Nov 172024
 

PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “Laser-Light Gospel Evangelism”.

     I was led to Christ by Pastor Russell Pittman, of the Salem Baptist Church of Decatur, Illinois in early September 1968.  The next year, after growing in Christ, I felt God calling me to give up plans to go to the University of Illinois and be a Physical Education major, with the goal of being a coach.  My second choice was to be a disk-jockey on a radio station! I know-I was setting my goals extremely high!  But God had other plans!  I was licensed to the ministry in March of 1969, and began an itinerant ministry of Youth revivals all over the state of Illinois.  But I remember an event that affirmed that call in a very emphatic way.  It was the Illinois Baptist State Association’s Youth Encounter of 1969.  It was held on Dec. 26-27 at the Springfield, Illinois Holiday Inn.  Kids from all over Illinois traveled through the snow to attend the conference.  There were three main personalities giving testimony and speaking at the Encounter.  The first was Debra Barnes.  She was Miss America 1968.  She was Miss Kansas, and was elected Miss America.  She was a devout Christian, and made that plain in her acceptance speech.  While she was speaking protesters from the New York Radical Women were waving sheets promoting Women’s Lib, and “No More Miss America Pageants!”  Debra was a gifted Pianist and played and gave her testimony.  She gave God the glory, and told how holding that honor opened doors for her to share Christ with the world!  (Boy how times have changed!).  Debra has lived faithfully to the Lord, and currently is Associate Professor of Piano studies at Missouri Southern State University, in Joplin, Mo., and Worship leader for nearly 20 years at The Faithlife Worship Center in Carthage, Mo. The second personality was Terry Bradshaw.  Terry was a football star whose father was retired military and a Vice President of a manufacturing company in Shreveport, La. They were strong Southern Baptists, and Terry grew up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  In High School Terry led his football team to record setting years.  He also set a national record for throwing the Javelin-throwing it 245 ft! (a record that stood for years, but was recently eclipsed by 10 feet). That feat earned him a spot in Sports Illustrated, where he would appear on the cover three times after winning the Super Bowl in 1974, 1975, and 1979.  At the time he spoke to us he was star quarterback for Louisiana Tech University, having been back up to Phil (Duck Dynasty) Robertson in his first two years.  Phil choose not to play in 1968.  He told Terry, (he now says-“I am going for the ducks, you go for the bucks!”).  In 1969 Terry was the Most Outstanding College Quarterback.  He broke records in his last two collegiate years!  Terry came to the Youth Encounter as a spokesman for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Of course, he went on to be the #1 draft pick of the Pittsburg Steelers, for whom he won 4 Super Bowls (’74, ’75, ’78,’79).  Terry unashamedly declared his love and commitment to Jesus Christ as the most important thing in his life, and gave God all the glory for the accomplishments he had been blessed to attain.  The third personality at the conference was Ron Hutchcraft.  He was a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and leader in the Youth for Christ movement.  Since that time Ron has been active for over 55 years in RHM Ministries.  He has a radio program entitled A Word With You, and a ministry to native Americans called On Eagles Wings.  He was so different!  He spoke casually, sitting on a stool, not behind a podium.  Every word he spoke went straight to the heart.  He clearly held Jesus up as the only way of salvation.  But more than that, he challenged these many young people to give their life to something that would matter for time and eternity-“following Jesus with all your heart-wherever He calls you!” He insisted that Jesus wanted us to be “all in” and give ourselves 100% No holding back! I have never forgotten the last service.  As the instrumentalists played and sang, I have decided to follow Jesus, he challenged each of us, if we were serious about it, to stand up, in front of all our peers around us, and declare publically-“I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS-NO TURNING BACK!”  I have never forgotten the decision I made that day- almost 50 years ago!  What an Encounter!  The theme was “STAND UP AND STAND OUT FOR JESUS”.  He probably doesn’t even remember that day.  I have never forgotten it.

     Recently I heard Ron on the radio.  It was his program-A WORD WITH YOU.  He titled his program-“A mission with a name on it!”  Let me briefly share part of it with you.  Maybe God will use him to impact your life like he did mine!

Ron said, “My friend Dave got tired of wearing glasses.  But if he didn’t, he was dangerous.  After consulting with a specialist, he determined he was a candidate for Lasik surgery.  During the procedure, a laser beam was aimed at the parts of his eyes that had limited his vision and the carefully aimed light of that laser changed everything! Guess who doesn’t need glasses anymore!  All because of the power of focused light.  My Word With You is ‘A mission with a name on it!’  For someone you know, for someone you love, their only hope of ever seeing Jesus may be the power of focused light.  You are God’s laser light to their life.  Were not talking about single-handedly reaching everyone in your town, your school, your workplace, or your neighborhood for Christ.  Were talking about focusing your love, prayer, and efforts on one person you want to have in heaven with you.  Someone who, if they died today, probably would not go there.  I call it a mission with a name on it.  Not just non-specific concern for the ‘lost’.  We’re talking about a burden with a name.  Andrew met Jesus.  The first concern of his was to go and tell his brother Peter.  We know the results of that mission (See John 1:40-42).  We know Jesus had a heart for just one sheep.  He left the 99, to go search diligently for the one lost sheep.  A mission with a name on it. (Palestinian Shepherds named their sheep).  That doesn’t mean you ignore all the other lost people around you!  But you start with one person.  God lays that person on your heart.  You pray for that person every day.  You pray that you, or someone of God’s leading, will cross paths with them, and share the Gospel.  You look for ways to love them, in their language of love, demonstrating Jesus’ love for them, in practical ways.  You focus the light of Jesus and your efforts like a laser beam on that one life! 

     In a previous generation, a man named John Wannamaker, one of the most looked to and successful businessmen in America, and founder of one of the first famous department stores in America, was also a lover of Jesus Christ, and a Sunday School teacher.   One day he wrote a hand copied letter to each member of his large class.  What he said touched my heart.  He wrote, ‘If you are saved, humbly trusting in what Jesus did for you in His love on the cross, think of others who are not saved.  Be burdened that they will be spending eternity in darkness-separated from God forever! That’s your friend, your relative, your neighbor-Do Something!  Settle your mind and heart on some particular person.  Pray and work and do not give up til that person comes to Christ. Your help comes from God.  It is an undying soul you are laboring for.  What a pleasure it will be to have some newborn soul with you in heaven!  Do not put it off for a single hour.  Hearts grow harder and eternity is close”.   He signed his letter to his class-‘Yours in the hope of heaven, and to win our friends to go with us’.”   That’s your mission with a name on it!  That is your laser beam of Gospel proclamation!  Imagine the joy of someone coming up to you in heaven and saying “Thank you-I would not be here if not for you!”  Thank God your mission with a name on it had their name!

SERMON:  RENEWAL: THE POWER TO GROW UP…NOT OLD

ISAIAH 40:31
I.     THE PENALTY OF GROWING OLD
II.     THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD
III.     THE PROMISE OF GROWING “UP” 

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