A NEW SENSE OF URGENCY

 

Thursday, June 27, 2024

 

A NEW SENSE OF URGENCY

 

Acts 8:1 & 4

8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

 

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

 

Historian K. S. Latourette A History of Christianity, Harper & Row Publishers, 1975, observes that throughout the history of the church, whenever the Word of God was put into the hands of laymen, the Gospel tended to spread like a prairie fire. When however, the Word remained in the hands of the clergy, evangelism ground to a near halt!

 

The challenge, of course, is motivation. How is it possible to motivate a laity that is comfortable? The answer is discomfort in the form of “great persecution” (verse 1). 

 

A new sense of urgency seems to be sweeping through some of our young people. They have found Christ, truly found Him, and their friends are lost, truly lost. There is no time to wait for clergy who may be occupied with church administration. They must rescue their friends now!

 

So, which method, do you think would prove more effective in reaching the lost with the Gospel: (1) twenty Billy Grahams daily reaching 20,000 people for Christ, or (2) one layperson discipling another for a year, after which the two of them would split off and each disciple another?

The answer: In 30 years the Graham method would reach 2.9 billion people with the Gospel, while the one-to-one approach would reach 8.5 billion. (Facts of the Matter)

Dear Lord, my friends are too precious, and time is too short to wait for clergy! Help me to reach my friends with the Gospel. AMEN