own those. Are we afraid? Do we not care? Do we not understand who God is?
I really have no good excuses. Growing up, my youth pastor made sure that the believers in my youth group not only knew how to share the Gospel, but he made us practice on each other. Then he took us to our local outdoor shopping area and made us do it for real. Thus, I know the Gospel and I know how to share it, but for some reason I haven't continued to regularly share the Gospel openly with other people. I think I've gotten into the mindset that I can pray for and support others who have chosen mission work as their vocation. Or I think that I can drop phrases about God and grace and hope people will pick up on it. But I haven't been faithful about obeying the call to go and teach others myself!
Just as I was contemplating this yesterday, I happened to reach the chapter in my North Korea book about the Christians in North Korea (talk about a kick to my gut). These people are currently and literally risking their lives to tell others about Jesus and to read the Bible. And for the past year, I've just been going about my own business, moaning and groaning about pregnancy and life.
I've definitely been challenged spiritually during these first 10 days of 2013. Looks like I need to make some changes in my life and in my attitude towards others. It's time to obey.
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