For too long, I have operated without a sense of urgency. The mission and message of Jesus are urgent. Jesus accomplished his mission in just three years. A lot can happen in three years but we need a sense of urgency.
I don’t think urgency can be taught…it must be caught. So I might as well stop here. I cannot tell you enough things to create a sense of urgency inside of you. It seems to me that you have to desire and seek this for yourself and what moves you to action might be 100% different than what moves me.
There are a few things that motivate me and maybe it will help but at the end of the day, you have to have your own “come to Jesus” moment – no one can do it for you. It can’t be learned in a classroom or in a blog (like this…but here we go anyway!). It cannot be borrowed from someone else’s suffering.
Here are a few reasons the mission is urgent:
1 – People are dying faster than we can reach them. Way faster. Our efforts are not even close to the meet the actual needs. We must train and mobilize more people.
2 – Jesus told us that evangelism would usher in his return. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt 24:14). Do you want Jesus to return and make everything right? Then you and I need to be helping people make things right NOW.
3 – People are suffering. The good news of Jesus helps alleviate real suffering. There is healing in Christ. There is freedom in Christ. We can help people have one less day, year or decade of less suffering. That is worth us getting urgent!
I don’t know how to tell you to make outreach part of your everyday routine…I cannot logic my way to get you to change. All I can do is beat the drum and try to lead the way and encourage you as you take steps down this path.
Three things we can do that reflect a sense of urgency
1 – Pray. Ask God to put a sense of urgency in your heart to reach the lost. If you don’t have the sense, ask God for it. Ask for this repeatedly until you receive it.
2 – Try to talk to one person every day. Share something about Jesus. Look for an inroad into conversation to make it about Jesus. Just one person a day…that really adds up over time. Don’t be afraid to be direct.
3 – Pray daily for others by name. Ask God to open the door to them to follow Jesus. I bet you pray for sick people nearly daily by name. Can we pray for those who don’t know Jesus daily by name? I have found it helpful to have a list. Look at it daily.
What are some things you do to keep you moving in the right direction? I would love to hear what works for you.
One Response
Good one, Matt! that sense of urgency was lost a long time ago, and mostly because we “broadened” our idea of “Who is my brother/sister?” And until we take that back to a Biblical concept, we will not regain our sense of urgency.
What I find interesting, is that a number of Baptist theologians are beginning to rethink their “salvation at point of inviting Jesus,” and then get baptized when you can. They published a paper a while back where they made a much better, and stronger case, for the “Oneness” of the things that happen around the conversion process – where we are weakening our case…