Missionary Road – A Witnessing Experience

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The missionary road that God places us on is not always chock full of recognizable scenery or familiar terrain. This even applies to the people that we encounter on our missionary road. Many times we find ourselves in situations where there are at least 2 or 3 Christians in our midst with whom we can have fellowship, have prayer, share a word of encouragement or a testimony.  When we are in this type of familiar existence, we feel safe, comfortable and in control.  Perhaps, there is even the expectation that God will always place us in these comfortable situations.  As we gain comfort in these familiar settings, we must be discerning and consider that we are being groomed by God for rougher terrain on our missionary road to prepare us to be a greater witness in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Up until a year ago, my missionary road was one that was very comfortable and familiar.  There were always vast numbers of people in various social circles, on my job and in my neighborhood who needed to hear the Gospel.   But on the other hand, there were always pockets of Christians that I could fellowship with at the same time.   Traveling a bit further down my missionary road, the landscape changed with almost no familiar scenery. God planted me in various settings where there were nearly no Christians.  However, on this new leg of the journey there was an extra added twist.   The change of scenery occurred at my current place of employment where there are no believers.  My colleagues, who I also consider to be my friends, are not only unsaved but also unchurched.

So who are the unchurched and what do they believe?   People who fit into the unchurched category are adults who have not participated in weekly church worship services for ten years or longer.  Conceivably, many of the unchurched have never been exposed to any Christian traditions, meaning they may only know historical (not necessarily biblical) facts about Jesus Christ but nothing more.  The source of the information that they obtain about Christianity may come from a mainstream media’s interpretation at best.  Judeo-Christian symbols are not new to the unchurched in the United States because they are seen in many places but just never explored on a deeper level.   It’s completely possible that an unchurched person may consider themselves to be a Christian based on the minimal interactions they have had with a church or because Christianity is the religion of their parents.  The belief system of an unchurched person could possibly be based upon the post modernistic concept of relativism, which does not embrace any one religion as absolute truth.  Several million Americans are considered to be unchurched.  The good news is that they are not unreachable or beyond God’s grace.

I came to the realization that God wants me to spend a significant part of my life with people who fit into this category of the unchurched.   The last time I encountered people who fit into this category was when I was in a distant and remote village in Ghana, West Africa where the Gospel had never been preached.  God did miraculous things and people came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.     God has given me many opportunities to connect with my friends just about every week.  We talk about various topics.  Religion is a topic that is discussed frequently.  Through these conversations I have listened to all of their suppositions about Christianity.  All my friends are aware that I am a believer in Jesus Christ and that I consider myself to be born again.   Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the friends I’ve met on my missionary road.  I have changed names and left out some specific details to protect their privacy.   I have also not included any of the names of the Christian denominations that they may have been associated with.

• Terry:  Terry was exposed to a Christian denomination, but only from a traditional sense.  She attended a private school that was infused with the traditions of that Christian denomination to the strictest degree.  What she remembers most as an adult was the fear instilled in her by her teachers and the fear she had of her Christian school.  Presently, Terry has a relative view of religion and strongly believes that there is a “higher being” that can be many things to many people.  She says she has always had questions about Christianity, but believes that no one has answered them in a way that she can truly understand.  She is seeking to know more.  Terry and her family never attend worship services and are considered to be unchurched.  She acknowledges that she has never trusted Jesus Christ as her personal savior.  She has chosen not to raise her children with any of the Christian traditions she learned as a child.
• Fred:   Fred’s family was associated with a Christian denomination during his childhood.  However, his family very rarely attended church.  Therefore, he did not grow up with any Christian traditions or beliefs and none were instilled in him as a child.  In his mid twenties, Fred married his high school sweetheart, who is Jewish.  At her family’s request and with the consent of his parents, Fred converted to Judaism.  Despite his Jewish beliefs are somewhat nominal and secular, Fred, his wife and children attend synagogue regularly.  His children attend a Hebrew school.   Fred is currently exploring Buddhism and plans to become a Buddhist after his children enter adulthood.
• Tina:  Tina has declared herself an atheist.  Tina’s parents are from a traditional Christian background.  They were deemed unfit to raise Tina and as a result, she grew up in a foster home that had strong Islamic influences.   Sadly enough, Tina experienced verbal and physical abuse from her parents and in her foster home until her early adult years.   Many of her adult relationships have also been hostile and abusive.   Tina believes that she has overcome adversity and many of her personal struggles through her own strength, which in her mind, proves the inexistence of God.   Tina believes that if God truly existed, she would have been spared a great deal of suffering and that the world would be a better place.  Tina has not attended a Christian church since childhood.   The general conclusion about Tina’s disposition is that she is very angry and hurting, but generally a very nice person.
• Amanda:  Amanda was not raised with any Christian traditions or beliefs.   Amanda follows the beliefs and teachings of the New Age Movement.  She believes that everyone is in control of their own destiny.   Like many people living in this post modern era, Amanda has a relative view of religion and believes that there is not a single view or absolute truth about God and believes that God can be whoever you want him (or her) to be.   She dabbles in mythology and astrology.  She is often flocking to the next big thing in the New Age movement.
• John:  John was raised in a traditional Christian denomination and has been exposed to church more than my other new friends.   John attended church regularly up until early adulthood.   He even participated in his church service.  Despite that, his religious beliefs are not faith based and center on deep traditions. Unfortunately, many of which are not biblical.  He studied at a seminary for a short time.  His studies ceased when he decided to marry.  Since that time, John rarely attends a worship service of any kind, but holds strongly to his church traditions.  He believes his salvation is based on works and his conduct.

These are the people that God has placed in my life.   I sincerely call them my friends, but most importantly, they consider me to be their friend as well.  When I assessed the challenge of reaching them to share the Gospel, I have to admit I was very afraid.  What was once considered basic Christian knowledge is nonexistent for a lot of people in today’s culture.  What would I say to someone who has so very little knowledge about Jesus Christ?  Then, through prayer, God reminded me what he says in Ezekiel 33:8 NLT.  “If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.”  Surely, I don’t want to be responsible for my new friends never hearing the Gospel especially, if God has commanded me to tell them.  However, I am only responsible for planting and watering seeds.  I am praying for God to give the increase.  I am asking God to help me remain committed to being a vehicle for sharing the Gospel with them.   I am trusting him to open the doors of opportunities to share the Gospel.

To date, God has allowed me to plant and water seeds with many of my friends.  Amanda accepted a Bible from me.  I didn’t even have to offer it to her.  She said she always wanted one and I gave her one I had in my purse.  I highlighted some key scriptures and opened the door for her to ask questions.   Terry asked to have lunch with me and asked some very direct questions about salvation.  I told Tina that God loved her very much.  She almost began to cry when I told her this.  At lunch one day, Fred asked me how I became a Christian and I had the opportunity to share my testimony with him.  Praise God for these great opportunities to share his grace!

This new journey on my missionary road was a wake up call for me.  Our Christian life feels very safe when we are within the confines of the church.  At the risk of becoming too comfortable with the social aspects of ministry, we can sometimes forget that there are lost people all around us.  Our attitude toward outsiders should be to lead them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but instead and perhaps inadvertently, we make them socially comfortable in church and not effective in a world that needs to hear the Gospel.   I truly thank God for this leg of the journey.  May he use you mightily and graciously on the missionary road that he has prepared for you.