A little over a month ago I sent a letter to two members of my extended family. This letter was prompted by watching a complete stranger share his testimony and get baptized at church one Sunday evening. I believe it was also prompted by a unrest, or stirring in my soul to that would not subside until I reached out to these two people whom I love dearly.
The letter basically was asking about their salvation. I have grown up around these two individuals, but yet I'd never heard them say anything about salvation, God, being a believer, etc. Other than the occasional update that included involvement at church, God was not a topic that we really had discussed.
For the majority of my life, I always assumed that if someone went to church and was overall a "good" and "decent" person, they were a Christian. Even after I became a believer in 2009, the optimist within me wanted to believe that every smiling face I saw on Sunday mornings I would also spend eternity with. Through various conversations, prayer, and much contemplation, I realized that my thought process on this matter was probably a little backward.
I don't know the theology behind what to assume about someone you see in church, or if we should even assume anything about the state of someone's salvation, but one question I needed answered was this: If I assume that everyone I see at church, or that I know goes to church, is already a believer, am I doing them a disservice by failing to share the gospel with them? The answer I landed on: Yes.
Growing up in a small-ish town in Northwest Florida (or as we like to call it, L.A. which stands for "Lower Alabama"), I was surrounded by a lot of church-goin' people. When I went off to college, I was landed right in the heart of the bible belt in Birmingham, Alabama at a baptist university. I was blessed to attend such a wonderful university, but let's be honest, just about every new student had previously received the most involved superlative from their youth group back home and they were determined to receive the same award from whatever college ministry they got involved in. Honestly, that was one of my favorite things about college, so I'm not bashing it at all, but there is definitely good and bad that come with both of the cultures I've been engrossed in.
It is no secret that the Southeastern region of the United States is full of church-goin', God-lovin' people. The problem is that when we're immersed in such a culture, it's hard to distinguish who is truly a believer and who needs to hear and experience the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Such was the case with the two family members that I sent a letter to. Thankfully, I was able to talk to them in person about all of this about two weeks ago. Walking into a home that I am so familiar with and knowing that there was a very good chance I could thoroughly offend people who are so dear to me was extremely scary. But I just kept reminding myself that it's because they are so dear to me that I knew I couldn't avoid the topic.
As I reflect on this experience, I have zero regret. I still am not necessarily satisfied with the response that I got from my family members, but I did have the opportunity to share my testimony and the truth of the gospel with them.
May you, as a reader, be encouraged to speak truth into people each day. Whether they have believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ or if they have not, speak truth to them. Hopefully, if they already have a relationship with Christ, they will be encouraged and reminded of our mission in this world; if they don't, well, that's why we're here.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20
We are to go.
Go to our families, our friends, our co-workers, our church members, and even to strangers.
Go to our work place, our communities, our homes, and to the nations.
May your life and mine be for the glory of God.
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