(From the December Oakleaves Newsletter)

Is there anything more exciting than to be used by God to lead someone to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ?  Seriously.  What a privilege to be an agent of grace in changing someone’s eternity.  What could be better than that?  What could be more powerful?  More fulfilling?  More honoring to the God who saved you?

When was the last time you personally experienced this?  When was the last time our church family experienced this?

Let’s be straight up honest with each other—we are long overdue to celebrate a harvest of conversion baptisms.  And while salvation is ultimately a work of new birth orchestrated by God, He has chosen us to be the midwives.  We are God’s chosen instruments.  We are His messengers.  Are we communicating the message to the dying or preaching to the choir?

I believe that 2012 could be, should be, and will be a year of evangelism for this congregation.  But it won’t happen just because I said so.  It will happen when we fall on our faces before God and ask Him to break our hearts for the lost.  It will happen when we allow ourselves to carry burdens of intercession for them.  It will happen when we realize that living moral lives and building relationships is not enough.  It will happen when we decide it is more important to take the risk of sharing our faith than it is to be liked.  It will happen when we step out in faith and trust that God will meet us there and He will ultimately do the work of transforming lives.

Who will be the first conversion baptism that we celebrate in 2012?  Your family member?  Your friend?  Your neighbor?  What a joy that would be.  What price are you willing to pay?

Join me in doing more than talking about evangelism in 2012. Join me in taking some bold risks of faith.  Throughout the year we will make a variety of tools available to help you in sharing your faith.  But no evangelism tool is a substitute for your testimony and your obedience in sharing your faith.  Pray for me as I pray for you.  Let’s celebrate the harvest together.