Lighting Up Our City Video 8: Creating a Culture of Evangelismਨਮੂਨਾ

“As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3)

I have moved a lot throughout the course of my life, first with my parents while growing up then with my husband throughout our marriage. Each time we move, the hardest part is finding a new church and making new friends. After a couple of years, we settle in and find “our people” and finally feel like we fit and belong. We become seen and known, and this feels good.

For those of us who have found our place and people in our churches and Christian circles, we can become all too comfortable, forgetting that Jesus called all of us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”(Mt. 28:19).

There is nothing wrong in having a strong faith community with whim we share our lives. However, we cannot just stay linked arm in arm, inward facing, in what Beth Moore calls our “holy huddles.” Instead, we need to stay within our circle of fellow believers but facing outward so that we can “go forth and make disciples.”

It’s likely that both Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were comfortable where they were--with their fellow believers in Jerusalem and Antioch. It would have been easy for them to just stay there. However, they were obedient to the call of the Holy Spirit who sent them out to share the Good News in other parts of the world.

Barnabas and Saul had the support, prayers, and confirmation of the community before they were sent out. Let’s learn from their example.

First, we need to listen for the Holy Spirit’s direction as to where and to whom He is sending us to share the gospel. Then we need to seek the counsel, prayers, and support of our fellow believers as we are sent out from our holy huddles into a world that desperately needs our message of hope and salvation.

Are you willing to seek direction, then go where the Holy Spirit calls you?

By Teresa Baumbach