As I lay here meditating this morning, I am reminiscing about the many Outreach efforts that I facilitated during my hands-on ministry training over the years. Then I began to wonder if we are just “preaching to the choir” now.
To deliberately reach souls, we often have to leave our comfort zones. I simply said “to reach souls.” You don’t have to be the one to “close the deal.” That’s God’s role. Our instruction is “to plant or water” so that God can give the increase which might or might not be during your encounter with the individual(s).
One year during the Christmas week, one of my team members and I prepared some special cards with money in them for coffee or hot chocolate. We went down to the park on the river not really expecting many people to be there at that time of year, but there were. We chose various young men and beckoned them to the truck. When we gave them the cards and said “Merry Christmas” they were amazed to find money in the cards and turned back to say “Thank you” repeatedly. So we just reassured them that Jesus loved them. As we drove away they were still waving.
One Father’s Day Weekend, we found a city park where men were playing basketball and took them waters and sodas in a large beautiful red plastic pail with a white rope handle. When they realized that we had brought them these refreshments free of charge they thanked us, and some said “This gotta be God” which gave us a minute to witness the love of God to them.
It was the MO of my Institute to go to the people, not just try to get them to attend a church somewhere but to SHOW them Jesus.
Invite “that woman” to lunch or to a women’s gathering as your special guest. Invite that struggling teenager to the movies or on a shopping trip, even for just one item. Offer to get that “fast girl’s” nails done sometimes. The love of God is compelling!
As we have revival among ourselves, let’s not forget to reach the lost for Christ. At least, pray for them and be creative in presenting Jesus.
