Greetings in Christ!
Several years ago, we at Ambassadors for Christ realised that if we could help churches activate their people as witnesses for Jesus in their everyday encounters, that would be even more significant for the spread of the gospel than our preaching at evangelistic events. As I think back over 2021 and just my own involvement in EvangelismSHIFT at Faith Bible Church and Maranatha Bible Church in the US, and at Every Nation Church in Western Sydney, and the hundreds of believers in these churches that have begun living as witnesses, and the stories of people who have already come to faith in Christ through their witness, I understand why Jesus would focus much of his time to activate his followers as “fishers of men”.
Your prayers for us as we lead people through EvangelismSHIFT and Life2Life and your financial gifts make you a part of our team. Think of the impact on the lives of each believer who is now openly representing Jesus. Even more, think of what it means to those who have turned to Christ in faith and are now born again.
Here at the end of 2021, as you think of your investment of prayer in this ministry, and as you think of what God may be calling you to give to advance this ministry, I want to encourage you to take a moment to consider the value of “one”.
When we talk about the Great Commission, we are so aware of the enormity of the call to reach the world!
Yet, when Jesus was here on this earth, it was quite clear that though he came to save the world, he saw the value of one life at a time. He often took time to minister to those that society would look past. The beggars, the blind, the lame, the woman who touched the hem of his garment, all felt the love of God through him. The religious people and the tax collectors knew as well that he was there for them as much as anyone else.
The value of one.
Bruce, our National Coordinator of EvangelismSHIFT USA, was on an international flight in Europe years ago when he had a conversation about the Lord with a young Russian woman seated beside him. When they landed, Bruce gave her his Bible.
Years later her name came to mind and he looked her up on social media, noticing that recently a number of her posts had included scripture. Just yesterday he sent her a message, not sure if she would even remember their conversation. She replied that the Bible he gave her is still her only Bible. Just last year she felt the need to read it.
When she started reading, she just couldn’t stop! She was on a journey toward God. She shared that even
“before I got saved, I talked to God every day for months. Just me and Him, and then Jesus came 🙂 .
She turned to Christ just this past year. Now she is praying for her family and friends
“so they can be saved too”.
Even though the Great Commission describes a task so huge that it can make us wonder what difference our actions could make, never forget that the Great Commission is fulfilled one life at a time. When you share Christ with someone, when you pray for this ministry, when you support our work that is turning churches into communities of witnesses, lives are being transformed by Jesus.
As we all take time to consider our own personal commitment to evangelism and our end of year giving, remember the value of “one”. No gift is too small when given with a heart of faith and concern for the lost. Jesus knows how to take that gift and multiply it after it reaches his hands.
Please also join the AFCI team in fasting and praying for what God is doing through this ministry and for God’s provision to enable us to keep advancing his cause.
When that happens, lives will be changed for all eternity!
Blessings in Christ,
John North

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