Proclaim the Cross of Christ

Galatians 3:1-2, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

Paul’s disappointment and anger are clearly seen in his words to the Galatians. He was disturbed in his heart because after they received the gospel by faith in the finished work of Christ, they turned back to the works of the law.

It is foolish to consider attaining salvation by works, and so calls Paul, “O foolish Galatians.” “Who has bewitched you?” This is a term of witchcraft. In other words, “Who has influenced you in an evil way?” To wander away from the biblical gospel is like being bewitched by the evil.

Vivid Proclamation of Christ's Crucifixion

Paul goes on to explain, “It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified” (Gal. 3:1b). Does this mean that the Galatians witnessed with their eyes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Where was Christ crucified? In Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matt. 16:21).

Where was Galatia? Galatia was a Roman Province, located near the central region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It is surrounded by Bithynia, Pontus, Cappadocia, and Phrygia. The churches of Galatia include Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, which Paul visited in his first missionary journey.

Galatia and Jerusalem are separated by hundreds of miles. Then how did the Galatians witness with their eyes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ?

This doesn’t speak about seeing the crucifixion of Christ with physical eyes. Paul didn’t say, “It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly crucified.” He said, “It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly PORTRAYED AS crucified.” This speaks about the public proclamation of the gospel of Christ Jesus with a clear verbal description of Christ’s crucifixion.

The cross of Christ speaks of man’s sin for which He was crucified. The cross of Christ demonstrates God’s love towards sinners. The cross of Christ manifests the satisfaction of God’s justice. The cross of Christ reveals the propitiatory sacrifice of the Lord Jesus to reconcile man to God. The cross of Christ shows the only hope of man, which is to believe in the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to receive God’s gift of eternal life. This is what the gospel of the cross is.

Paul's Passion for the Cross of Christ

When we examine the ministry of Paul, we observe that God had wrought great miracles through this man. He was a man filled with the knowledge of the Scriptures. He had supernatural experiences. He walked in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He was an extraordinary apostle. He was a church planter. He was a disciple-maker. He was a fundraiser who helped numerous needy believers.

In spite of all these great gifts and accomplishments, Paul’s focus and emphasis were on proclaiming the crucified Lord. Like the sun that shines, giving light to all the earth, so the cross of Christ shone over Paul’s entire ministry.

Elsewhere Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). He even said, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).

Paul didn’t proclaim the crucifixion of Christ as a passing remark, as many do today. The cross was not peripheral but absolutely central to his message. What the Lord Jesus did on the cross drove everything that Paul spoke and did. The message of the cross permeated every cell of his body.

When Paul preached the gospel to the people, the Lord Jesus was clearly presented to them as crucified. According to Paul, there is no gospel without the cross. How precisely, emphatically, vividly, passionately, magnificently, he proclaimed the gospel of Christ Jesus that it was as if the listeners saw the crucifixion of the Lord.

Proclaim the Cross of Christ

This is how we must proclaim the gospel. The listeners must clearly see with the eyes of the heart the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. They may forget almost everything we speak but not the cross because of our vivid description of it and emphasis on it. Our proclamation of the gospel-centered on the cross must leave an indelible mark on their minds.

It is the cross which discloses Christ as the unique Savior from all the so-called saviors of the world and of other religions. Jesus is the only Savior of the world because He is the only One who went to the cross to save the world. We cannot exalt Christ without elevating His cross.

Therefore, the effective presentation of the gospel is portraying before the eyes of people the Lord Jesus Christ as crucified. Let us resolve, like Paul, to proclaim Christ and Him crucified.

___________________________

Enquiries: 

messageforourage@gmail.com

Why the Local Churches Should Be Missional? [Part One]

 1 of 2 

Note: On 15th June 2014, our young church had a farewell ceremony as the Lord has used us to send our first missionaries to an unreached place in Maharashtra. The following is the message delivered on this occasion.

Introduction

A local church should not only be a praying community, a worshiping assembly and a loving fellowship; it should also be a missional community. Without being missional, a church is still incomplete in its existence and function. In fact, it is dysfunctional.

Our modern day churches are busy having church programs and focusing on gaining large numbers under one structure but neglecting one important thing, i.e. missions. By using the term “missions”, I mean, “spreading the gospel of Christ and planting churches.”

When we look at the Holy Scripture, particularly the book of Acts, it is hard to ignore observing the missional work of the Holy Spirit through the local communities of Christ. Remember, there were no mission organizations in the early church; a local church was itself a missional community.

Why missions is so important to local churches?

Three Facts 

Fact One: God exists for Himself, for His own glory. The Lord says, “For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned?  My glory I will not give to another” (Isa. 48:11).

We learn from the word of God that God exists for Himself and for His own glory. He will not give His glory to another. Indeed, for God to be God, He has to exist only for Himself, for His glory. It may come as a surprise but it is sin on the part of God to exist for anything other than Himself.

Why God exists for Himself?

In order for God to exist for something else, that thing should exist eternally. But since God alone exists eternally [nothing exists before Him or after Him], and since all things have come later into existence because of the creation by the eternal God, God has to eternally exist for Himself.

Further, if God exists for something else other than Himself, that thing becomes greater than God, for that becomes the purpose for His existence. Since there is no one greater than God, no purpose is superior than His own, God has to exist for Himself.

As God alone is eternal and sovereign, it is the right of God to exist for His own glory. He cannot exist for anything else because there is nothing there which exists without Him.

Fact Two: God has created us for His glory. The Lord says, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isa. 43:7). It is also written, “All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16).

The message is obvious from the above Scriptures—We do not exist on earth for ourself, i.e. for our ambitions, our career, our personal pleasures and happiness, not even for our family. We exist only for the One who created us for Himself. Life is meaningless, purposeless and joyless unless we know and live by this fact.

Considering the fact that God has created us for Himself, some suppose it as a selfish act. Imagine, if the president of United States of America chooses me for himself and to serve him as His secretary, how will I view this opportunity? Would I say, “You know, the president of America is a very selfish person. He chose me for himself. He appointed me as his secretary”? It requires insanity to say this.

A sane person would be excited and expresses, “Hurray! You know, I am president’s secretary. He chose me for himself. What a great privilege and honor it is to serve the president.”

Now think, the Lord of all the princes of the earth, the Maker of the heavens and earth, the Creator of the whole universe, says, “I have created you for Myself.” Is it not a great privilege and honor to live for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?

Fact Three: All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. The Scripture says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

What does it mean “fall short of the glory of God”? It means that all of us have fallen from the glorious purposes of God. We have forsaken to live for Him and began living for ourself. We are not living for His glory but for our own glory. We have given up His glorious standards and living by our own feelings and thoughts.

In short, man is not living for the purpose for which God has created him, i.e. for the glory of God, and thus committed sin against Him. Know—sin is nothing but living against the purpose for which God has created us.

The Remedy

So, what is the solution? How can man live according to the purpose for which he was created? How can he be restored back to live for the glory of God?

There is only one answer: THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST JESUS IS THE ONLY REMEDY FOR MAN’S TRAGEDY.

The Lord Jesus has become a man, lived an exemplary life on earth, suffered for our sins, offered His body as a sacrifice, shed His precious blood, gave His life on the cross and has risen from the dead. The Lord had done all these things for one purpose—to reconcile man to God so that man would live again for the purpose for which God created him, i.e. for the glory of God (2 Cor. 5:18, 15).

Salvation, which is received through the gospel of Christ, is nothing but the restoration of man to live for the glory of God.  [Click here to go to Part 2 of this article...] |  1 of 2 

Why the Local Churches Should Be Missional? [Part Two]

 2 of 2 

Mission of Local Church

If the gospel of Christ Jesus is the only remedy, which is the only community on earth to spread this gospel? Upon whom is the responsibility laid to carry the gospel of Christ?

The last commission of Christ is the great commission to the church. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only agent of God on earth to spread the gospel and His glory. If the church doesn’t go and proclaim the gospel, who else will do this task?

If the gospel of Christ Jesus is the only way for a man to be saved, then church is the only means to spread this gospel. May I repeat this for emphasis—if the gospel of Christ Jesus is the only way for a man to be saved, then church is the only means to spread this gospel.

Here is a word of caution—if a local church is not active in spreading the gospel of Christ Jesus, whatever else it does, it is not pleasing to the Lord who gave us the Great Commission. A church which is not earnestly engaged in missions is misled in its function and vision.

How Can a Local Church Accomplish the Task of Missions?

Local Missionaries: First, every local church should be missional and every believer should live in a sense as a local missionary. It is written about the early church believers that wherever they were scattered, they proclaimed the gospel of Christ Jesus in the surrounding places and beyond (Acts 8:4).

Wherever we are, be it in study place or work place, we should live as God's missionaries. Christians today are missing to live with this perspective. O, let this be revived. 

The biggest problem with the church today is that our local churches have become spiritual entertainment clubs than mission entities. The focus of today’s believers is on attending the church programs and activities with no passion for the spread of the gospel of Christ. The pathetic thing is that there is not even guilt for not doing so because that’s not the emphasis in the culture of today's churchianity.

Don't you suppose our churches have become more ceremonial rather than being missional?

Let us examine: Is the local church evangelism a regular activity of our local churches? Is personal evangelism emphasized in our local churches? Are we active in proclaiming the gospel of Christ and planting churches, which brings glory to the name of the Lord?

Foreign Missionaries: Second, every local church should not only be missional in its local place but also send missionaries to the places where gospel and church planting are unheard. Paul writes in Romans 10:13-15:

For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

Observe the above order: For a person to be saved, he has to believe. In order for him to believe, he has to hear. For him to hear, someone has to preach. And how can they preach unless they are sent? It ends with the word “sent” because it begins with it. Without sending, nothing of the rest is going to happen. And who will send? Is this not the responsibility of the local churches? And is this not what we are neglecting?

Of course, it is the Lord who sends workers into the harvest. But from where will He pick them? Is it not from the local churches? And who will stand with them? Should not the local churches?

Unless our churches commit themselves to live as missional communities, people are not going to be saved in foreign lands, which means, they cannot be restored to live for the glory of God. If we love God and if we want God’s name to be glorified among all the nations, we, the local churches, should become missional.

If we echo the words in Isaiah 26:8, "Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts", then we have to become missional. If we truly mean by praying, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven", then we have to become missional.

The glory of God is the reason why the local churches should become missional.

If every local church is determined to send at least one missionary in a year, we can reach many unreached places where people are not living for the glory of God. Sadly, there are many local churches existing for years, some for decades, without ever sending missionaries to spread the gospel and plant churches in foreign fields. They are existing only as historical monuments, not to make history by becoming missional.

There are thousands of places where the gospel has not reached and the churches are not planted. Multitudes of people are not living for God's glory. O, the glory of God is at stake! Let the local churches take this challenge to turn people, through the gospel of Christ Jesus, from self-glory to the glory of God.

May the Lord bring revival in the local churches to become Christ-centered, kingdom-minded and missional-oriented. Let our passion for the glory of God drive us to become missional. Are we, the local churches, willing to become missional?  [Click here to go to Part 1 of this article] |  2 of 2 

_______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com

What Does It Mean to Fulfill the Great Commission?

It is commonly asserted that the Great Commission is the mission of Christianity, and rightly so. In these days, which many suppose to be the very end times, there appears to be an increasing sense of urgency to fulfill the Great Commission. There is a passion to spread the gospel among all the nations and the unreached people. This is something to rejoice about.

However, there seems to be a blurred understanding about what it means to fulfill the Great Commission.

In my observation, when it comes to the talk about the fulfillment of the Great Commission, many of us just think about spreading the gospel of Christ Jesus. We suppose, evangelism is what the Great Commission is all about. As a result, many individuals and Christian organizations are only zealous about the propagation of the gospel. In doing so, they believe, they are fulfilling the Great Commission.

The Great Commission

When I ponder over the words of Christ Jesus, it becomes obvious that evangelism is not what the Great Commission is all about. It is simply a part of it. Listen carefully to what Christ had spoken in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

How?

“…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

And what else?

“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

How do we fulfill the Great Commission? Is it just by preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus? No. We fulfill it by preaching the gospel to the unsaved, baptizing the saved and teaching them to obey everything what Christ had commanded.

Planting Churches

Now, a question arises—in what context does baptism and continuous teaching take place? Don’t you think this happens in the context of a church community? It is in church that a saved person becomes a part of God’s family through faith in Christ and baptism. It is in church that he constantly learns to know more about God. It is in church that he grows towards maturity by continuous learning and obeying the word of Christ.

So, what does it mean to fulfill the Great Commission? It is to plant churches in every tribe and language and people, wherein folks get baptized and are frequently taught to obey everything what Christ had commanded.

Don’t you observe this is what the apostles did, particularly Paul, in the book of Acts? Throughout the book of Acts, this is what precisely happened—the apostles preached the gospel, baptized the saved, planted churches that gathered regularly and discipled them to obey the word of God. This is how the early church grew towards spiritual maturity and it is in this way the Great Commission was fulfilled in Antioch, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Galatia, Colossae, Ephesus…etc.

Two Common Problems

By reading the Great Commission of Christ Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles, I am convinced—without planting churches wherein people are baptized and continuously discipled, I don’t think we are truly fulfilling the Great Commission.

These are the two common problems that are conspicuous in our Christianity today:

First, there are those who just focus on proclaiming the gospel without having a vision to plant churches in order to completely fulfill the Great Commission. This is one reason why so many saved ones are left as spiritual orphans.

And second, there are those who plant churches but don’t focus on discipling them towards spiritual maturity. They simply gather the church to have a service without considering how to take care of the spiritual condition of believers. To them, church is nothing more than a building and a program.

But, according to the Holy Scripture, church is a community that is to be discipled towards spiritual maturity. This doesn’t just happen by the proclamation of God’s word from the pulpit but via personal discipleship.

For this reason, the leaders of the church, from the beginning of church planting, should focus on making disciples who in turn disciple the new believers. And this church ought to grow and multiply into more communities in other parts of the town, city, even nation. This is how, I believe, we effectively fulfill the Great Commission.

Call to Fulfill the Great Commission

This is my plea to the Christian leaders, believers and various ministries—let us not just focus on preaching the gospel, but make it our goal to plant churches where baptism and constant teaching to obey God’s word becomes a common activity. Also, let us not make church a material sanctuary or a program, but see to it that it would be a family community where discipleship becomes a regular activity. 

Let us, therefore, fulfill the Great Commission by preaching the gospel of Christ, baptizing people and teaching them to obey everything what Christ had commanded, which is effectively done in and through the church. Don’t you suppose this is how we fulfill the mission of Christ who said, “…I will build my church”? (Matt. 16:18)

Related Articles:

• The Great Commission
  
  _______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

How Can We Be Effective in Evangelism?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, was one of the greatest soul-winners ever lived in the history of Christianity. The Lord used him to win many into His kingdom, to plant churches, to raise leaders and to make a significant impact in his generation and in the generations to come. Though there was opposition and persecution, lack of results at times and various kinds of trials, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Paul was mighty in evangelism.

But why is it that many of us in our time are not as effective as was Paul in evangelism and in impacting the lives around us? How can we become mighty in evangelism like Paul? In my today’s earning morning quiet time, the Lord helped me to understand certain significant reasons behind Paul’s effectiveness. It is my prayer and desire to possess these qualities in my life and I trust you would love to have the same in you.

1. Passion

It is humbling to read these words of Paul, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel” (Rom. 9:3-4).

These are no superficial words. What intense passion and steady burden Paul had for his people! He had a great heart for people as he desired to see hearts changed by the power of the gospel. His passion for the salvation of his people was so tremendous that he wished even to accept eternal damnation for their eternal life’s sake. Paul didn’t just preach the gospel; He preached the gospel with passion and compassion for the lost.

Do we have this passion and love for our people? Do we agonize in our soul that souls are perishing around us? Is our heart broken to see people living a life separated from the Living God? Do we burn in our heart to turn people from going into eternal fire? How can we be effective in evangelism without such intense passion for the lost?

2. Prayer

Paul expressed, “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1).

Paul not only wished to see the salvation of his people, but he also prayed, persistently prayed, that they would come to the knowledge of the truth. His was not a mere emotional wish, but his intense burden led him to fervent prayer. Since salvation comes from the Lord, he poured his soul at His feet to save them. He didn’t simply preach the gospel; He earnestly prayed to the Lord of salvation to save those who hear the gospel. Paul was not just a man of the gospel; he was also a man of prayer.

We who desire to be effective in evangelism, are we effective in praying for the lost? Do we realize that all our labor and methods are fruitless in evangelism without the mighty work of the Holy Spirit? Do we completely depend on God through prayer for the work of the Holy Spirit? Do we grieve, even weep, for the salvation of the lost? How can we be mighty in evangelism if we are not mighty in our prayer life?

3. Purity

Paul wrote, “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed” (1Thess. 2:10).

How careful Paul was when he did gospel work among the Thessalonians! He conducted himself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phi. 1:27). He strived always to keep his conscience clear before God and man (Acts 24:16). He was careful not to say or do anything that would become a stumbling block in the spread of the gospel. Despite his struggle with personal weaknesses, he conducted himself in purity and integrity, making his life attractive to the gospel of Christ. Reading his life makes it obvious that Paul defended the authenticity of the gospel not only by his words but also by the way he lived.

As we want to see people transformed through the gospel of Christ, are we continuously being conformed to Christ-likeness? Does our life confirms or hinders the message of the gospel? Are we making every effort to live an exemplary life so that in every way we will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive? (Tit. 2:10) How can we be effective in evangelism if we are not effective in our Christian lifestyle?

4. Preaching

In his farewell message to the Ephesian elders, said Paul, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace” (Acts 20:24).

We know that the best way to become an expert in any field is to keep practicing it. Paul was effective in evangelism because he continuously engaged himself in proclaiming the gospel of Christ. To him, nothing was more important than knowing Christ and making Him known to others. His life was sharply marked with a passion to preach Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). He was reluctant to miss a single opportunity of witnessing to others. To him, preaching the gospel was not an option, but a solemn obligation (Rom. 1:14-15). He seriously took to heart the Great Commission and made every effort to fulfill it.

How about us, dear friends? Do we preach the gospel at all times? Does our heart beat constantly to proclaim the glory of Christ? Do we grab the opportunities of witnessing Christ to others? Or are we just engrossed in pursuing success and prosperity in this world without seriously considering fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord? How can we be effective in evangelism if we occasionally and conveniently preach the gospel?

5. Power

In his letter to Corinthians, Paul asserts, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power” (1Cor. 2:4-5).

Paul was not just simply filled with the knowledge about the gospel; he was filled with the Holy Spirit and power to proclaim the gospel of Christ. He wasn’t content to present the gospel simply with words, but strived to preach it with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (1Thess. 1:5). O, there was energy, power and conviction in the gospel he preached! His gospel preaching was a power-filled preaching. Just like his Lord, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him as he preached the good news (Lu. 4:18).

Are we discontent with our knowledge, intellect and experience and hunger more for a Spirit-filled life and ministry? Do we continuously seek to be clothed with the power from on high to live as Christ’s mighty witnesses (Lu. 24:49; Acts 1:8) Do we hate our cold heart and dead preaching, and long to have fire in our heart and life in our preaching? How can we be effective in evangelism without being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit?

May the Lord make us men and women of passion, of prayer, of purity, of preaching and of power and use us in these last days to effectively spread the gospel of Christ, proclaiming His glory to the nations.

Our Father in heaven, we come before You with our hearts which is passionless, prayerless, powerless, godless and gospel-less. We ask You that You send Your holy fire from above and revive us to live a life like Your servant Paul. Help us not to waste our precious life on earth by indulging ourselves into materialism and worldly hedonism.  Give us Your grace to live our life completely for Your glory, for the fulfillment of Your will and for Your kingdom purpose. May Your name be hallowed in and through our lives. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Related Articles:

• Words as Essential as Living
• Losers for the Gospel
• Stunning Evangelism

_______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Success in Evangelism

One of the most demotivating factors in evangelism is to see lack of life-changing results through our preaching of the gospel. Many think that if we continue to preach the gospel and yet do not see people getting transformed, we are failures. We suppose, “I am useless and unproductive in God.” 

Some may even dishearteningly think that God has pushed them aside, using only His favorites to win the lost. And when we hear from those who share about how people are coming to Christ through their sharing of the gospel, we may get more disappointed and assume, “I am not gifted or fitted to proclaim the gospel.”

Success in Evangelism

Well, we need to ask ourselves this question, “What is success in evangelism?” Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mk. 16:15). Observe, He didn’t say, “Go into all the world and change the lives of all creation” or “Go into all the world and get everybody into my kingdom.” We are simply commanded to preach the good news. And, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:16).

Fact—we are responsible to preach the gospel; we are not responsible for the response of the people.

Success in evangelism is preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus, whether people believe in Christ or not. Conversion is God’s business, not ours. Our business is to preach the gospel and God’s business is to change lives.

Fact: Obedience to the proclamation of the gospel is what God requires from us, not saving the souls. Regarding salvation, says God, “Leave that to me.”

It is written, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God” (Jn. 1:13-14). How plain it is—salvation is the glorious work of God out of which a person is born-again, not the work of man! It is, as Jesus said, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (Jn. 3:6). The Holy Spirit is the one who gives spiritual birth.

Here is a word of caution—if we suppose of being failures for not seeing people believing the gospel we preach, then we are most likely to take credit for saving a person when he/she believes in Christ, when actually salvation is the result of God’s work in man through man, not man’s work in man.

Reward in Evangelism

Paul said, “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:26-27). Paul was free from the innocent blood of all men, not because he saved all of them, but because he proclaimed to them the whole will of God, i.e. God’s full plan of salvation.

Fact—God holds us accountable, not for how many souls we have won into His kingdom, but to how many people we have preached the kingdom of God.

When Paul gave his grand evangelistic sermon in Athens, many didn’t believe in the gospel he preached but just a few men (Acts 17:34). Was Paul a failure in Athens? Not at all! I just heard about a brother who is working in one of the most spiritually dark places in India. He is working for thirteen years and led only four souls to the Lord. Is he a failure? I don't think so.

Fact—God rewards us, not for converting people, but for proclaiming the gospel of Christ to the unconverted.

Therefore, let us not lose heart, even if not a single soul is converted. Let us keep on preaching the gospel of Christ as we have opportunities. Who knows, we may just be sowing the seeds of the gospel but others may reap what we have sown! (Jn. 4:37) Remember, “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Cor. 3:7).

Of course, in our evangelism, we should eagerly expect people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must fervently pray for their salvation. We need to strongly equip ourselves to effectively present the gospel. We should desperately seek the power of the Holy Spirit in witnessing to others. We need to live an exemplary Christian life. We ought not to remain passive or inefficient in evangelism.

However, we should fix this truth in our mind—we cannot change a single soul to take an inch of step towards eternal life. If anyone believes and is saved, it is only because of the convicting and enlightening work of the Holy Spirit, leading one to confess, “Jesus is Lord” (1Cor. 12:3).

Fact: All our methods, efforts and resources are only a means but they are never the source for converting people. God alone is the source of growth and salvation.

I remember reading Charles Spurgeon saying somewhat like this, “To convert a sinner into a saint is like converting a carnivorous lion into a vegetarian.” In other words, saving sinners is humanly an impossible task. But, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).

Yes, preaching the gospel is important, for “how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Rom. 10:14) But our responsibility, our success and our reward is in just preaching the gospel to people. And salvation is God’s work in the heart of a person and his/her faith in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, faithfully and diligently keep sowing the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of people and leave the results to God to accomplish His sovereign will.

Fact—God takes delight in those who preach the gospel, though people may detest what we preach to them.

Question

Let me leave you with a question to consider—Suppose Mr. A has preached the gospel to five hundred people and witnessed four hundred conversions. But when Mr. B has faithfully preached the gospel to five hundred people, not even four people have turned to the Lord. Who do you think is successful and who is a failure?


Related Articles:

• Words as Essential as Living
• Losers for the Gospel
• Stunning Evangelism

_______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Words as Essential as Living

How we live as Christians is quite essential. We are called to holy living. We are exhorted to be the light of the world. We ought to live good and do good to others. Yes, our life speaks far more than our words.  And the statement, “Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary, use words,” supposedly said by Francis of Assisi, is a good challenge to Christians to focus on living an exemplary lifestyle.

Having said that, here is a caution: Although the significance of practical Christian living cannot be undermined, I have seen there are those who have gone to such an extreme that they just focus on living an exemplary life without verbal communication of the gospel. They say, “Your life itself is the gospel. You don’t have to necessarily speak the gospel. Whether in neighborhood or in workplace, simply live a good life and that declares the gospel. People should witness the gospel of Christ Jesus by seeing your life, not by hearing your words.”

Now, there is an element of truth in the above statement and I understand the good intentions behind such declarations. However, in our endeavor to focus on practical Christian living, to obliterate the necessity of proclaiming the gospel with our words is unbiblical and even deceptive, a wile of the devil. Beware of such extremes, for it is the devil’s horse on which he often delights to ride.

Jesus, Paul, Apostles and the Early Church
Give thought to this: None lived a glorious life like Jesus. He claimed of being the light of the world. On one occasion, He challenged the Jews to prove any sin in him. He was tempted in every way and yet was without sin. He lived an impeccable and absolutely holy life. Nevertheless, the gospels are replete with Jesus’ verbal preaching about the kingdom of God. (Jn. 8:12; 8:46; Heb. 4:15; Mr. 1:38)

If practical Christian living is enough, why should Jesus have to speak so much, constantly preaching and teaching to people about God’s kingdom and righteousness?

Consider Paul. Who can doubt his commitment in following Christ? Although he had human weaknesses, his life was sharply marked with holiness and love. He imitated Christ and even challenged others to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Nonetheless, he was passionate and committed to the verbal proclamation of the gospel of Christ Jesus. In fact, he considered his life worth nothing, except to testify to the gospel of God’s grace and to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. (1 Thess. 2:10; 1 Cor. 11:1; Acts 20:4; Rom. 15:20)

If practical Christian living is sufficient, why should Paul have to be so passionate and diligent in proclaiming the gospel of Christ Jesus? Incidentally, it is interesting to notice that even when people preached Christ out of false motives and selfish ambition, Paul rejoiced saying, "The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice" (Phi. 1:18).

And what should I say about the book of Acts? Is it not filled with the accounts of how the apostles and the believers were scattered everywhere, taking the message of the gospel to various people? (Acts 4:33; 5:42; 8:4)

Why should they have to labor so much in testifying to the good news of Christ when practical Christian living is all that matters? 

Further, when reading the Holy Scripture, one should understand that when we find words such as preach, preached or preaching, it obviously means public announcement or verbal proclamation. And these words are found numerous times in the New Testament. I am sure you will get tired of counting them.

In our zeal to exalt good living, therefore, it is unbiblical to undermine the verbal proclamation of the gospel of Christ. Remember, it is in consideration of the significance of both exemplary living and teaching that Paul said, “Watch your life and teaching closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16).

How we live and what we speak—both are essential to Christian living.

No Proclamation of the Gospel, No Persecution
Besides, if Jesus, Paul, the apostles and the early church were focused only on practical Christian living, then they wouldn’t have faced so much persecution. There may probably be no persecution if you live just a moral life and do good to others. There may be indeed lots of fans we would gain who admire our good life.

With all due respect to Mother Teresa, who reflected love through her works of charity, I say this—she has gained an admiring place in the hearts of many unbelievers because she was not quite active in verbally communicating the gospel and motivating people to believe in Christ alone for their salvation. She did acknowledge the name of Jesus in what she did, but like Paul who said in 2 Cor. 5:11, “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men,” she is not known for persuading people to believe in Christ for their eternal life, even though she had great opportunities to do so.

You see, when we proclaim the gospel of Jesus, apart from people believing in Christ, we will inevitably produce many enemies. Perhaps, this is one reason why many are not proclaiming the gospel of Christ and simply focus on minding their business in living a good life.

Preach the Gospel through Word and Deed
Friends, we should be careful of bringing notions which contain more human fat than biblical vitamins. Such beliefs do more damage than good, such as living a good life to the exclusion of preaching the gospel. According to the Holy Scripture, we are commanded to preach the gospel through word and deed.

Take note of this—How we live confirms the life changing power and the reality of the gospel but it does not eliminate the necessity to preach the gospel. To believe words are not as essential as living is like “telling a reporter he should broadcast the news but that words are optional.” [I borrow this phrase from Justin Taylor]

So, let us preach the gospel at all times, with both words and life, not with either. Jesus exhorted us to do both. He not only said, “You are the light of the world. . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven,” but also, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Matt. 5:14-15; Mr. 16:15).

Moreover, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that while they preached the gospel to them, they were not a burden to anyone and lived holy, righteous and blameless among them (1 Thess. 2:9-10).

Have you observed—both words and life go together, not alone? In obedience to God's word, are we willing to carry the responsibility of holy living and also of proclaiming with our mouth the gospel of Christ Jesus? Let us be found faithful and diligent by the Lord in both living the gospel and sharing the gospel.

_______________________________

Enquiries:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Losers for the Gospel

Few days ago, after many years, my brothers and sisters and all our families had the privilege of meeting together for a time of fellowship. Wondering when we would meet this way again, I arranged a photographer for snapping photos of our families together.

Wow, I thought, everything went on well! 

But when we got the pictures in print, we were disappointed to see them as they came out with a very poor quality, like a mobile’s VGA camera. My younger brother was angry, went to the studio and yelled at the photographer for his crappy work.

When I learned about my brother’s reaction, since the studio person knew that we are Christians, I felt concerned about the gospel and wondered—what would happen to the saltiness of our Christian testimony? Will our reaction become a stumbling block for these unsaved people to the receptivity of the gospel? What kind of message are we giving to the unbelievers through our conduct?

Convicted by these questions, I immediately called the photographer on phone and apologized to him for the harsh behavior of my younger brother. Although I was unhappy with this photographer’s work, I told him that we are Christians and we want to be at peace and his relationship is important to us. After hearing my words, he was overwhelmingly humbled.

Yes, we were at loss, but don’t you think it is worth the loss for the gospel than react in a way that would mar the message of the gospel? If we cannot make little sacrifices and control our short-tempers, how can we lose our life itself, as Christ said, for the gospel? (Mk. 8:35)

Disgraceful Behavior
Now do not suppose this is how I conduct myself every time I face disappointed situations. Regretfully, many times I reacted to unbelievers in a way that was shameful. I brought much disgrace to the name of God and to the gospel because of my unchristian behavior.

I am learning now to be more careful about how I talk and act when I confront odd behavior from unbelievers.

There were times that I behaved in such a way with customer service executives that when they asked my name to resolve the problem, I was ashamed to say it [Stephen David], for they would know that I am a Christian.

I remember how wildly I reacted in a gas station when the fuel was not filled in my bike according to the exact amount. After leaving that place, the Holy Spirit convicted me, "Stephen, if you go back and share the gospel with him, would he be willing to listen to you?" Would he not hate my message?

When I was discussing about such behavioral issues with my elder brother, he expressed it right, "We pray to God for the lost souls and then ruin the work of the gospel through our behavior." We preach the gospel to the unbelievers and then behave rudely with them when things go wrong. Would they be impressed with our gospel in this way?

Don’t you suppose such behavior is unfitting for God’s children and Christ’s ambassadors who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? (Matt. 5:13-16) Were we not exhorted from God’s word, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity?" (Col. 4:5) Are we not commanded to live our daily life in such a way that it would win the respect of outsiders? (1Thess. 4:12)

Losing to Gain
Remember, when we love material things and our own ambitions more than the gospel and the lost souls, we become quick-tempered, displaying folly and unchristian behavior. I am afraid this is what the non-Christians are witnessing in us in workplaces, on streets, in shopping malls, in our neighborhood and as they pass by our homes?

So, I suppose, it is better to become losers than react in a way that would disrepute the message of the gospel. Don’t you think—when we lose our patience, we may lose a soul too? 

Now this does not mean we have to always let others to step on us like a doormat and we have to simply lay silent. When misbehavior is manifested or when injustice is done, we can confront the offensive person or raise our voice towards injustice, but this is done not as the worldly people generally do—yelling, threatening and behaving violent. It should be done with appropriate Christian behavior and biblical standards.

As we live in a crooked world where things do not occur according to our expectations, we must be careful about how we speak and behave with the worldly people. As much as possible, we ought to be kind and gentle. And, yes, I don’t deny the fact of facing certain situations where we may have to be firm but without being fierce, bold but without being blunt and hard but without being harsh.

I have learned that when things go wrong, my response should be such that I should not be ashamed to preach the gospel later, although I fail at times and repent.

Carrying the Ark of the Gospel
Remember, folks, we carry the ark of the gospel wherever we go. Make sure we do not let it be disgraced by our ill conduct. Because we exist in this world, not for our desires and their fulfillment sake but for the glory of God, we need to know that our lifestyle has a stake in the spread of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Therefore, let us be different and make a difference, even if it costs us to become losers for the sake of the gospel of Christ. And, I believe, we cannot become radical losers unless our passion grows and conforms to the passion of Paul who passionately said:

"I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." (Acts 20:24)

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (1Cor. 9:22)

"Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God--even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." (1Cor. 10:32-33)

_______________________________

ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to

 cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Work is Ministry: Simple Cautions

For centuries, this notion has been deeply ingrained in Christianity—work/job/business is secular and Christian ministry is spiritual. This led many to consider that ministry is a spiritual activity, a life lived for God, but work is a secular thing, a life lived for oneself. Consequently, the Christian workers are viewed as the most blessed people, for they are called to serve God, while the believers who hold jobs are simply the ordinary ones.

Fortunately, this perspective is now slowly changing.[1] I am glad to see a revival in the marketplace (workplace) today, emphasizing that work is not secular but spiritual, and it is also a ministry to the Lord. Praise God!

As good and necessary this teaching is, however, it ought to be taught with utmost balance, particularly considering certain cautions, for when God moves, Satan too moves. Where the wheat is sown, the devil tries to sow the weeds as well. When good is desired to be spread, evil seeks to lurk beneath it.

So, what are the cautions we need to consider to avoid certain blunders?

Caution 1
Since work is also a ministry, which is Biblically true, a working believer may subtly justify himself for not being actively involved in church ministry, evangelism and missions. He may be completely absorbed in his work, reasoning "Is not work a ministry to the Lord?" and neglect the Great Commission of our Lord. There is a high possibility for spiritual lethargy and negligence toward missions to creep into the believers, for it is more comfortable to stay in a job than to suffer in a mission field. If some are required to go to missions, they may say, "Is not my work a service to the Lord, so why should I think about going elsewhere as a missionary?"

Well, we know from God’s word that some of His people are called to devote themselves to missions, leaving jobs that confines them to a particular place and getting involved in planting churches and making disciples.[2] Therefore, the missionary movement should not suffer in our zeal to spread the word that work is a ministry. Challenge to consider foreign missions (national or overseas) should not decline due to belief that work is a ministry to the Lord.

Although the Holy Scripture mentions that work should be done as a service to the Lord (Col. 3:23-24; Eph. 6:5-6), even a cursory reading of the entire New Testament makes one to grasp its prime emphasis, which is – preaching the gospel of Jesus, making disciples, planting churches and edifying the body of Christ for the glory of God. Although Paul mentioned in Acts 20:34 about working with his own hands to supply his own needs, his passion was obviously evident in 20:24, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Don't you suppose this should be the passion of God’s children in whichever field they are placed? I think, every Christian in the workplace should be God's missionary, passionate to spread the kingdom of God through the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Hence, this wonderful movement in the marketplace, that work is a ministry to the Lord, should challenge believers to be faithful and diligent in their jobs or business, to live a blameless life, to shine as God’s witnesses, to become active in church ministry and to spread the kingdom of God by preaching the gospel and making disciples of Christ. But a believer who believes that his/her work is a ministry to the Lord and neglects other aspects of Christian/mission/church responsibilities has been deceived by the Enemy of our soul.

Caution 2
Since work is a ministry to the Lord, a believer may use this belief to have his focus on work only to procure more money and possessions with a purpose to live a more comfortable life on earth. This temptation is great among those who are in white-collar jobs with a good paycheck.[3]

Now, there is nothing wrong in earning money and buying possessions to meet the essential needs of our life. It is no evil in moderately enjoying at times some earthly comforts. However, we know that our hearts can easily be obsessed with such things, going beyond needs to pursue our untamed wants. We need to understand that our heart is deceptive above all things and we can use a good belief as a means to gratify our selfish ambitions. We may easily pay lip service to the belief 'work is a ministry to the Lord' but our ulterior motive may be to seek comfort zone and cozy lifestyle.

It is important, therefore, that a believer is led by the following biblical principles as he/she works or does business:

• 1Co 7:31, "Those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."


• 1Ti 6:6-10, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it….. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."


• 1Pe 2:11, "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul."

Furthermore, I believe, the belief that work is ministry should help believers to become good stewards of God’s blessings on earth. This should lead them to be wise in how they spend money on themselves, to be generous in giving to the missions and to be kind in helping the poor and needy. This ought to motivate them to be passionate for God’s will to be done and His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Those who live this way prove to be Christ-centered and kingdom-minded. O, such are the ones who will make a tremendous difference in the marketplace for the glory of the Living God!

Finally, dear child of God, if you sincerely examine your heart in the light of Holy Spirit, how do you judge yourself in this regard?----------
Notes:

[1] In fact, this transformation began in the reformation period and in Puritan movement.
[2] Of course, Paul worked and earned his living, though he had a right to be supported by the churches. This is a wonderful ministry but this does not mean everyone itinerant worker should do the same, for there were other apostles who were receiving support from the churches (1Cor. 9:5-6).
[3] Christian workers too are not immune from this temptation where ministry can become a means to earn money and indulge in earthly comforts.

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write toE-mail: cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Stunning Evangelism

He was not an apostle. He didn’t hold any high ecclesiastical office. He held an ordinary responsibility, just to serve food to the Hellenistic Jewish widows. Perhaps, in our modern terminology, we can call him “waiter.” Yes, Philip’s ministry can be called, “The Waiter’s Ministry.” He is an example in the history of Christianity about how God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He went in the fullness of the Holy Spirit to Samaria and did an awesome ministry. Many came to the Lord. People got baptized. Amazing wonders and miracles took place.

Now, what is the secret of his astounding ministry? A life lived under the full control of the Holy Spirit.

During the peak of his successful ministry, one day Philip was told by an angel of the Lord, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” Later, the Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” He obeyed the Lord, leaving his successful ministry in Samaria, and eventually leads the Ethiopian eunuch to the Lord and baptized him (Acts 8:26-38). Hearing the voice of the Spirit resulted in winning a soul for the Lord. Such instances are also found in other parts of the book of Acts (Peter to Cornelius, Ananias to Paul (post-conversion) and Paul’s call to Macedonia). The Lord not only commanded His disciples to go and preach the gospel to all nations, but He also at times led them specifically to individuals He prepared for the harvest.

Spirit-led Ministry
Brother Bakht Singh of the last century was a powerful instrument in the Lord’s hand in leading thousands to Christ and in planting numerous churches in India and abroad. One late night, about one o’clock, he was extremely tired and wanted to throw himself on the bed. As he went to sleep, he heard the voice of the Spirit saying to him, “Rise and go out.” He struggled to obey, for he was quite weary and sleepy. However, as the voice came to him again, he went out. Immediately, he found two young men walking in front of him. He called them and said he had something to tell them.

After sharing how the Lord had led him to them, when brother Bakht Singh shared from the Bible the message of transformation, one of the men said, “I know God has sent you for my sake. I was unhappy and have longed for a Bible. Could you give me a Bible?” He bought the Bible from Bakht Singh and received the Lord Jesus Christ.[1]

There are numerous amazing accounts about how God led this ordinary man to do extraordinary ministry for His glory.

Stunning Evangelism
A baptist minister and evangelist shares an intriguing incident he experienced. Let’s hear in his own words:

Several years ago I was invited to speak at a small Pentecostal college located near Eastern College, where I teach. I love going to this little school because the people there seem to be so much in touch with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Before the chapel service, several of the faculty members took me into a side room to pray with me. I got down on my knees and the six of them put their hands on my head and prayed for me. Pentecostals seem to pray longer and with more dynamism than we Baptists do. These men prayed long, and the longer they prayed the more they leaned on my head. They prayed on and on and leaned harder and harder. One of them kept whispering, “Do you feel the Spirit? Do you feel the Spirit?” To tell the truth, I felt something right at the base of my neck, but I wasn’t sure it was the Spirit.

One of the faculty members prayed at length about a particular man named Charlie Stoltzfus. That kind of ticked me off, and I thought to myself, if you’re going to lean on my head, the least you can do is pray for me. He prayed on and on for this guy who was about to abandon his wife and three children. I can still hear him calling out, “Lord! Lord! Don’t let that man leave his wife and children! Send an angel to bring that man back to his family. Don’t let that family be destroyed! You know who I’m talking about, Lord…You know who I’m talking about…Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives down the road about a mile on the right-hand side in a silver house trailer!”

I thought to myself, with some degree of exasperation, God knows where he lives…what do you think God’s doing, sitting up there in heaven saying, “Give me that address again”?

Following the chapel talk, I got in my car and headed home. I was getting on the Pennsylvania turnpike when I saw a young man hitchhiking on the side of the road. I picked him up. (I know you’re not supposed to, but I’m a Baptist preacher and whenever I can get someone locked in to where I can preach to him, I do it.) As we pulled back onto the highway I introduced myself. I said, “Hi, my name’s Tony Campolo. What’s your name?”

He said, “My name’s Charlie Stoltzfus…”!

I didn’t say a word. I drove down the turnpike, got off at the next exit, turned around, and headed back. When I did that, he looked at me and said, “Hey, mister! Where are you taking me?!”

I said, “I’m taking you HOME!”

He said, “Why?”

And I said, “Because you just left your wife and three children! RIGHT?”

He said, “RIGHT! RIGHT!”

He leaned against the passenger door the rest of the way, staring at me. I drove off the turnpike and onto a side road – straight to his silver house trailer. When I pulled into the drive, he looked at me with astonishment and said, “How did you know I lived here?”

I said, “God told me!”

Well, I believe that God did tell me. I think God may set up things like that, just for fun. I mean, if you’re God, you’re probably having a pretty sad time of it looking down on all the things that are going on in the world. I can just imagine God nudging Peter and saying, “Hey, Pete, Watch this!”

I told Charlie, “You get in that house trailer because I want to talk to you and I want to talk to your wife.”

He ran into that mobile home ahead of me. I don’t know what he said to his wife, but when I got in the house trailer her eyes were as wide as saucers. I sat them down and said, “I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen.”

Man, did they listen! And during the next hour I led both of them into a personal relationship with Jesus. Today that guy is a Pentecostal preacher down South.

When the Spirit leads, there are all sorts of surprises in store for us.

How wonderful and exciting it is to experience supernatural guidance from God in winning the lost for His Kingdom. I am not saying we must not preach the gospel unless we receive supernatural direction from the Holy Spirit. God may not always give us supernatural guidance in reaching the people with the gospel of Christ. However, as we keep on preaching the gospel, He may at times divert us to the people or to the places where He wants to reap a harvest.

Are we willing to believe that God at times, according to His sovereign will, can lead us in a marvelous way to lead people to the knowledge of the truth? Are we seeking Him to make us quite sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that we would know how to win the lost souls? Evangelism will be adventurous and exciting when it is done in the Holy Spirit. When we move in the Spirit, lives are marvelously touched, even without our knowledge. I have seen a glimpse of it in my own life and how thrilling Spirit-led ministry is! Oh, may we long for Spirit-filled life and ministry!
___________
Notes:[1] T. E. Koshy, Bakht Singh of India: The Incredible Account of a Modern-Day Apostle (Colorado Springs, CA: Authentic Publishing, 2007), pg. 62

________________________________

ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to
E-mail: friendsofchrist@gmail.com