Intentionality

12 Feb Intentionality

All of my life I have admired IMB missionaries. I would think and wonder what it must be like to live in a foreign country and minister to the national people of that country. I have been in 27 countries and on more short-term trips than I can remember. Spending ten days to two weeks with missionaries and wondering what they did when short-term teams were not there. While I usually enjoyed my experiences on ST trips, I always went back home to America to ponder what I had just experienced. Wondering how I could transfer what I experienced and learned on the field to my home context.

In these first two months of living in Zambia, I am seeing and understanding something more than I did in my previous journeys, and it has been truly convicting. It started with our orientation before we came to the field and has continued in ongoing trainings here. We are consistently told, that first and foremost, we are evangelists. We are to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know Him. And if they believe, we are to disciple them. And I realize that I am in Africa, and the only reason I exist here, is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and disciple those who believe. THAT’S IT!!

Every day, everywhere I go, I exist to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and disciple those who believe. You may be thinking, “Todd are you just figuring that out?” I am not talking about the gospel being part of what I do. Or, I am supposed to work it in to my daily life somehow and someway. Or, if I am given the chance and there is an obvious opening I will engage in spiritual conversations. I am talking about the realization that I exist in my context to share the gospel and disciple those who believe. Again, you may be thinking, “you are a missionary and that’s what missionaries do.” AHA! That is the revelation. It is not what missionaries do. It is what Christians do. It is what all followers of Jesus Christ do, or are supposed to do.

I have been surprised at how this context has made me so intentional. I have noticed this awareness that at any moment, long lines, frustrating inconveniences (and there are many), grocery shopping, or event, there could be a divine appointment. Jesus’ words in John 10:16 ring in my ears, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold or not of this sheep pen. I must bring them in also…”

I hear that question in my heart, “Is there a sheep here that is not yet in Jesus’ sheep pen, but would be, if I engage and share the gospel.” Basically asking,” are there any green lights here (those open to believe the gospel), just waiting to the hear the gospel?”

Last week I was in the hospital for two days passing a kidney stone, and the Holy Spirit brought the thought to my mind, “perhaps I am here for a spiritual reason.” At the hospital I woke up and started reading my Bible. A nurse saw me and within a few minutes five people were in my room asking me questions. Later I was taken down to get a CT scan of my kidneys. You go into this big circle they call the donut. I love donuts but not this one. It is right over my face and I get Closter phobic very easily. My eyes are closed and I praying and singing “More like Jesus” like a crazy man. When they pull me out, the female technician said, “were you praying for us?” I was thinking, no, I was praying for myself because I am big scaredy cat baby. But, I said, “would you like me to pray for you?” She said “yes, I have been having dreams and I don’t know that they mean. I have shared what I thought they meant to leaders in my church and they asked me to leave the church.” We had a great spiritual conversation about what the Spirit was showing her, and I shared some biblical truths to help her. She seemed encouraged and I invited her to attend a healthy church that I know of. Even kidney stones can be used by God. Although I am very open to other ways.

            I am convicted as I wonder where that consistent intentionality was when I was at home in the states? I spent so many years watching my children play sports, cheer, participate in musicals, eating in restaurants, and even had kidney stones in September at UT Hospital. While I shared the gospel and discipled people, the intentionality I see now was not as prevalent or consistent. And while I know every situation is not a divine appointment, I wonder how many I missed by not asking the Spirit, “are there any potential sheep here, who would be Jesus’ sheep, if they simply heard the gospel?” And then just begin having spiritual conversations with people and see what happens. 

            As Paul comes to the end of his life, he tells Timothy, his son in the faith, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Tim. 4:5

            Yes, do the work of an evangelist? Why? Because there are sheep that are not yet in Jesus’ sheep pen. And they will be, when someone shares the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. And when they believe, we disciple and teach them to share the gospel with more potential sheep. Paul was not talking to missionaries only, or pastors and church staff only, he is talking to followers of Jesus.

Father, help me to be this INTENTIONAL every day, to do the word of an evangelist, so that Jesus might be known among the nations.