Marketplace Evangelism Today

Knowing God

Many people continue to ask, “How can I truly know God?” One of the devotionals that I recommend is Henry Blackaby’s “Experiencing God Day-By-Day.” This devotional is easy to understand and is written for a layperson. I have quoted some of his devotional in this forum in order to share with you how easy it is to have a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Scriptures:

John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Philippians 3:8-10, “⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

According to Henry and Richard Blackaby, “Knowing God through experience is much different than knowing about God through a theological textbook. According to the Bible, you cannot say that you know Him unless you have experienced Him.”[1] In order to experience God, one must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, His one and only Son, whom He allowed to be sacrificed for the redemption of our sins. Blackaby wrote, “Biblical knowledge always involves experience.”[2] Without the experience of knowing God, one is missing out on the love that only Christ can bring. Blackaby wrote, “Jesus prayed that you would experience the depth and width and height of His love and that you would enjoy God’s full and unending love in the day-to-day experiences of life.”[3] Therefore, if there are any biblical truths that you are not experiencing, ask God to bring it into your everyday experience.[4] God will bless you with those experiences once you commit yourself and make the changes that need to be made in order for you to experience the fullness of God.

Bibliography

Blackaby, Henry, and Richard Blackaby. Experiencing God Day-By-Day: The Devotional and Journal. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1997.

The Lantern & Shield Times LLC.

It Should Have Been Me

Today, as I think about what Jesus did for you and me, I had an image in my mind. It was of the pounding of spikes, like those nailed into railroad ties. As I closed my eyes, I could see Jesus crawling onto the rugged cross after being illegally arrested, tried in the middle of the night, and early in the morning, sentenced to die a horrific death. They beat him, scourged him with a whip with metal shards imbedded in the ends of the cat of nine tails whip. They beat him almost to death. Then they fixed a thorny crown of thorns on his head and marched him through the streets to the hill carrying that heavy rugged cross. Then that is when he crawled onto that cross and they nailed each hand into the cross beam. I can hear the pounding of the metal in my mind and his anguished screams. They then placed his feet on top of each other on a type of foot platform and nailed his feet together. That is when the Roman Centurions lifted the cross up and jammed it upright into its mount. Jesus hung on that cross for hours. It was a long day and he suffered from thirst as well as most likely congestive heart failure.

As he was dying, he spoke seven times. The first, he cried out to God. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

Then a thief who was also being crucified asked Jesus to remember him. And Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). “Jesus said to his mother: “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple: “This is your mother” (John 19:26-27). Then Jesus cries out again, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)

Then Jesus, while suffering and in anguish spoke, “I thirst” (John 19:28). They placed a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished;” and he bowed his head and gave over His spirit (John 19:29-30). Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46)

As the Roman Centurion looked upon Him, a great earthquake occurred and the Temple Veil was torn into. The Centurion said, “Surely, this truly was the son of God!” Then I realized that the Centurion was me in my dream and I awoke thinking that I am unworthy to even carry Jesus’s sandals because I am guilty. He took my blame and my sin and yet I had been forgiven by His mercy and grace. I stand looking up at that cross weeping for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He took my place on that cross. It should have been me.

BREAKING: 116 People Injured, 2 Killed in Amtrak Collision and Derailment With CSX Freight Train

Breaking: Cayce, South Carolina. NBC News is reporting an Amtrak passenger train collision and derailment which occurred at approximately 2:35 AM, when it collided with a CSX freight train near Cayce, SC. Amtrak Train 91 was en route from New York to Miami with 139 passengers aboard when the collision occurred.

Sixty-two (62) people were reported to have been transported to Palmetto Health Care facilities. Two people were killed in the crash. NBC12 out of Richmond, Virginia reports “Officials with Palmetto Health are giving a press conference on the Amtrak train derailment that killed two people and injured about 70 others.” Video to the Press Conference follows below:

https://www.facebook.com/NBC12News/videos/1851752378169188/?notif_id=1517750617472420&notif_t=live_video_explicit

CNN reports that about 5000 gallons of fuel has been spilt because of this collision. CNN wrote, “Robert Sumwalt, the NTSB chairman, told CNN that an NTSB team will arrive in South Carolina Sunday morning to begin the investigation, which should take 12 to 18 months.”

Amtrak said in a statement that the Amtrak train’s lead engine derailed as well as some passenger cars. The train was carrying eight (8) crew members and approximately 139 passengers.

South Carolina Emergency Officials Press Conference: a total of 116 people have been transported to area hospitals for injuries. It was estimated that the train was traveling 59 MPH.

https://www.facebook.com/NBC12News/videos/1851797994831293/?notif_id=1517758074276206&notif_t=live_video_explicit

Sources:

NBC12 News

CNN

Fox News

Insurance Buyers Beware: How to Avoid Identity Theft

Insurance Buyers Beware: I received a phone call the other day from a person who had a very thick and heavy Middle Eastern accent. When I answered, there was a weird clicking sound, as if the call was coming from overseas. He asked for me by name and I answered, “Who’s calling?” He was trying to sell me insurance. I asked him if he were in the United States and he stated that he was. Then I asked him for his National Producer Number. When I asked him that, he hung up!

Folks, if you ever get a call from someone trying to sell you insurance over the telephone, always ask for their National Producer Number as well as their State Insurance License Number. If they will not give it to you, copy their telephone number down and then hang up.

Every licensed insurance agent that does business in every state has a National Producer Number. If the agent is a licensed agent, in good standing, they will gladly give you their number as well as their state license number.

Unfortunately, there are scammers out there that want to steal your money. If you receive an unsolicited call from someone claiming to offer insurance, just ask for their National Producer Number. If they will not give it, DO NOT give any of your personal info. Instead, copy their number down and report to your State Department of Insurance for investigation. Anyone trying to sell or solicit insurance to you must be duly licensed in the state you live in. If they provide the National Producer Number or license number, go to the department of insurance website and look up the number to verify them before doing business or providing your personal information.

Never, ever be ready to disclose your name, social security number, or even driver’s license number to someone who calls you unexpectedly, without you first checking them out to see if they are duly licensed. It is a crime in all states for a person to solicit, make an offer, or even speak with you about their insurance product, unless they are licensed in the state that you live in.

Agents that are in good standing with their state Department of Insurance have attended licensing classes and have taken a test for their license. They complete either 16 hours of continuing education for a Property & Casualty license or 24 for both Property & Casualty and Life & Health Licenses. If they are not current in their Continuing Education, their licenses will be suspended for failure to maintain their CE Requirements.

In closing, whatever you do, protect your personal information. Once your identity is stolen, it will be very hard to secure it. My own identity was stolen due to a data breach. There is not much one can do when a company’s data is breached, but you can certainly avoid verbally giving your personal information out to a stranger over the telephone by practicing safe conversations and checking out the caller before attempting to do business.

If you feel your identity may have been stolen, one way to find out is to purchase credit monitoring through either your bank or credit union. If it is detected that someone has tried to obtain credit in your name, the monitoring service will assist you in how to resolve your identity theft. A police report should be filed as well as a letter be written to all three credit bureaus. Make sure you also report your identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission as well as your Attorney General’s Office. Once you have been issued an Identity Theft Passport, DMV will be notified. The Federal Trade Commission will notify the IRS, Social Security, and Medicare. Therefore, it is very important to safe guard your personal information.

Introducing Acoustic Truth

This week, we are highlighting an up and coming Christian group called Acoustic Truth. The members are Sarah and Ryan Knott of Chicago, IL. They caught my attention on Twitter announcing their newly released album, “Impact” which was recently debuted Nov 7, 2017 on iTunes. You may listen to their new album here.

https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1286890279?ls=1&app=itunes

Their vocals are pure and songs are original, felt from the heart. They sing about life and how Christ can change hearts through His Love and immeasurable Grace. “Unchanging” is their Official Video and one of my favorite songs on the album. I highly recommend Acoustic Truth.

I reached out to Ryan and asked him to tell me a little about himself and his wife Sarah. I asked how they met and began a Christian ministry together. Here was his response:

“Sarah was born into a Christian family, volunteered at soup kitchens, visited nursing homes, and sang at church with her family, always having a big heart for others. She has always loved Jesus and really took her faith on her own shoulders in college. It was there that she, disappointedly didn’t make the basketball team, but used her heart for Jesus and athletics to re-launch a branch of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was blessed with an amazing mentor from an intervarsity group she was a part of who helped her plan for the Bible studies she would lead with the athletes, all while getting closer to God herself. She had a dear friend pass away during college and that also helped her dive further into the loving promises of Scripture, especially with regards to everlasting life with Jesus.”

“Ryan grew up with dreams of being a baseball player. He was throwing 95 MPH in college at Duke University where he unfortunately suffered a career ending injury that shattered two offers to play professional baseball. He became angry, especially with God. He thought he knew who God was but was in store for a lot more. It was suggested to him to do an internship in Chicago for kids with special needs where he would teach them baseball. It was there that he would meet the basketball counselor- Sarah. Yep a curve ball from God; no pun intended!

“Ryan and Sarah hit it off at camp and became friends. Sarah reintroduced Ryan to Jesus and they began creating music with one another. Sarah helped show Ryan a different side of the love of Jesus. He had grown up thinking God didn’t need to waste time on him and that He was a harsh God that kept a scale of good deeds and wrongs he had done. Seeing this other side of God, diving deeper into the Word, and beginning to play music with Sarah’s family at their church helped Ryan come to truly know and love Jesus.”

“We both want to spread the love of Jesus to the world and feel that God has given us the words and music to do that.” ~ Ryan Knott.

Here is a little information about their album:

Album accolades:

Debuted Nov 7, 2017

Hit No. 3 on Christian Gospel charts on iTunes

Hit No. 23 overall on iTunes

Most recent music Video: Unchanging

To learn more about Acoustic Truth, here is their website:

https://www.acoustictruthofficial.com

Breaking: Amtrak Train Hits Garbage Truck: Train Carrying Members of Congress

Crozet, Virginia, A charted train carrying GOP members of Congress hit a garbage truck on the railroad tracks near Crozet, Virginia. It is reported that the driver of the garbage truck was killed. A statement from Amtrak stated that the crash occurred at 11:20 AM on January 31, 2018. The train was charted for GOP members of Congress and was carrying House and Senate members en route to a GOP Retreat in West Virginia.

Amtrak states the train originated from Washington, DC. There are reports that a conductor on the train had a heart attack and others were being treated for minor injuries. Rep. Jason Lewis of Minnesota was taken to the hospital and is being treated for a concussion.

There is also a critical injury of a worker from the garbage truck.

Two physicians were on the train at the time of impact, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup. They helped treat the injured from the garbage truck as well as others on the train.

Immediately after the crash, it is reported that many members of Congress with medical backgrounds ran to the injured victims of the truck and began life saving first aide until the paramedics arrived.

Representatives Ralph Norman, R-SC, and Bruce Westerman, R-AR both stated that the train was traveling about 50 MPH when it hit the truck. It appeared that the train did not brake before the collision.

Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families.

Is Time Running Out?

Just last Fall, I had the pleasure at singing at my Mother-in-law’s funeral. Now I know what most of you are thinking? How can I say that I had the pleasure singing at her funeral? Although her physical body was in the bronze casket, her spirit was already with her Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. I was honored having been asked to sing by both my Brother-in-law and my Wife.

Her funeral was beautiful. Her life of Christ was celebrated and it was disclosed that she touched many lives. The service started with the pastor giving the prayer and then I got up to sing Mom’s favorite song, “How Great Thou Art.” While leading in congregational singing, I looked out at each face and saw many grief-stricken faces. Then I wondered, if these people really understood where Mom was? I wondered, would the Holy Spirit open a Divine Appointment for me to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many of her friends and family who may not really know Jesus as their personal Savior? I came prepared to present the Gospel of Christ to whoever will have opened their hearts to hear.

Mom had a special relationship with God. You see, she was a Believer and she loved everything about God. She wanted more than anything to see her entire family come to Christ. She prayed for them that they would become Christians. But she did not have any control over individual decisions about coming to God. As a matter of fact, a man, woman, boy, or girl cannot get into heaven on the coat tails of their Mom or Dad, Grandma or Granddad. One cannot be saved by osmosis. What this means is that many people believe that because they are in association with family, wife, husband, brother, sister, boyfriend, or girlfriend; that they are Christians. This is farthest from the truth.

So how does one become a Christian? Here are some Bible Scriptures that will help someone to understand what it is to become saved. And let me explain also, when one prays to ask Christ into their lives, unless they really believe it and open their heart for a heart transformation, then God will judge them for their insincerity. Therefore, here are the verses that I want to share with you about Salvation through Jesus Christ.

If you have a Bible, turn to these Scriptures and read these out loud for full understanding:

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:3, “Jesus replied, I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 10:9-11, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe with your heart, that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart, one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth, one confesses, resulting in salvation. Now the Scripture says, No one who believes on Him will be put to shame.”

2 Corinthians 5:15, “And He died for all so that those who lived should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.”

Revelation 3:20, “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in.”

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will have eternal Life.

John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world, that He might condemn the world, but the world might be saved through Him.”

This is my invitation to you. If you have been running from God all of your life and thinking that you have more time or that you can make a commitment to God later, you may not have any time left. Once you die, there are no more opportunities for forgiveness. That is it! You will have sealed your fate eternally by not accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. When I looked on every grief stricken, ashen face, I saw your anguish and you did not know what your tomorrow was going to bring! So why not come to Christ? Why not make the commitment before it is too late?

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior right now, then get down on your knees right where you are and bow your head and ask God to forgive you of all your sins. You could pray a prayer like this:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I have sinned against you. I want forgiveness for all of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again. Father, I give you my life to do with as you wish. I want Jesus Christ to come into my life and into my heart. This I ask, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you have done that, then I want you to get involved in a Bible believing church who will start to mentor and disciple you to help with your new conversion to Christ Jesus. I hope and pray that you have prayed that prayer and have asked Jesus Christ into your heart. May God Bless you and keep you.

This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten without express written permission.

May I Give You a Little Advice About “Storm Chasing Contractors?”: Part One

Most recently, I have come across people who are being taken advantage of by contractors who are “storm chasers.” I have studied insurance and I know quite a bit about the subject. May I give you some helpful advice? Read the following story so you will understand the ramifications of not using a local and reputable contractor.

Last year, on May 27, 2017, our area had a severe hail storm. The thunderstorms were so severe that it hailed on homes as well as automobiles. All of a sudden, “Storm Chasing Contractors” started appearing out of the woodwork, coming from as far as North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, as well as the North East and even Arkansas. These contractors were not local companies. They showed up at people’s doors and told customers that if they filed a claim, they would handle the claim for them. Unfortunately, many of these contractors did not tell the homeowner exactly what would be done for that money. Many did not even give a written estimate. They only used the insurance company’s Claim Estimate for the damages. These types of contractors should be avoided if possible.

For instance, I heard of one lady who got a legitimate estimate to replace her entire roof for $10,500 from a local company. But instead of using the local, well known company, who was a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and who was accredited with an A+ rating, the highest rating the BBB gives, she went with a “Storm Chaser Contractor” who was not local and who charged her $16,800 to repair the roof. According to the claims adjuster that was telling me about this case, the insurance company paid the “Storm Chaser Contractor” $16,800 for the roof as well as other damages. They just learned of the $10,500 estimate from the local company within the last two weeks. The lady also had other damages that was written in the estimate, but the “Storm Chaser Contractor” did not repair those items. Now according to this adjuster, the lady wants the insurance company to pay for those damages. This lady has learned a very hard lesson that insurance companies will only pay ONE TIME for a claim, not twice for the same loss.

So here is the issue and the problem. When you use “Storm Chasing Contractors,” you may not be getting a good deal. In this example, the Storm Chaser over-charged roughly $6,300 more for a $10,500 job. Not only this, but the contractor told her that they would take care of everything, which he did not! His company has moved on to another area and is not reachable. She still has work to be done, but must now pay for it out of her own money because she “TRUSTED” an out-of-State “Storm Chasing Contractor” with her insurance claim. Another problem here is that she did not get her contractor to give what they were going to do in writing. Not only has she lost out on the money paid to the contractor, but she really has nothing in writing to prove what they verbally promised to do.

Here are some tips to remember:

Always use a local, well established company, one that has been in business for a while.

Use a company that has a Better Business Bureau Accredited Rating of A+. The BBB has vetted them as to how they will handle customer disputes.

NEVER, EVER, sign your claim check over to any contractor until all the work is completed.

Get an estimate to exactly what is going to be done. Get the contractor to sign the estimate. If they will not give you an estimate, then walk away.

DO NOT tell the contractor what the Insurance Claims Adjustor has estimated. If the contractor is professional, he or she will look at the damages and give an independent appraisal of what it will take to fix your property.

Never pay any one up front for materials. If they are legitimate, they will be able to obtain the supplies prior to working the job. One exception is if you are using a reputable local company and you know where to find them.

Do Not use a handyman. Use a specialist, someone who has replaced many roofs.

Remember, it is YOUR HOME! Make wise decisions and good choices. Do your homework and do not settle on the first person, especially if they come to your door going house to house.

Hopefully, these tips will help you secure reputable contractors. We have seen many times in the past where these “Storm Chasers” will come to town, take deposits, and then leave with your money. Unfortunately, these types of people have ruined it for the legitimate contractors who work hard to build a successful and honest business.

If you want to investigate a contractor, I highly recommend going to the Better Business Bureau website at www.BBB.org and in the SEARCH field, type in the company name or their telephone number. Also, GOOGLE has become one of my business tools in researching contractors. If a roofing contractor appears to be a “storm chaser,” GOOGLE the name of the company and their telephone number. If they have stiffed someone before, most likely people have filed complaints against them or their company. Please don’t be the next story! Do your research and check these contractors out. It is your home and your insurance claim. Guard them carefully.

This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten without express written permission.

Profanity and Foul Language Should Never Be Used

Profanity and foul language should never be used in a public setting whether business or in everyday life. It is offensive to many people. It seems that the liberal left has now become the moral police where they criticize President Donald Trump with using offensive language and yet Trump’s accusers use language that is very similar.

To me, as an American Christian, I find it very offensive to hear people saying my God’s name in vain, GD, Holy S***, MF, Sh**, as well as other foul words. Yet many of those who accuse President Trump has used the very same language. I find it very offensive that any one use that language. If the President did use the language that he was accused of using calling poor countries S*** Holes, then that is unacceptable. That is very offensive!

But folks, here is the problem. When God and prayer have been removed from public schools and the government, and parents are no longer teaching their children the way of the Lord, with Biblical principles, then this is what we can expect. Morals are not being taught because the population does not know what is moral or immoral.

What is really ironic is that the immoral people who may become offended, are being offended by a mirror of themselves. They do not see the huge log in their own eye, only looking at the speck in their offender’s eye. You know, there is a Scripture in the Bible that addresses this, but many may not know the verse because many of the American people have fallen away from God and the Holy way of life. But for those who may want to know, the verse is found in Matthew 7:3-5, “³Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” What a bunch of hypocrites!

Of course, many say there should be a separation of church and state. But here is the issue for those who use that as there excuse, don’t even open your mouth in accusations until you clean up your own wretched life!

Personally, whenever I hear the President use curse words, I cringe and I do not like it! I cringe whenever I hear profanity used in public and in business. And using it towards employees is a form of abuse and is not acceptable.

Within my own business, if I have a client that uses foul language, I ask them not to use it. If they do not respect me enough to stop, then I do not need them as a client. I don’t want my mind filled with hatred and disgusting thoughts from foul language. Plus, cursing shows the true condition of the heart. For those who love the Old Testament, In Psalm 109:17, a person who delights in cursing will not be blessed. Psalm 10:7, “His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.” Proverbs 15:1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

If the President did call poor countries S#@* Holes, then his words did stir up anger. But for all involved who uses foul language, in order to be respected themselves, they need to have a transformation of the heart and come to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. One cannot change their own heart by themselves, it takes a spiritual and supernatural conversion only found through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I know personally because Christ changed my own black and offensive heart, who used to spew out filthy words.

Many state that the President has become a Christian. I am not judging him but wonder if this is actually true? The Bible states that we will know a Christian by their fruits. I would apply the same criteria to the President’s accusers. In Galatians 5:22, it says; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” If one does not have these fruits, I would question whether they have Christ in their heart at all?

We live in a nation where the environment is very volatile and hatred is being spewed from many different fronts. If we are to be united, then I believe that the people need to turn to God and repent of their evil ways. If they don’t, then we will never see peace in our nation. It is like the prince of this world has been released to devour what was once a great nation. This, in my opinion, is why there is so much hatred among the politicians against each other. I have never seen it so ugly in my lifetime. I pray that God will touch the hearts of our leaders and every man, woman, boy, and girl. I pray that people will turn to God. I pray that our nation will be healed.

Make Disciples, Who Make Disciples, Who Make Disciples: Acts 1:8

In Acts 1:8, Jesus gave instructions to His disciples as well as all Christians. He said that we are to take the Gospel throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the utmost parts of the world. So, according to Dr. Mark Becton of Grove Avenue Baptist Church, our commandment from Christ is to “make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples.” If that is the case, then according to Pastor Becton, in the Richmond, VA area alone, there are 1.3 million people. Out of that 1.3 million people, 70% have no engagement with any evangelical church. Therefore, over the next 25 years, we need to birth 150 new churches to keep up with the population.

The Richmond, VA area is growing with a diverse population of immigrants from other nations. Many of these people are intermarrying within our own culture. The nations from overseas are now in our area. Considering that there are 70% of 1.3 million people who are not engaged in attending church and are probably lost without a Savior, we must birth many new churches to meet the needs of the population. This will take resources to accomplish this. Therefore, this opens a commitment of all born again Christians to stop warming the pews and get involved in the ministry of their Lord and Savior. There are few leaders and workers in the Church but many attenders. My recommendation is that the Church train these men and women to share their faith right where they are and where they live.

70% of 1.3 million is 910,000 souls who do not know Jesus as their personal savior in the Richmond, VA area. If this number is accurate, we need to do a better job as Christians in sharing our faith. We can no longer depend on just a few to do all the work. This is going to take all Christians to engage in conversation. The largest resource to use is not monetary, but for the Christian to open their hearts and open their mouths to speak and engage in conversations that can change lives.

Many times, in the past, I have referred to William Fay’s “Share Jesus Without Fear” as a tool to learn how to share your faith. This is an excellent tool that even the beginner or new Christian can learn and accomplish without any reservation. Sure, we will need monetary resources. All ministries need money as resources to function. But we are going to need human resources to go out into our neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and marketplaces; to live a life of Christ incarnate. We are to Share Jesus Without Fear when the Holy Spirit opens Divine Appointment opportunities. If you are a Christian, and you never, ever, opened your mouth to share your faith, then I would say that you are out of our Lord’s will. It is not an option but a commandment to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.

This is why I started my ministry, Marketplace Evangelism, in order to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the area and the marketplace. I am a tent maker, meaning that I go to work every day. I listen out for Divine Appointment opportunities where people are searching for help and an answer. I never, ever, force my faith on anyone. But I strive to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God and I try to treat people with compassion and forgiveness. If members of congregations would do the same, they could make a huge impact with the leading of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Churches need resources, but the most important resource needed are the followers of Jesus Christ to ante up and kick in! Kick in like men and women going to war against the evil one. Our battle will not be physical, but spiritual. But many Christians are complacent with attending church on Sundays and then leaving, never thinking about the mission during the week. Many will continue to leave all the heavy lifting work to a very few. But this is not what Christ has commanded of us! Therefore, it’s imperative that men and women learn to share the Gospel so that others will come to Christ.

References:

The Victory Hour. Television. Directed by Mark Jenkins. Performed by Mark Becton. 2017.

Fay, William, and Linda Evans Shepherd. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1999.