Finally, we’re getting to the good stuff! Men who feel called to church plant feel called that way because they want to spread the Gospel and Kingdom of Jesus Christ in a certain area. Some may even view the ground work as merely a necessary evil. I think though, that as we look at the life of Christ, we see that the groundwork is vital to sowing the gospel effectively.
You see, sowing the Gospel effectively entails engaging with various people in various cultures. That is a long-term process. Sowing the Gospel effectively will involve forming a team, identifying the people you want to reach, and exegeting the culture. On top of that, the process of sowing the Gospel after the groundwork has been done is not a “one and done” Gospel presentation. It’s certainly presenting the Gospel clearly, but it is also living in such a way that those who see you have seen the character of Christ. It is caring for needs and understanding struggles.
For years there seems to have been a struggle between whether or not evangelism should be relational or explicit. My contention is that it should be both. We should never shy away from clearly presenting the Gospel to anyone and everyone we meet. We should also be very intentional with the way that we live so that those who see us will see a reflection of Christ. As image bearers we must follow the admonition of Matthew 5:16 to let our light shine before men in such a way that they see our good works and give glory to the Father.
We were never promised ease in carrying out the mission of God, but we are blessed by the power of the Almighty. We can trust His ways and His power. We are called to sow the seed, but it is God who gives growth. May we rest in that as we strive to be faithful image bearers.
Soli Deo Gloria
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