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Blog Archive
December 30, 2021
Terry's Thoughts January 2022
As we begin 2022 and seek ways to have a greater impact on the lives of those without a relationship with Jesus, I thought it appropriate to reconsider the tried-and-true methods that have produced more disciples over the centuries than any other method. First, on that list of methods is genuine prayer. A good friend—and the pastor who licensed me to the Gospel Ministry—forwarded an article that expressed precisely what I am talking about here in this article. Perhaps you will be as convicted as I was and inspired enough to begin, once again, practicing methods that lead us to accomplish our primary responsibility: sharing the Gospel!
Friends were asked to finish the statement ‘My day is not complete unless I…’ Here are a few of the responses:
- Get a large coffee
- Floss
- Eat an apple
- Check the weather
- Check social media
- Get a text or call from (name)
- Workout, eat dessert
- Make someone smile
- Read at least one Bible verse
If a person had asked Arthur Flake (the first director of Sunday school at the Baptist Sunday School Board, now Lifeway Christian Resources) this question, his response would have been to pray daily for a lost person by name with the hope to share the gospel with that person specifically. Flake greatly impacted the growth of Sunday school in the first half of the 1900s. He called on Sunday school teachers/members to pray every day for the lost people their groups were trying to reach.
WHY DAILY?
A part of me wonders why we don’t pray every day for people who are lost. We may pray every day for a friend going through a valley season until he or she emerges, so why does that garner our attention more often than a person’s salvation? Certainly, the needs of these friends are real and pressing, but how much more so is a person’s eternal destiny? Praying daily reminds us of the importance of salvation and of our responsibility to share with others. If sharing Christ is a daily activity, then praying for those with whom we will share should be a daily activity as well.
WHY BY NAME?
Names are important. When we hear a name, images of someone with that name immediately flash in our minds. The simple mention of a name can cause us to smile, grimace, or feel other emotions. That name creates an identity that goes beyond a casual glance. Praying for a person by name also moves us beyond casual prayer. How many times have we prayed for “all the missionaries in the world” without a single face or name flashing through our minds? There is just something special about praying for someone by name. We become connected to that person in a different way. Compassion, empathy, and urgency come because of praying for a specific person. What would happen if we began to see praying for lost people as a daily necessity? How would that impact the Bible study group?
WHY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE?
Too many times, we find ourselves asking God to send someone to share Jesus with a family member or neighbor with the understanding that He will send anyone other than us. He may very well send someone else to share with the person for whom we are praying, but He may also be preparing us to have that conversation. What would happen if we began to see praying for lost people as a daily necessity? How would that impact the Bible study group?
Dwayne McCrary serves as the team leader for Explore the Bible (Adults). For more about praying through the Sunday school, download a free PDF of his book, It Begins with Prayer.
Dwayne’s article, sent by my pastor friend, presents a powerful, convicting, yet doable challenge for us all. Obviously, I would not encourage you to do something I was not, therefore, I am asking you to join me in this effort. One tangible way you can accept this challenge is to become involved with the website blesseveryhome.com. This site provides names, addresses, and opportunities to meet your neighbors, pray for them, and hopefully share the gospel with them. Awesome resource and I hope you will take advantage of this great resource for your neighborhoods, towns, or counties. Remember, as always, I love you, stand posed to serve you, and look forward to another wonderful year of ministry together.
Terry