We worked alongside a church that has been planting churches since 2002. In the last 22 years, they’ve planted 42 churches! The passion for reaching people with the Gospel has spread through their people like a wildfire. The pastor says we aren’t asking everyone to be pastors. They will come later. We are asking people to plant churches and everyone can do that! We met a 70 year old lady who said “All I did was invite my neighbors to a Bible study…and they all came!” Now there is a church meeting in her house. And God is providing pastors for these new churches.
Enter our team. I taught “The Pastor as a Worshipper” and “The Emotional Health of the Pastor.” Other team members taught on everything from healthy preaching to caring for the family. The 30 pastors we trained soaked up our teaching like a sponge. But this was not the most exciting part of our trip.
Each morning we partnered with one of the pastors we were training to do door to door evangelism. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a place more open and ready for the Gospel. Almost everyone we asked wanted to hear more. Many people prayed to receive Christ. Many invited the local church to come back and lead Bible studies in their home. Many would hear the Gospel and then invite their friends or family members to come hear the good news they just heard. It was tremendous!
Susanna was one of those people. The pastor’s wife said she’d been sharing with her for 10 years. Susanna would say she’d asked Jesus to forgive her but would not ask Him to be the Lord of her life. We knew when we entered Susanna’s home, the Spirit was working. Her countenance was open and she was willing to listen. Laura shared with her and I asked that simple question “What is keeping you from giving Jesus control of your life?” She answered “Nothing.” When we asked if she would pray and ask Him to rescue and lead her, she said “Yes!”
Francisco was another. When we entered his house, he was almost catatonic in his hammock. (Every house had multiple hammocks!) We shared with his wife and discovered she knew the Lord. We were able to answer some questions she’d been confused about and pray with her. When we asked about her husband, she said he’d grown deeper and deeper in a spiritual depression for the last 10 years. She said it started with dreams where Jesus demanded he pay for his sins. We quickly told both of them that was NOT Jesus in those dreams! As he began to communicate with us, he said the dreams were becoming more about fire, death and the end of the world. She said he stopped working a long time ago. They sent him to a hospital for treatment and his condition worsened. They’d basically lost all hope.
I got down on Francisco’s level. I strongly felt the Spirit urging me to ask him if he wanted to be rescued. I had to ask this question multiple times, but finally he answered “Yes.” The longer we talked, the more ‘awake’ he became. Finally, he stood up. I took his hand in mine and asked if he would pray with me, asking Jesus to rescue him. Again, “yes.” I repeated the name of Jesus three times before he would say it. The same with the phrase “Please rescue me.” But as he began to form these words, the conversation became easier. As Francisco gave his life to Christ, a smile formed on his weak face. He eventually had to sit down, but not before he was rescued from the darkness that had imprisoned him for so long.
The Gospel really is beautiful! Jesus tells us the truth sets us free. The Bible asks the question “How can they hear if no one tells them? And how can they tell them if no one is sent?” The truth is, South Arkansas is just as full of spiritual darkness as northern Brazil. Will you be a part of bringing the Truth and the Light here? No longer can we say “Someone else will do it.” If you know Jesus, it is your job. Every believer bears the burden of Gospel saturation. What part will you play? Will you pray? Will you share with your neighbors, family members, co workers and friends? Will you encourage others to share? Will you carry the Light of Christ boldly or will you hide it under a bowl? The harvest is plentiful, Church, and the workers are few. It’s time to begin the harvest!