Aug 27, 2019
by Andy Samuels
Chief Executive Director
SDB Missionary Society
We have a choice to make. We can be world-class Christians, or worldly Christians. Worldly Christians are primarily concerned about their personal fulfillment. They’re saved, but they’re self-centered. They wouldn’t be very interested in missions conferences, but they love attending concerts and personal enrichment seminars. Their prayers have a focus on their own happiness, needs, and blessings. They plead with God to make their lives more comfortable, and they tend to use God for their purposes, rather than making themselves available to be used for His purposes.
On the other hand, world-class Christians understand that they were made for a mission and saved to serve. They welcome a personal assignment and they are enthused about the privilege of being used by God. They want to make a difference. They want to have an impact. They want to make a contribution to the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
God invites you to participate in the greatest, largest, most diverse, and most significant cause in history—His kingdom. It is my prayer that all Seventh Day Baptists become world-class Christians. However, for the purposes of this article, I am shifting the focus and zeroing in on us becoming world-class Seventh Day Baptists.
The greatest barrier to us joining God and participating in His mission to share the Gospel with the world is not money, distance, or transportation. It is simply the way we think. So, a shift of thinking and perspective is needed for us to be world-class Seventh Day Baptists. There are at least three ways in which that shift must take place.
First, we must shift from self-centered thinking to other-centered thinking. We’re naturally self-absorbed, and so many impulses in our society encourage us to focus on ourselves. The way to combat that natural selfish instinct is to depend on the Lord every moment of every day. Thankfully, He doesn’t leave us on our own in that struggle. He equips us with His indwelling Holy Spirit to empower us. I suggest you begin to ask the Holy Spirit to help you to discern the spiritual needs of unbelievers as you interact with them. As that happens, by practice you can develop the habit of praying silently for those the Lord puts in your path. Your goal is to avail yourself to the Lord as an instrument in helping those people take the next step in their spiritual journey.
Second, we must shift from local thinking to global thinking. God is a global God. He has always cared about the entire world. He wants to reconcile to Himself people from all nations. In many ways, the world already has a global mindset. We have connections with those in other nations through the sharing of such commodities as fashions, entertainment, music, sports, and food. We are more connected than we realize. It is possible that most of the clothes you are wearing and much of the food you consumed today were produced in another country.
Let’s start praying for specific countries. Let’s start praying for the world. Get a globe or map, and pray for countries by name. The Missionary Society can provide a list of countries where there is a Seventh Day Baptist presence. We need to pray both for such countries and for those where Seventh Day Baptists do not exist. There is no tool more important in this venture than prayer. Join the Missionary Society Prayer Force which meets every Monday night at 7pm Eastern time—that can be an excellent way to motivate your global thinking.
Third, we must shift from thinking of excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill our commission. If there is a willingness, there is usually a way. Agencies such as the Missionary Society can help you. Do not think that you need a special call from God, or some supernatural feeling or experience. God’s call has already been issued. Don’t fall for any of the excuses which can so easily be offered. Don’t miss God’s plan for your life because you never even stopped to hear from God. Do not close your mind to how and where God may want to use you. Ask the Lord to help you to have a heart for the whole world. The Missionary Society wants to partner with you, your family, your church, and your Association, to make us all world-class Christians, and world-class Seventh Day Baptists.
(Inspiration for this article came from Rick Warren in his best-selling book, “The Purpose-Driven Life.”)
