53 Sermon Illustrations on Boldness

Great evangelists have eight distinctives, which should also shape every

Christian's life:

1. Passion for souls.

2. A Christ-centered commitment to the gospel. Jesus is the theme.

3. Personal holiness.

4. Boldness: holy audacity.

5. Criticism and persecution.

6. Love for the body of Christ.

7. Prayer.

8. Faithfulness to the gospel to their dying hour.

#3246

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Privacy is one thing. We all need it, no one would deny that. But being so out of touch and unaccountable? That's the part no one can justify. There are times when it is essential that someone say something. Sometimes it's a matter of life and death that somebody speak up.

Take the case of Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor in Germany in the 1930's. Here is his often-quoted, honest confession:

In Germany they came first for the communists, and I didn't speak up

because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't

speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came

for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then

they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.

A well-dressed Chicago businessman was accosted on the street by a frumpty looking man. "Brother, are you saved?" The businessman bristled and replied, "I don't think that's any of your business." "I make it my business," the frumpty one replied. "In that case you must be D. L. Moody."

#2869

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Before coming to Texas Dr. Kimbrough was the field agent in

Tennessee of Carson and Newman College. In that capacity he traveled

over the state. In one of these journeys through the wilds of

Tennessee, on a Monday morning he was held up by two highwaymen.

Before he knew it they were on him, with their guns upraised,

demanding his money. He very deliberately addressed them as follows:

"Gentlemen, I am a Baptist minister. My work is to go over the

state and solicit funds for the young preachers of Tennessee who are

in school at Carson and Newman College, and also to secure such help

for the school as I am able to get. I have in my pocket two purses of

money. One represents a collection I took yesterday for this Christian

work; the other contains my own private funds. I will get down here in

the road and I will lay these two purses in different piles. You may

take my money if you wish to, but I dare you, in the name of God, to

touch the money that has been made sacred by having been given to His

cause."

The highwaymen paused, looked at each other, and began to inquire

more about the work at Carson and Newman College. Dr. Kimbrough

explained it categorically. After he had made his talk to them, they

said:

"We will not take either your money or the money of the college."

With this Dr. Kimbrough was emboldened to add:

"Gentlemen, you are very kind, and I am deeply grateful for your

consideration. Now that I have detailed the importance of this work to

you, don't you think you ought to help me make it go?"

Each of the would-be robbers gave him $5.00.

-- J. B. Cranfill's Chronicles of Life in Texas.

By William Moses Tidwell, "Effective Illustrations."

Driving through New Jersey on Interstate 80 en route from Pennsylvania to New York, I came upon a group of cars that were abnormally traveling exactly at the 55 m.p.h. speed limit. In the middle of the group was a state police cruiser that everyone was reluctant to pass.

After several minutes the officer's voice rang out over his roof-mounted loudspeaker. "For heaven's sake, move!" he commanded. "I am a Pennsylvania state trooper."

__________

Keith's Mostly Clean Humor

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[Original illustration at this number was added to HolwickID #4410]

Don’t spend life playing it safe for God, columnist Jim Elliff says. Instead, as Elliff says -- using an illustration from Augusta National -- “go for broke” for the glory of God.

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For some reason unknown to humankind, my older brother once got to play golf on the distinguished Augusta National golf course, the course where perhaps the best tournament of the year is held -- The Masters.

It was there that the following life-shaping event took place. He was playing through the course with the required caddy. After he landed in the middle of hole 13 of the notorious 3-hole Amen Corner, he asked the caddy for a certain short iron.

Astonished, the veteran caddy exclaimed, “What do you want with this iron?”

“I want to play it safe by laying up just this side of the creek,” my brother replied.

“Man,” the caddy exclaimed, “You didn’t fly all this way to hit [a] lay-up shot at the Amen Corner!” And he yanked out a fairway wood to hand to my brother.

My brother said, “But I might go into the water.”

“You might or you might not,” said the caddy, “but one thing is for sure -- you’ll never know till you try.”

My humbled sibling dutifully took the wood from his hands, smacked the ball, and it landed on the green!

Astounded, he exclaimed, “I’m going to go home and write down in my Bible what you just told me.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“You see,” said my brother, “a man can get to an age and stage in life where he can be content just to hit lay-ups -- short, easy, no risk shots. But you’re right, I haven’t come all this way in life just to hit lay-ups. Starting tomorrow morning, I’m going to get up and hit it as hard and as far as I can.”

There are those believers whose entire life is spent hitting lay-ups. These are the cautious, forever tentative people. Sadly, not much happens for the Kingdom of God through them.

There is a time to be careful, of course. It’s not courageous to play tennis on the highway, for instance -- it’s just stupid. But we’re talking here about the big issues of life. Are you tentative or tenacious in your approach to the future? Did God place you in the world just to protect yourself or to do something meaningful and courageous?

We should have the spirit of Caleb. He was no golfer, but he could still climb a mountain at age 85. As a friend of mine once said, “He was not of a retiring disposition.” In the allotment of lands in Canaan, this adventurous, faith-filled octogenarian requested that his portion be the hill country where the giants lived in “great fortified cities.” Life would not be flat and meaningless for this man. There was something to do.

God often commends boldness. “Be strong and very courageous,” God told Joshua. “We had the boldness of God,” said Paul. “The righteous are as bold as a lion,” stated Solomon.

You only have one trip through this world, or, to put it another way, you only get on the course once. You may not play out the entire 18 holes, or you may be blessed with a double round. Regardless, you had better take advantage of the short time you have. Life is not about lay-up shots, but bold advances for the Savior.

I remember a turning point in my life at age 38. Lots of men feel it. They know enough about their past to understand what they should and should not be doing. They are not that old, but they are more aware than before that the last hole is actually not all that far away. It’s time to decide. Do you hit a lay-up or do you go for broke?

With the help of a now deceased friend, J. Oswald Sanders, who had also experienced a great change in his life direction around my age, I decided against complacency in my Christian life and ministry. I took an entirely new direction, over my uncompromising creek, for the sake of the glory of God. Some of my friends and family were not sure I was sane, but I was determined to experience “God’s work, done in God’s way” (as missionary Hudson Taylor put it). I’ve never regretted it.

You cannot just dream something up for your life out of nothing, but rather must find out from God what you are to do. He leads you in a way that demands faith. But will you do it? Can you even bring yourself to think of it?

First, humbly tell God that you are ready to do something significant for Him, whatever glorifies Him at any cost. Second, pray, read the Bible, get counsel, and search until you find out the kind of faith-filled ministry that will make a difference in the kingdom. Get this from God. Third, ask others who will encourage your faith to pray with you. Surround yourself with “caddies” who have some spunk. And then, pull out your fairway wood and swing hard.

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” Luke 9:24.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #6421]

In a speech delivered in New Haven, Conn., on March 6, 1860 -- just two months before the Republican Convention that nominated him -- Abraham Lincoln said this:

“What we want, and all we want, is to have with us the men who think slavery wrong. But those who say the hate slavery, and are opposed to it, but yet act with the Democratic party -- where are they? Let us apply a few tests. You say that you think slavery is wrong, but you denounce all attempts to restrain it. Is there anything else that you think wrong, that you are not willing to deal with as a wrong? Why are you so careful, so tender of this one wrong and no other? You will not let us do a single thing as if it was wrong; there is no place where you will allow [slavery] even to be called wrong! We must not call it wrong in the Free States, because it is not there, and we must not call it wrong in the Slave States because it is there; we must not call it wrong in politics because that is bringing morality into politics, and we must not call it wrong in the pulpit because that is bringing politics into religion; we must not bring it into the Tract Society or the other societies because those are such unsuitable places, and there is no single place, according to you, where this wrong thing can properly be called wrong!

see Deuteronomy 17:14-20

Source: Focus on the Family Newsletter, September 1996.

see “Fresh Sermon Illustrations” (http://www.sedona.net/~budman/illustr.html)

Boldness/Jesus

Regardless of your political views or preferences, you have to respect an individual who takes a bold stand for the Lord, at a time when that is politically incorrect. George W. Bush was asked in the Republican debate in Iowa on December 13, 1999, what philosopher had affected his life in the greatest way. Bush replied, "Christ-because He changed my heart."

Former FCC chairman Newton Minow once called TV “a vast wasteland.” Boy, was he right! But an oasis went on the air last week, even as powerful pressure groups were trying to dry it up.

I’ve often lamented the superficial spirituality — the Oprahism, I call it — of daytime TV. But thanks to the courage of Paramount executives in resisting the attacks of homosexuals and other anti-religious groups, Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s no-nonsense alternative debuted last Monday on CBS TV, with a message based on timeless truths.

Who could object to a program that always closes, “Now, go do the right thing”? That’s the benediction Dr. Laura pronounces on the 18 to 20 million listeners to her daily radio program, and on those who caught her television premiere.

She says she “preaches, teaches, and nags” to “teach morals, values, ethics, and principles.” Well, it must be working, because her radio phone lines are jammed with people seeking counsel for solving moral dilemmas the secular world has told them are of no great concern.

Instinctively, however, they know better, and Dr. Laura defines “the right thing” for them. As an Orthodox Jew, she says that means (at the very least) living by the Ten Commandments. In fact, her moral stance made her the first non-Christian ever honored by the National Religious Broadcasters, and she’s been a guest on Jim Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” program.

Not surprisingly, her standards offend some people — most vocally the two or three percent of the population that practice so-called “alternative sexual lifestyles.” In response to listeners’ questions, she once referred to homosexuals as deviants and biological errors. And that’s why they hate her.

When Paramount announced plans to produce the show, the opponents established pressure groups and mobilized protests at TV stations planning to air her program. They also bombarded advertisers so that the big names all dropped their sponsorship.

What irony! When Christians do the same sort of protest, they are called bigots and censors.

So is her telecast as offensive as the critics charge? Hardly! On Monday she discussed drug abuse with a group of parents, teens, and police. And in her closing comment she said, “We are expressly forbidden by God … to harm our bodies, which … are on loan from God to carry our souls through life.”

Future topics include marital fidelity, the stresses on working mothers, the dangers of making sexually explicit materials available to kids in public libraries, and the like.

From my own experience on BreakPoint the past nine years, I know it can be difficult to speak against a morally decadent culture. And Dr. Laura’s challenge will likely not get much easier in the weeks ahead. But she is a woman of conviction, and she has shown that she can stand up to the pressure — obviously something her regular listeners appreciate.

The opposition is loud and strong, but people need to hear her message, and in the end I believe truth and honesty will prevail. Call us here at BreakPoint and we’ll offer some suggestions on how you can help keep Dr. Laura on the air.

Programs like this survive on ratings, so you can certainly watch and get your friends to do the same.

It’s one more way you can “do the right thing!”

Why are so many people afraid of going to the dentist? It may be the result of a bad experience. One woman said of her childhood dentist, “I started getting upset and crying and he said, ‘If you don’t shut up, I’m going to slap you.’” She now drives 70 miles to The Dental Fears Clinic in Kansas City.

People who are afraid to go to God have a similar problem. Some may have been mistreated by spiritual leaders. Others may have learned unhealthy fear of God as children. Still others, overwhelmed by their sin, see only God’s righteous demand for justice and miss the loving provision of His Son’s sacrifice for sin.

The people in today’s Bible reading (1 Samuel 12) were afraid because Samuel exposed their sin. But he also told them that God longed to forgive them.

We need to replace irrational fears with healthy ones. God’s Word repeatedly assures us that the pain of going to Him is far less than the pain of avoiding Him. It also assures us that because of Jesus we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy” (Hebrews 4:16).

A dentist fills the holes in your teeth, but God wants to fill the holes in your heart — with Himself. Don’t let your unhealthy fear stop Him. — Mart De Haan

The love of God is my pillow,

Soft and healing and wide;

I rest my soul in its comfort,

And in its calm I abide. — Long

Only God can fill the emptiness of an aching heart.

Someday I might just be banned from restaurants. I mean, I've been known to give the help a hard time. That's not really what I'm trying to do. I figure sometimes it just gets so humdrum and boring, waiting on people, and too often customers treat you like you're part of the menu, or a vending machine. So, it's fun to inject some laughs into their day. For example, I've been known to walk into a restaurant, and the lady will ask, “Table for two?” I'll say, “Well, yes, but we have a busload of thirty-eight junior high students waiting. Should we bring them in now?” You should see the priceless look on her face. I immediately let her know I'm kidding, though. I always ask for the server's name by telling him or her that, “My mother told me to never talk to strangers.” And when I'm ordering one of my favorite hamburger and cheese sandwiches, I have been known to ask, “Is Patty in?” “Patty who?” the waitress asks innocently. “Patty Melt,” I tell her, as her eyes disappear to the top of her head.

I'm just trying to lighten up their lives. We also try to encourage them and compliment them. Sometimes I'll tell the server, “Hey, you're a great cook.” They look a little unsure about how to react to that. They'll say, “Oh, I didn't cook it. I just serve it.” I knew that.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Power Preposition.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 3:5. Here's what Paul says about himself and another great Christian leader of that time, Apollos. “What, after all, is Apollos, and what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord has assigned to each his task.” I'm sure there are people who would have said, “Paul got me to Christ. Apollos got me to Christ.” Paul said, “No, I didn't. It wasn't from me. It was through me.” There's the power preposition. We are only servants through whom, not by whom, not from whom, only through whom you came to believe.

This is like a server in a restaurant. It's not her recipe. It's not her effort. She just delivers what someone else has worked on and made possible. That's what Jesus was saying when he said, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” The branch doesn't produce the fruit. It looks like it's producing the fruit, but it comes from the vine, through the branches.

Do you know what this means to you? There are things you can risk doing for the Lord that you thought were too much for you. You can dare to open your mouth about Jesus. You can dare to step up to that leadership role. You could dare to start that Christian group, that prayer fellowship, that Bible study. You could dare to say yes to an assignment from the Lord that you've been saying no to. Why? Because the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, “The one who calls you will do it.” Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure.”

God will give you the words. God will give you the insight. God will give you the plan. God will give you the methods - the strength to do it. Any true work for Christ is Christ doing the work through you, not you doing the work for Him. “Through” - that's the preposition that opens up your life to all kinds of powerful new possibilities. It only comes through you. Just be available. There are many meals I would have never eaten in a restaurant if it had been up to the waiter or the waitress to grow the food or prepare the food, but they were able to deliver it. That's what Paul says you and I are. We are servants. That's what your Lord is asking you to do, to deliver to hungry lives what He has prepared for them. Now, you could serve it, couldn't you?

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Acts 4:18–31 — Forbidden: So What! — (outline by F. F. Bruce, NICNT) « Leader information shown in this fashion »

{A.} The Birth of the Church (1:1–5:42)

{1.} The Forty Days and After (1:1–26)

{2.} The Day of Pentecost (2:1–47)

{3.} An Act of Healing and its Consequences (3:1–4:31)

A. A Cripple Cured Acts 3:1–6

Peter and John, attending the temple for prayer, encounter a man lame from birth. When they heal him, a large crowd is attracted.

B. Peter’s Address in Solomon’s Colonnade; his subject was

1. “The Power of Jesus’ Name,” Acts 3:11–16

Peter addressed this crowd giving the credit for the man’s healing to the name of Jesus Christ, whom they had put to death.

2. Call to Repentance Acts 3:17–21

Peter notes they did this in ignorance, but it was God’s purpose for the suffering Messiah to bring salvation: they should now repent.

3. Witness of the Prophets Acts 3:22–26

This salvation is a promise of all the prophets, starting at Moses. …

C. Arrest of Peter and John Acts 4:1–4

The priests, captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees were angry of their proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ and took them into custody; never-the-less many people believed and the church increased to at least 5,000 men.

D. Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:5–12)

1. The Sanhedrin’s Question Acts 4:5–7

Caiaphas and Annas, who were involved with Jesus’ “trial,” now ask what empowered this miraculous cure.

2. Peter Answers Their Question Acts 4:8–12

This God-given miracle was my the name of Jesus Messiah of Nazareth, Whom God attested by His resurrection.

E. Debate in the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:13–17)

1. Their Dilemma Acts 4:13–14

The rulers could not confound Peter & John, could not deny the miracle, and could not refute Jesus’ confirming resurrection.

2. Their Reasoning Acts 4:15–17

Not letting the facts get in the way, the rulers decided that they would use force and threats to stop their testimony.

F. The Apostles Dismissed with a Caution Acts 4:18–22

1. The Rulers’ Injunction — Acts 4:18 (NKJV): 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

a. Note: the words “at all” (kathalou) are very strong; “you are wholly (completely, absolutely) not to speak…”

b. what made their activities unacceptable to the rulers? « — that they were done in the name of Jesus »

c. what two activities in particular were focussed upon?

(A) « speaking – His name; telling about Jesus, Messiah »

(B) « teaching – proclaiming truth upon His authority »

2. Response of Peter and John — Acts 4:19–20 (NKJV): 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

a. what mark(s) of good character is in their answer? « — integrity; sticking to one’s principles, regardless »

b. what do the words “in the sight of God” signify? « — God is called upon as a witness to both the rulers’ judgment and the apostles’ obedience »

c. the apostles announce their decision (relates to Acts 1:8)

(A) to obey « – God in the person of Jesus »

(B) to bear « – witness to His Person, Life and Work »

3. The Rulers’ Last Resort — Acts 4:21–22 (NKJV): 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

a. what could they only do? « — threaten »

b. what restrained them from more drastic action? « — the favour of the people toward them and toward God on account of what had happened »

c. what does the fact mean that he was over 40? « — a congenital defect may clear up naturally at an early but not at an advanced age »

G. Peter and John Rejoin Their Friends Acts 4:23–31

1. 1. Going to the Church — Acts 4:23–24a (NKJV): 23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said:

a. “they went to their own” (”companions” supplied by the translators to give sense): what does this highlight about God’s people? « — the close relationship; the first with which we share joys, sorrows, problems, praise »

b. what characterized the prayer that follows? « — all those present were in agreement on its praise and petitions; not that they said it in unison, nor that it was a hymn »

2. 2. Their Prayer — Acts 24b–30 (NKJV): “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 27 For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

a. Notes:

(A) in many manuscripts verse 25 includes that David spoke “through the Holy Spirit”

(B) Jesus is called Servant (verse 27) using a word that can also be translated as “child” or even “son” but they refer to themselves with a word “bond-slaves”

b. verse 24b of their prayer quotes Psalm 146:6, and the next quote is from Psalm 2:1–2 (LXX); what lesson might we take from this example? « — that it is legitimate to take the prayers in the Bible and employ them in expressing our own petitions to God. Exactly quotes the LXX; uses “Christos” for Messiah. Aquila, 2nd century, in a rabbinically proper translation using another word »

c. what distinguished Jesus’ anointing from every O. T. king? « — performed directly by God with the Spirit »

d. how do they match the “cast” listed in Psalm 2?

(A) nations « — Gentiles, Romans »

(B) peoples « — Jewish populace, people of Israel »

(C) kings « — Herod »

(D) rulers « — Pontius Pilate; phps also rulers of Jews »

(E) Christ (Anointed) « — Your holy Servant Jesus (Isaiah 40–66; Psalm 2:7 “Son;” also at Jesus’ baptism) »

e. in what 3 forms did they ask their boldness be shown?

(A) in « speaking – directly contra rulers’ command »

(1) what? « — the word of God »

(B) in healing « – had just brought conflict with rulers »

(1) how? « – God’s intervention (stretched out arm) »

(C) in « signs and wonders; confirmations (Mark 16:20) »

(1) how? « – by the invoking of Jesus’ name »

f. in what was their prayer for boldness likely to result? « — more confrontation with Jewish rulers »

3. God’s Answer — Acts 4:31(NKJV): 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

a. “all filled with the Holy Spirit” parallels Acts 4:8 referring to a single event for a specific purpose which is to be distinguished from “full of … the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5) which describes an ongoing state. What did this being filled by the Holy Spirit have as its purpose? « — that they should speak boldly despite the opposition of the rulers of the Jews, those who had planned Jesus’ death »

b. how does this tie in with Mark 13:9, Luke 21:12 « — it is preparing them for what will happen later in Acts 5! »

Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, Austin’s anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that “frog hat.”

The doctor explained that he had two choices-he could either try to start the IV, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the OR the doctor would give Austin some “goofy” gas, and start the IV when he was more relaxed. “So, Austin,” he asked, “which do you want?”

Austin replied, “I’ll take the gas.” But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, “Hey, wait.”

The doctor turned. “Yeah, buddy, what do you need?”

“Do you go to church?”

“No,” the doctor admitted. “I know I probably should, but I don’t.”

Austin then asked, “Well, are you saved?”

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, “Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it’s something I should consider.”

Pleased with his response, Austin answered, “Well, you should, ‘cause Jesus is great!”

“I’m sure He is, little guy,” the doctor said, and quickly made his exit.

After that a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get me when Austin’s surgery was done.

After about 45 minutes, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said, “Mrs. Blessitt, I don’t usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did.”

Oh boy, I thought. What did that little rascal do now?

The doctor explained that he’d just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, “Wait a minute, we have to pray!” The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, “Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen.”

The doctor admitted this touched him. “I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well,” he explained. “He didn’t even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have.”

A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator. “Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn’t wait to tell you something exciting that your son did.” With a smile, I told her that the doctor already mentioned Austin’s prayer.

“But there’s something you don’t know,” she said. “Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son’s surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin’s prayer. He said, ‘Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus too.’” She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ right there in the hospital.

Wow! Austin had played a small part in something wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed. I thought about John’s words in his Gospel, “One sows and the other reaps” (John 4:37). Austin’s experience taught me that, although we never know which role we may be called to play, in the end it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that we remain faithful in sharing the gospel.

By Tina Blessitt, a freelance writer, lives with her husband and four children in Kentucky.

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Copyright 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today’s Christian magazine. July/August 2006, Vol. 44, No. 4, page 26

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #20916]

Star Trek star William Shatner has reportedly turned down an offer to boldly go into space for real.

Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, is too nervous to take up Sir Richard Branson’s offer of joining Virgin Galactic’s first passenger flight in 2008, reports The Sun.

Shatner, 75, said: “I’m interested in man’s march into the unknown but to vomit in space is not my idea of a good time. “Neither is a fiery crash with the vomit hovering over me.”

Shatner has been offered his £114,000 ticket free. But he insists Virgin boss Branson also pays him. He added: “I do want to go up but I need guarantees I’ll definitely come back.”

Celebs like Alien’s Sigourney Weaver have booked the two-and-a-half hour flight on the VSS Enterprise - named in tribute to Star Trek.

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Source: Ananova http://www.ananova.com

In an Islamic country known for violent persecution of Christians, a local believer named Samuel* hands out evangelistic tracts and films every day.

One day, Samuel spotted a conservative Muslim man on a street corner where Muslims gather to collect funds for their mosque. Samuel sensed the Lord telling him to share Jesus with the man.

“Are you sure, Lord?” Samuel prayed as sweat began to prickle on his forehead.

“Yes, go,” he heard a voice within him say.

So he walked straight up to the Muslim man and declared the Gospel. Instead of the hostile response Samuel feared, the Muslim man listened thoughtfully.

“That’s interesting,” he said when Samuel finished. “Last night I was listening to the radio and heard something about this. I have to work now, but can you meet me later?”

They met later that night, and Samuel led the man to faith in Christ.

Courageous? Yes. Dangerous? Undoubtedly. Samuel isn’t a natural risk-taker, however. He just wants to obey the Lord.

“We have been teaching our team about boldness,” said a Southern Baptist worker who trained Samuel to spread the Gospel. “He comes across as very timid, but the Lord has changed him. We tell him to be careful, but he keeps going. These national believers are bold!”

Many such testimonies were shared at a recent consultation on church planting among Muslim peoples. Nearly 500 Christian workers from 46 nationalities attended the conference in Asia, where they talked about fruitful ways to guide Muslims to Christ.

One scholar at the conference recalled a similar gathering nearly 30 years ago where participants asked, “How do we take the Gospel to Muslims?” Now the question has become, “How do we become more effective at planting churches and discipling Muslim-background believers?”

That, he said, is “a huge forward move.”

• In one Muslim area in South Asia, the first local believer began sending Gospel materials to friends and family members by mail, buses and other local transportation. Now he can track on a map how the Good News has taken root along the roads to various villages. He counts 75 baptized believers in eight churches, plus numerous “seeker groups.” At least one second-generation church has been started by one of the new congregations.

• In a Middle Eastern country, a Christian worker entered the office of a strongly anti-American Muslim group. “We’d like to help your people,” he offered, adding that some of the helpers would come from America.

“When they heard me say America, the men stood with their guns ready. But after more dialogue and discussion, they said ‘OK.’ Now they allow us to go to their villages. They escort us and protect us, and our volunteers pray and give Bibles to the people.”

For every such success story told at the conference, however, there came a reminder of the challenge of working among Muslims.

“A year ago our team members could put a finger on 50 (worshipping) groups, so we know there are a lot more,” one worker reported. “People come and say, ‘We have 50 believers. Can you give us a [Gospel] film?’ We have girls who are leading others to Jesus. Families are coming to faith. But we are seeing a lot of persecution. Our team has suffered. One member went to prison twice and they used several methods to harm her. She came out with a battered back –- and a heart song. That heart song is now being taught to others.”

Another worker exulted about victories in other places, but wept over the lack of visible results in his own area. “We haven’t seen [any believers or churches] yet, and we have been laboring a really long time,” he admitted. “Can you please pray for my people?”

Conference participants gathered around him to ask God for the salvation of his people, and for encouragement and strength for him.

Are Muslims becoming more open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It depends on where you are –- and when. The Holy Spirit works on His schedule, not ours.

Scott Holste, a Southern Baptist missionary, remembers his years among a particularly resistant Muslim people group in Asia. He often compared notes with other missionaries hoping for glimpses of progress with their peoples.

“Our dream at the time was to see at least one healthy church planted in each of these people groups,” he recalled. “I don’t think in our wildest imagination we ever thought there would be scores or hundreds of churches like there are among some groups now.”

In some places, the day of bountiful harvest has arrived. In other places, it may take generations of patient sowing and removing rocks from the soil before any real church planting can take place.

“That’s the challenge,” Holste observed. “We need to be bolder than we’ve been in the past. It still may take years and years, but let’s push the edge.”

________

*Name changed for security reasons

Gideon’s experience in Judges 6-7 teach us a great deal about prayer. Like this timid, reluctant and frustrated leader, we often toil away in our own strength at things that don’t really help much, rather than inviting God into our challenges and letting Him empower our leadership. But one life-changing day Gideon had a conversation with God as “the Angel of the Lord” that has deeply challenged me about my own prayer life.

Gideon was weak when his extended conversation with God began, but God loves to use weak people. Though God initiated the conversation, Gideon did most of the talking, at first. Then, after questions and fleeces, there was a moment of surrender, when Gideon gave his fears, desires and plans over to God. After that, God did most of the talking, and acting.

Gideon never had to say, “God said obey me ...” to the people he led. He simply acted with a new boldness that came out of his personal conversation with God. And the people gladly followed him in his obedience to God, with a powerful result that brought God glory, and His people victory.

That’s the kind of prayer encounter I need. Gideon was a small man and a reluctant, fearful leader. But all that changed when he engaged God in extended, serious prayer.

Denver Broncos quarterback and former University of Florida football star Tim Tebow has been getting a lot of advice lately about how much he should be talking about Jesus.

In November former Bronco quarterback Jake Plummer said about Tebow, “I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ then I think I’ll like him a little better. I don’t hate him because of that, I just would rather not have to hear that every single time he takes a good snap or makes a good handoff ... like you know, I understand dude where you’re coming from.” In other words, Tim, tone it down.

Just before the turn of the millennium, another Christian quarterback, Kurt Warner, was the Cinderella story of the NFL. Never in the history of professional football had a player so rapidly ascended from unknown to Super Bowl champ and MVP. When the lights were shining the brightest and the platform was the largest, Warner seized the opportunity to boldly proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ to millions.

For a decade, through ups and downs, Warner was consistent in his bold public witness. During the postgame celebration of the 2009 NFC Championship, a game in which Warner led the Arizona Cardinals to victory, Warner declared before millions watching on TV, “Everyone’s gonna get tired of hearing it, but I never get tired of saying it. There’s one reason why I’m standing up on this stage today ... that’s because of my Lord up above. I gotta say thanks to Jesus. You knew I was gonna do it; I gotta do it.”

So one would think that if anyone is excited about Tebow’s bold witness, it would be Warner, right? Well, not necessarily. Not long after Plummer’s comments, Warner weighed in on the issue with the Arizona Central’s Dan Bickley: “Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you’re living. Let your teammates do the talking for you. Let them cheer on your testimony.” Again ... tone it down, Tim.

Is this the same Kurt Warner who told the masses, regarding his very public verbal witness for Christ, “I never get tired of saying it” and “I gotta do it”? Why the change of heart? Warner explains, “There’s almost a faith cliche, where (athletes) come out and say, ‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior.’ As soon as you say that, the guard goes up, the walls go up, and I came to realize you have to be more strategic. The greatest impact you can have on people is never what you say, but how you live. When you speak and represent the person of Jesus Christ in all actions of your life, people are drawn to that. You set the standard with your actions. The words can come after.”

Sounds a lot like the words commonly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel. Use words when necessary.” Sounds really good. Sounds strategic. The only problem is that it’s not biblical.

Jesus Christ opened his ministry by reading from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news ... to proclaim liberty ... to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18). Apparently Jesus was not strategic enough; the people tried to throw him off a cliff.

The apostles and early church did not pull back from their consistently bold public witness. Religious officials warned them not to talk about Jesus. Peter and John replied: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). In other words, “We gotta do it.” And they did it.

The prophet Jeremiah could not tone it down: “If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:9).

The Apostle Paul certainly could not tone it down. Arrested, imprisoned, whipped, beaten, mocked -- no method worked to mute Paul when it came to talking about Jesus. To him, to tone it down was unthinkable: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)

The New Testament pattern and the natural response to the Great Commission is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with boldness. Tim Tebow’s bold public witness is right in line with the prophets, the apostles, the early church and the Savior.

Tone it down? No.

Keep it up, Tim.

________

Brett Maragni is senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel of Jacksonville, Fla., and a frequent columnist for BP Sports (BPSports.net).

[The following applies to missions but seems quite applicable to American church growth. -Holwick]

There are ten universal characteristics of every Church Planting Movement [= People Movement]. These are not listed in any particular order of priority or frequency. In most CPMs, however, we are seeing most if not all of these factors.

1. WORSHIP IN THE HEART LANGUAGE

There are cases in which God's Word has not yet been translated into the heart language of the people and worship is conducted in a trade language. Even in those rare instances, though, the heart language of the people emerges in their prayers, songs, sermon illustrations and applications. Worship in the common heart language keeps it accessible and within reach of all members of the community and allows everyone to participate in a new church's formation. Missionaries who identify and embrace the heart language of the people they are trying to reach are well positioned to stimulate a Church Planting Movement. Nothing reveals a people group's worldview as much as an intimate knowledge of their heart language. Missionaries who choose to work through a trade language begin their ministry with a curtain between themselves and the hearts of the people they are seeking to reach.

2. EVANGELISM HAS COMMUNAL IMPLICATIONS

Unlike the predominant pattern in the West with its emphasis on individualism and personal commitment, Church Planting Movements typically rely on a much stronger family and social connection. Missionaries in CPMs have recognized this and urged new believers to follow the web of their own family relationships to draw new believers into the community of faith (see Acts 16:31-32). In many cases, the churches come to consist of family units and are led by the family's head.

3. RAPID INCORPORATION OF NEW CONVERTS INTO THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH

In most Church Planting Movements, baptism is not delayed by lengthy discipleship requirements. On the contrary, discipleship typically precedes conversion and continues indefinitely. Even when baptisms are delayed, new believers are expected to become witnesses immediately; these new disciples immediately become disciplers of others and even church planters. One elderly man who came to Christ in a Church Planting Movement in India planted 42 churches in his first year as a believer. In an effort to keep the movement growing outward, CPM-oriented missionaries typically encourage new believers to join or help start new churches, rather than simply adding larger numbers to existing congregations.

4. PASSION AND FEARLESSNESS

Church planting movements are characterized by passion and a sense of urgency that attests to the importance of salvation and the necessity of conversion. New believers exhibit a boldness in the face of opposition. A spirit of timidity or fear quenches a CPM. Boldness may invite persecution, but it fuels a Church Planting Movement (see Joshua 1:6).

5. PERSECUTION OF NEW BELIEVERS

Church Planting Movements often emerge in difficult settings where conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a popular or socially advantageous thing to do. In many cases, conversion leads to severe persecution or even death. In the face of this persecution, believers find strong support in the testimony of Jesus and the New Testament church (see Matt. 10:17-25). Persecution tends to screen out the uncommitted and ensures a highly dedicated membership.

6. PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP CRISIS OR SPIRITUAL VACUUM IN SOCIETY

A country or people group that has experienced a loss of leadership or a spiritual void coming from war, natural disaster or displacement may create a ripe environment for a Church Planting Movement. Societal disintegration is becoming increasingly common in our rapidly changing world and bodes well for Church Planting Movements. The removal of long-held symbols of stability and security prompts individuals to reconsider matters of eternal significance.

7. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP

With the rapid increase in the number of churches, effective leadership training is critical to the success of the movement. If new church leaders have to leave their churches for extended periods for theological training, the momentum of the movement will be diminished. At the same time, this vital component of church growth must not be overlooked. The most beneficial training brings education as close to the action as possible. Theological Education by Extension, with an emphasis on practical learning interspersed with ongoing ministry, has proven to be a strong complement to Church Planting Movements. The forms of this on-the-job training vary from field to field, but typically include a series of short-term training modules that do not impede the primary tasks of evangelism, church planting and pastoral leadership. Missionaries also attest to the importance of ongoing leadership training for the continued growth and strong development of a Church Planting Movement.

8. LEADERSHIP AUTHORITY IS DECENTRALIZED

Denominations and church structures that impose a hierarchy of authority or require bureaucratic decision-making are ill-suited to handle the dynamism of a Church Planting Movement. It is important that every cell or house church leader has all the authority required to do whatever needs to be done in terms of evangelism, ministry and new church planting without seeking approval from a church hierarchy.

9. OUTSIDERS KEEP A LOW PROFILE

Missionaries who have been involved in Church Planting Movements point to the importance of keeping a low personal profile as they seek to initiate and nurture the movement. A key concern is to minimize foreignness and encourage indigeneity. Rather than waiting for new believers to prove themselves worthy of leadership, missionaries begin by drawing new believers into leadership roles through participative Bible studies and mentoring pastors from behind the scenes.

10. MISSIONARIES SUFFER

A list of missionaries who have been engaged in Church Planting Movements reads like a catalog of calamity. Many have suffered illness, derision and shame. In some instances the suffering was due to their own self-destructive behavior; in other cases it came at the hands of opponents. Students of Church Planting Movements suggest that the affliction may be related to a higher spiritual price required for rolling back the darkness (Rev. 12:12). Whatever the cause, the disproportionate degree of suffering by missionaries engaged in Church Planting Movements is noteworthy. Missionaries intent on this course of action are well-advised to be on their guard, to watch, be careful and pray.

Content ©2000 by the International Mission Board.

*

A recent USA TODAY article described the problem law enforcement agencies have with uncooperative witnesses to murders and other violent crime. The rate of solved murders throughout the United States is down because of the silence of witnesses.

Is there a valid comparison here with the church? Are salvations and baptisms down because of the silence of witnesses?

According to Jake Roudkovski, professor of evangelism at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, only 5 percent of believers ever lead one person to Christ. If this is the case, silence is killing our friends.

The population of the United States and Canada is 332 million. According to the North American Mission Board, more than 250 million people in these two countries do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Does that number include someone you know?

In the USA TODAY article, an FBI representative said criminals have created a climate of fear to silence witnesses.

I wonder how many times I’ve heard the same phrase used as the reason Christians don’t witness. Fear is a powerful psychological tool.

A high school friend of mine was radically saved. The next Sunday he had a whole row of unbelieving friends at church. He told them about how “cool” Jesus was and invited them to church. Several of his friends surrendered their lives to Christ because of his witness.

Someone asked me why this young man was such an effective witness. My answer was simple. No one told him witnessing was hard. He just did what was natural. Something great happened to him and he told someone else about it. Case closed.

A simple definition of witnessing is bragging on Jesus. Jesus called us to be His witnesses. We are to tell what He does. More specifically, you are to tell what He has done for you.

A man named Tyler was the driver of the shuttle I took to a meeting at the North American Mission Board. He was a young man with a story.

He attends a local church in Atlanta. When I asked him a simple question, “What have you been doing with the Lord lately?” I got the rest of the story.

This fine young man has a less than exemplary past, but he has a mother and stepfather who love him. More than that, he has a mother and stepfather who love Jesus.

Through our conversation, I found out Tyler had never surrendered his life to Christ. He was doing many things Christians do, but he was not a believer.

After sharing the Gospel with him, Tyler said he didn’t think he was ready to take the step of commitment yet. I asked why. He said he didn’t know but he just wasn’t ready.

As we pulled up to the doors of NAMB, I asked one last question. “Tyler, do you think it was a coincidence that yesterday your mother and stepfather talked to you about the Lord and today you pick up two preachers on your first shuttle? Do you really think it was a coincidence, or is God trying to get your attention?”

Tyler decided it was God speaking to him. In the circular driveway in front of NAMB, Tyler surrendered his life to Christ.

For every Tyler in my life, I wonder how many people will never have the opportunity to hear about eternal life because of my silence.

The silence of witnesses does not just stymie the efforts of police. The silence of the church stymies the Gospel.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #5947]

Barbara stood in gray hair and neutral colors amid the brilliant diversity of Union Square, her angle on life a sharp jab from the left.

Everyone had a message this summer day. A man gave away books about Buddha. An upstart T-shirt company operating out of a push cart lashed out at conservative culture in flamboyant colors and flagrant language. Our team of eight prayed, read Scripture aloud and sought divine appointments to speak of Christ and encourage others in His name. Diversity was the ambience of appearance and attitude: gardens, trees, green grass with artists lounging with their sketch pads against the backdrop of the New York skyline; a farmers market set up next to street artists and photographers, spiced by amateur politicians and self-styled theologians.

Barbara was a mix of the latter two, a 60-ish lady with a simple message painted on a sign she held: “Church and state are in bed together, the two should never mate.” “Oust Bush” pins dotted the sign. Our group determined to walk to within an inoffensive distance of 25 to 30 feet from Barbara, spread out and pray for God to open her spiritual eyes and minimize the effect of her message.

After a short time, Barbara spoke to one of our group, Angel, who had wandered the closest. Barbara was pleasant, and a conversation ensued. I approached, greeted her, and the three of us talked amicably for about 15 minutes. Thankfully, we had heard the Holy Spirit tell us to speak gently and in love, because what we heard was a lesson from a lost person in how not to approach them.

Barbara spoke of a longtime neighbor who kept sending her cards about how she was going to go to hell if she didn't get saved. She spoke of Christians who approach her rudely. Her most stinging remark: “I've read the Bible from cover to cover myself, for my own education, and I don't believe it. But these Christians that talk to me obviously don't know their own Bible.”

Clearly, Barbara had been engaged by evangelicals before, and apparently she'd been offended by their demeanor and lack of knowledge more than by their message. Angel and I clearly stated we were Christians, and Barbara clearly stated her respect for everyone's right to their “religious beliefs.” She did not turn away from us when we said we were Christians and didn't seem turned off. What she seemed sensitive to was style as much as substance -- something Christians need to remember.

I preach a message called “How to Say What Jesus Would Say, the Way Jesus Would Say It” from 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12. Paul, who imitates Christ, speaks the word boldly, without manipulation, with theological correctness, gently, without seeking glory for himself, and with passion. These traits -- particularly boldness and gentleness -- are not in conflict as much as our culture, including our Christian culture, would seem to think.

Approaching Barbara with an angry, in-her-face attitude would violate the message of truth. Remember, Jesus spoke the truth and was noted to speak as one who “had authority,” but was kind and loving. He saw “people,” not mere “positions.” Angel and I would have loved to lead Barbara to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ that day in Union Square, but that was not the opportunity presented to us. While not always so sensitive to the Holy Spirit (I am a confronter by nature), this time we saw our role -- to be a single link in Barbara's spiritual journey toward Christ. This wasn't going to be a daring, heroic mission of riding in on the white horse and saving the lost damsel, but one to help soften her impressions -- and thus her heart.

It is vital when witnessing to realize that you may be the first, eighth, 33rd or final point in a person's journey to Christ. You may “reap” -- lead to salvation -- what many others have sown, or you may water. It's all God's doing, and to His glory, anyway.

I also like to share a message about evangelism process, “The Four E's of evangelism.” A witness must Engage the lost, Endear the lost, Educate the lost and Exhort the lost to make a decision. Too often in our confrontational culture we've jumped from 1 to 4, or maybe to 3, without bothering to endear; that is, to patiently and kindly deal with the person in such a way that gains their trust, makes them comfortable and thus opens them to hearing our message.

Barbara had been engaged. Barbara had been somewhat educated. And she had been exhorted. But if her story is straight, she had not been endeared by many Christians.

My goal with Barbara was to get her to explore her own position more carefully, but I had to be careful. The key was to invite the Holy Spirit into the conversation and trust Him for the timing and words. When Barbara said the Christians she had talked to didn't know their Bible, I had an opening: “That's a great point, Barbara. I think if I was a Muslim, I should know the Koran very well so I could explain my faith. If I was a Christian -- and I am -- I should know the Bible very well so I can explain my views. And if I was arguing a political position -- like separation of church and state -- I should know the documents that point to it. I was wondering, Barbara, if you know where it is written in our Constitution or other official documents that church and state are to be separate.”

Of course, I knew that it isn't written in our documents, but to challenge her directly with this would be pushing her too far -- for now. Barbara answered, “No, I don't. I should know that. I'll research that. That is a very good point.”

Good enough -- for now. Perhaps she is moved one step closer to being receptive to Christians and to finding her own constitutional position flawed. I pray that if Angel and I were point 39 in her journey, point 40 will be receptive to the Spirit's guidance.

Most of all, our team is praying that the next Christians who encounter Barbara see a person instead of merely a position.

________

Victor Lee is minister of single adults and evangelism at First Baptist Concord, Knoxville, Tenn., and a regular contributor to many Christian magazines and websites.

*

What do you do when crime meets you?

I came across an amazing story the other day that reminded me just how much being a follower of Jesus can shape the way you face what you hope you never have to face: a thief at gunpoint. Maybe you saw the story, too.

Ninety-two-year-old Pauline Jacobi had just finished loading her groceries into her car at a local Wal-Mart in Dyer County, Tennessee. She got in her car, and a moment later, a man climbed into the passenger side. He said he had a gun and that he would shoot her if she did not hand over her money. What she did next did not involve pepper-spray or martial arts, but it did save her life and may have saved his.

Pauline calmly refused her would-be robber three times. Then she said, “You know, as quick as you kill me, I’ll go to heaven and you’ll go to hell.” Then she told him that he needed to ask God for forgiveness. “Jesus is in this car,” she said, “and He goes with me everywhere I go.” Jacobi said that the man looked around, and then tears began to come to his eyes.

For 10 more minutes, Jacobi shared with the man. Finally, he said, “I think I will go home tonight and pray.” But Jacobi told him that he did not need to wait to pray; he could pray now.

Then Jacobi, voluntarily, offered the man all the money she had on her, 10 bucks, on one condition — that he not spend the money on whiskey. After that, the man kissed her on the cheek, got out of the car, and walked away.

You know what really impresses me about this story is how this woman’s faith informed her in this moment of crisis. She was not using her faith to save her skin. It was simply a faith that was so close to the surface, she could not help but respond from it. Her audacity could have very well led to her death. But the beauty of it was that even if it had, she knew her Maker and had a secure future hope.

Is your faith so close to you that in the time of ultimate testing, it rises to the surface that quick? Or if you have been the victim of crime, is your faith informing how you process that experience, how you think about forgiveness, how you think about justice, and how you hope for restoration?

We live in a fallen world, a world in which crime is a tragic reality. We cannot control always when or how it may visit us, but we can be ready with a faith fit for any trial — including that one.

________

Copyright (c) 2008 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #5633]

“It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists’] terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy.”

-- Richard Wurmbrand, “TORTURED FOR CHRIST”

Privacy is one thing. We all need it, no one would deny that. But being so out of touch and unaccountable? That's the part no one can justify. There are times when it is essential that someone say something. Sometimes it's a matter of life and death that somebody speak up.

Take the case of Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor in Germany in the 1930's. Here is his often-quoted, honest confession:

In Germany they came first for the communists, and I didn't speak up

because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't

speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came

for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then

they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.

What do you do when crime meets you?

I came across an amazing story the other day that reminded me just how much being a follower of Jesus can shape the way you face what you hope you never have to face: a thief at gunpoint. Maybe you saw the story, too.

Ninety-two-year-old Pauline Jacobi had just finished loading her groceries into her car at a local Wal-Mart in Dyer County, Tennessee. She got in her car, and a moment later, a man climbed into the passenger side. He said he had a gun and that he would shoot her if she did not hand over her money. What she did next did not involve pepper-spray or martial arts, but it did save her life and may have saved his.

Pauline calmly refused her would-be robber three times. Then she said, “You know, as quick as you kill me, I’ll go to heaven and you’ll go to hell.” Then she told him that he needed to ask God for forgiveness. “Jesus is in this car,” she said, “and He goes with me everywhere I go.” Jacobi said that the man looked around, and then tears began to come to his eyes.

For 10 more minutes, Jacobi shared with the man. Finally, he said, “I think I will go home tonight and pray.” But Jacobi told him that he did not need to wait to pray; he could pray now.

Then Jacobi, voluntarily, offered the man all the money she had on her, 10 bucks, on one condition — that he not spend the money on whiskey. After that, the man kissed her on the cheek, got out of the car, and walked away.

You know what really impresses me about this story is how this woman’s faith informed her in this moment of crisis. She was not using her faith to save her skin. It was simply a faith that was so close to the surface, she could not help but respond from it. Her audacity could have very well led to her death. But the beauty of it was that even if it had, she knew her Maker and had a secure future hope.

Is your faith so close to you that in the time of ultimate testing, it rises to the surface that quick? Or if you have been the victim of crime, is your faith informing how you process that experience, how you think about forgiveness, how you think about justice, and how you hope for restoration?

We live in a fallen world, a world in which crime is a tragic reality. We cannot control always when or how it may visit us, but we can be ready with a faith fit for any trial — including that one.

________

Copyright (c) 2008 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #5633]

Why are so many people afraid of going to the dentist? It may be the result of a bad experience. One woman said of her childhood dentist, “I started getting upset and crying and he said, ‘If you don’t shut up, I’m going to slap you.’” She now drives 70 miles to The Dental Fears Clinic in Kansas City.

People who are afraid to go to God have a similar problem. Some may have been mistreated by spiritual leaders. Others may have learned unhealthy fear of God as children. Still others, overwhelmed by their sin, see only God’s righteous demand for justice and miss the loving provision of His Son’s sacrifice for sin.

The people in today’s Bible reading (1 Samuel 12) were afraid because Samuel exposed their sin. But he also told them that God longed to forgive them.

We need to replace irrational fears with healthy ones. God’s Word repeatedly assures us that the pain of going to Him is far less than the pain of avoiding Him. It also assures us that because of Jesus we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy” (Hebrews 4:16).

A dentist fills the holes in your teeth, but God wants to fill the holes in your heart — with Himself. Don’t let your unhealthy fear stop Him. — Mart De Haan

The love of God is my pillow,

Soft and healing and wide;

I rest my soul in its comfort,

And in its calm I abide. — Long

Only God can fill the emptiness of an aching heart.