Sharing Jesus

I always get teary-eyed during baptisms at church. It's so incredible to hear the stories of how God is moving in the lives of His children, and to see them take that step of obedience. And to realize it is a picture of our flesh being buried with Christ and raised to a new life... it truly is awesome.

I love the way our church does baptisms, because it is such a celebration. After each person is raised out of the water, the congregation claps and cheers. I think it is entirely appropriate to express that kind of joy when a fellow believer publicly proclaims his or her faith in Christ and identification with Him in that way.

I also love the way our church's pastoral team encourages us to build relationships with non-believers so that we can share the love of Christ with them - and to see our pastors' families model that in their own lives.

Not long ago, our lead pastor's wife met a man who many Christians wouldn't have taken the time to get to know. He is a former general in Saddam Hussein's army, and he speaks very little English. Yet she reached out to him, introduced her family to him, and they spent time with him.

Throughout this experience, they learned that, as a general in Hussein's army, he had refused to go into Kuwait where he would have been forced to kill innocent women and children. As a result, he was tortured and imprisoned. When he was finally released, he sought refuge in America.

Our pastor had an opportunity to talk to him about his beliefs and convictions, and to share with him the truth that Jesus had died for him. With the help of an Iraqi believer named Mohammed, our pastor led this man to accept Christ as his Savior.

On Sunday, we all listened to Mohammed translate as this man gave his testimony, then watched as he baptized him. It was not possible to witness that without being deeply touched by it.

This is what the church of Christ should be doing! If we are not reaching out to those who are lost and sharing Jesus with them, then we are failing miserably.

There is a mission field outside our doors. My boys play with neighbor kids who don't know much, if anything, about Jesus. We wave at the other people in our neighborhood and engage in friendly conversations with them. But I am challenged to do more. It is time to build relationships that make a way for me to share Christ.

It's time for all of us, because time is short!