You Can Reach One

For the past several weeks I have been pleading with our church toward one singular goal—that each disciple of Jesus Christ would determine to reach out to at least one other in this coming year with the gospel. We have studied Scripture’s clear command toward this end. We have encouraged one another by relating our own stories of how the gospel has transformed our lives. We have been equipped with a tool (The Best News evangelism card) whereby any among us can simply convey to another the eternal truths of the gospel. Yet, unless we are motivated by a passionate desire for God’s glory and a deep compassion for those without Christ, not one of us will accomplish the mission to reach even one with the gospel.

Now, you would expect that I would implore our church with the challenge to share the gospel with another. As gets proverbially mentioned by many, “this is what the preacher is supposed to do.” Telling people about Jesus and appealing for others to do the same seems to be a major tenet to a pastor’s job description. While I would not refute that thought, Christ’s mission of the gospel cannot be contained to just a few or even within the constraints of an occupation. The Apostle Paul refers to every believer as engrossed in the “ministry of reconciliation…ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:18 20). God has called all of us to not only know Him through the gospel, but also to be used by Him to proclaim this message to others. If we truly know Christ, this mission is to be the driving force of our lives, not just a temporary church campaign so that we might reach high attendance marks. Either Jesus is everything to us, or He is nothing to us!

But what is the probability that every single believer could possibly reach another for Jesus Christ? Are these only the wild rantings of an over-zealous preacher? I want to share with you two stories which exemplify that soul-winning is not a sprint, but rather a marathon. Only through a deep love for Jesus and a growing compassion for those without Him will we succeed in making disciples. Yet, when we courageously obey God’s call, and persistently plead for God’s mercy in the lives of others, God will use even us. May the following two true stories of witnesses just like us encourage you to reach your one.

Crotchety old Alice was a terror to neighborhood children, stray dogs, and delivery boys. Her face was sour and surly, and she waved her garden trowels and hedge-clippers like weapons in the faces of visitors.

When James and Jean Mader moved next door, they mustered their courage to speak to Alice one day about the Lord, but she cut them off. “I’ve been a member of the church all my life,” she snorted. “I don’t need the Bible to tell me what to do.”

The Maders looked for ways of befriending Alice, and slowly the relationship thawed. Still, Alice wanted nothing to do with the Gospel.

During a community evangelistic campaign, the Maders became involved with a plan called “Operation Andrew,” based on John 1:42, about Andrew’s introducing his brother, Simon, to Christ. They listed ten people to pray for and to invite to the meetings. Alice’s name was on the list, but she spurned their appeals. Still they prayed and looked for chances to share.

One summer returning from vacation, the Maders found Alice’s house empty. She was in a nursing home, having suffered a stroke. They visited her regularly, bringing flowers and sharing news from the neighborhood. Alice was unable to speak, but one day when Jim asked if he could read Psalm 23, she nodded.

Jim visited regularly, always sharing Scripture, and they noticed that Alice began fixing her gaze on him as he read instead of staring straight ahead as she had previously done. One day Jim asked, “Alice, do you want the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and give you peace with God?” Alice indicated that she did, bowing her head and praying silently as Jim led her. When she raised her head, her eyes were wet with tears.

It had taken over twelve years.

Within the past several days, someone in our own congregation shared with me how God had impressed upon his heart to take advantage of the opportunities he had been given to tell others the story of the gospel. Making it his prayer to be more aware of those opportunities, he found himself stuck in traffic on the interstate. With the major road now more of a parking lot, people began to get out of their vehicles so that they might just stretch their legs.

Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself. Could it be that one could share Jesus in the midst of stopped traffic? Our man sensed God’s leading as he took a copy of More Than a Carpenter (the true story of how an avowed atheist’s life was changed by Christ), and approached the gentleman standing beside his vehicle just before him. After talking for some time, he handed him a copy of the book, imploring him to read it for all that it is worth.

Before long, the traffic jam was cleared, vehicles were cranked, and these two men who had spoken about eternal matters would seemingly never cross paths again….

Until a letter arrived nearly a year later. It was written by the wife of the man to whom the book had been given. Her husband had not heeded the plea from this witness. He had not read the book. However, she did. And God’s conviction fell so strongly upon her soul that she is now praying with all her effort that her husband will also read the book. She wanted to thank this otherwise unknown witness from this seemingly chance encounter.

Surely, God’s Word to us is not in vain. Jesus told His disciples, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together” (John 4:34-35). God is working in ways that we can see, and in countless ways more that we cannot.

You can reach your one.

Jason