Is One Life Worth It?
During the Teen Retreat, I was pulled in to do a seminar on "How To Share the Gospel". I did two seminars with a grand total of 6 teen-types and 6 adults in attendance. I went home with the question buzzing in my head, "Was all the time away from my family, canceling a meeting with a precious friend, preparing this seminar and pulling it off worth it in light of the paltry attendance?" To be honest, I was feeling like it wasn't. Overall, I was a little discouraged by it all.
A few hours after I left, I got a call from Pete Grose who organized the Teen Retreat. He called to tell me that one of the teenagers who was at my seminar immediately went to an unbeliever (who joined them for the retreat because he heard it was "a good time") and shared the gospel with him. He put his faith in Christ right on the spot!
I was shocked... and God whispered to me, "Is one life worth it, Tim? Would you sacrifice all that time and effort again if just one life would cross over from death to life?" Humbled and somewhat ashamed, I said, "Yes, Lord. I would do it again if you called me to."
Just last night, I was told that the story continues...
This teenager that left my seminar and shared the gospel was Jack Redmond's son (pastor of Tri-State Bible Fellowship in Dubuque). Jack told me last night that his son has continued to zealously share the gospel and has led 6 more people to Christ!
Even more than that. Rory Whitney, Pastor of Candlewood church just told me that he went to my seminar and afterwards completely changed his entire church's summer plans to focus on how to share the gospel and be to actively communicate it. He said they are working with Luis Palau's campaign, learning the Outreach Diagram AND the Way of the Master approach, and another thing that I can't remember right now.
I guess all we need to do if offer our few loaves and few fish to God and He will multiply it.
Comments
wow, very cool story.
Posted by: Nate at May 4, 2007 12:52 PMI wouldn't sacrifice my family for it (don't think God will ask that, though he might take them), but it is definitely worth the effort.
I certainly had similar thoughts about leading worship for a room full of kids who wouldn't understand what the heck they were thinking about, but looking out at them responding to The Lord and to the music, i think the understand a lot more deeply than we give them credit for... "you must approach me like one of these children" was something I was reminded of.
Good stuff.
Posted by: Matt Heerema at May 4, 2007 03:13 PMAlthough the Lord would not want me to sacrifice my family on the altar of busyness/ ministry (Eph. 6:4), He does want us to sacrifice as a family for Christ and the gospel (Mark 8:34-37).
I reject the thought that any sacrifice for Christ necessarily means a sacrifice of the family.
Its times like these that make you want to go... baaaaaahhhh!
I sometimes wonder if we'd all say it was worth it if we only saw one person saved through Zekes... I mean obviously one person is worth all of the money in the world, but I think many would question if we could have gotten more investing in something else.
Posted by: Steve O at May 5, 2007 11:32 AMsacrifice AS a family. good stuff.
Posted by: matt heerema at May 6, 2007 10:11 AM