We must be intentional in pursuing the Great Commission. It does not usually happen by accident.
Jesus said:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
Jesus taught that we should let the light of God shine through us, but sometimes God’s people choose to hide their light out of laziness, fear, discouragement, or apathy. Those who take the Great Commission seriously often experience a struggle over whether to actively share the good news about Jesus with others or retreat into doing nothing.
The modern way of life invites us to wall ourselves off from the world in the safety, comfort, and convenience of our homes. Air conditioning, TV, refrigerators, video games, computers, and whatever else we have at our fingertips can keep the average follower of Christ fairly satisfied and happy, oblivious to the desperate need of lost people all around them. Those of us who acknowledge our responsibility to God and the lost are confronted with how best to let our light shine in ways that glorify God.
Lost and hurting people are waiting for followers of Christ to break out of our personal and church cocoons and take the gospel into our neighborhoods and the world at large.
There are multitudes of ways to love our neighbors that are not self-serving or obviously intended to add them to our church’s membership rolls. If people sense that our good works are part of a church-related agenda, it may repel them. However, if we serve out of love, expecting nothing in return, God will be glorified, and people may be drawn to Christ.
This is a challenge in two ways. Some of us are uncomfortable merely engaging people, which definitely hinders God’s mission.
We may have grown comfortable with being passive with regard to the Great Commission, expecting the world to come to us and our meetings. God calls us to go where our neighbors live, work, and play, and engage them on their own turf, so to speak.
A second challenge is that those of us who are willing to get out and engage people may have difficulty cultivating relationships with any kind of real depth. We may be task-oriented and feel that, unless we can get others to make some sort of move toward accepting the gospel, we have failed or wasted our time.
People are worth befriending simply for its own joy, whether or not they are currently open to the gospel.
Many times people will not trust us until we demonstrate that we love them. Why should they open their hearts and lives to people they do not yet fully trust? The old adage applies. People don’t care what we know, until they know that we care.
Cultivating relationships takes time and work. Those who are looking for a quick turn around will likely fail at letting their light shine in a God glorifying way. Cultivating relationships for the kingdom’s sake requires love, commitment, work, and time.
Missional churches encourage their members to intentionally connect with unsaved and unchurched people in a way that clearly demonstrates Christ’s love.
Ways to Be Intentional
Below is a list of ten ways we can let our light shine.
- Pray privately for our neighbors.
- Be friendly.
- Start conversations.
- Visit.
- Ask to pray for others out loud on the spot.
- Invite people into our homes.
- Use our home for ministry.
- Serve when and where we see a need.
- Share the gospel.
- Invest in making a new convert into a disciple.
The key is to find out what we can do lovingly and in a way that is natural. When we are “up tight,” it often makes others feel “on edge.” Personally, I find it relatively easy to be friendly, start conversations, visit, offer to pray for people, and, when the opportunity arises, to share the gospel. I am also quite willing to develop interested people into disciples. It is more of a challenge for me personally to have people over and serve in practical ways. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. But what if spending time helping someone with a practical job opens their heart to us and the gospel? We should think about how we can best connect with our neighbors.
Leaders of missional churches model such a missional lifestyle in addition to teaching and equipping their people.
It is not enough to talk about letting our light shine. Leaders will make it their practice and take others along with them so they can catch the vision and develop a similar passion for mission. The challenge often is finding people who want to commit to the process.
Missional leaders configure their churches around the priority of training their people to be and make disciples.
That means we have to first develop people into disciples. We can only duplicate who we are.
Leaders of missional churches encourage and celebrate their people taking initiative and give permission for them to think and move “outside the box,” while at the same time building relational and missional unity around common priorities and values.
Nothing thwarts missional creativity so much as a decision-making bottleneck created by overly controlling leaders. We have to give the Holy Spirit room to lead people. The more trust that is developed, the greater is the freedom and latitude can be given.
Leaders of missional churches are willing to send people to start new ministries, groups, and churches and to be missionaries in other cities and nations.
Developing a missional culture in a church means that we abandon ourselves to God’s mission, no matter what the cost to us personally and to the church in general.
Intentionality is a big key to fulfilling the great commission.
Such obedience may happen “by accident” during times of revival and renewal, but in “usual” times, we need to consciously lead ourselves and the church in this direction. We acknowledge the necessity of continually relying upon the Holy Spirit to make mission an organic grace-filled operation, rather than mere duty.
Prayer
Lord, I see the need to be more intentional regarding being your ambassador. I have let some things slide and need your help in restoring my “first love” and zeal. Forgive me for being so self-centered and lazy. Holy Spirit, work in me to give me a renewed love and concern for your “lost sheep.” Amen.
