The Call.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

At the team meeting before my first trip to Haiti in October 2010, Mr. Donald passed out a book for each of us to read titled Radical. I hate to admit it, but I did not read the book. In many ways I did not want to read this book. I knew that it would shake up my way of thinking, and I was not sure I was ready for that. It is amazing to me how God knows what we need when we need it. I needed to read Radical after our June trip to Haiti, which is exactly when our college ministry was doing a study based on Radical.
Usually coming back to America is not a big adjustment for me, but this time it was different. I flew back from Haiti earlier than the rest of the team. As I was standing in line waiting to board a plane, where I was the only American around, I began to wonder why God had chosen me to live such a blessed life in comparison to the world that was around me. Or even why He had chosen me to go to Haiti. I am by no means an evangelist, and I am not very bold in sharing my faith with other adults. I’ve never thought about being “called” to missions. I am just a nineteen year old college student, who enjoys volunteering to work with the children at my church. I’m not anywhere near special enough to be “called” by God to missions.
On page seventy-two of the book Radical there is a section titled “I’m Not Called.” Again, how perfect is God’s timing? I am going to quote what David Platt says because it is so powerful.
“But where in the Bible is missions ever identified as an optional program in the church? We have just seen that we were all created by God, saved from our sins, and blessed by God to make His glory known in all the world. Indeed, Jesus Himself has not merely called us to go to all nations; He has created us and commanded us to go to all nations. We have taken this command, though, and reduced it to a calling – something that only few people receive. I find it interesting that we don’t do this with other words from Jesus. We take Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, “That means others people.” But we look at Jesus’ command in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weak and burdened, and I will give you rest,” and we say “Now, that means me.”
Hearing about all of the incredible things that God is doing through the Evangecube training in Haiti has really enforced this for me. People are coming to Christ by the hundreds because of ordinary people in Haiti who are spreading the Gospel using the Evangecube. Ordinary people, who have accepted the call that all of us have. Ordinary people, who are not ashamed and who are bold enough to share the Gospel with those around them. I’m using the word ordinary, because often times I think we associate spreading the Gospel with needing to have a “special calling” but as David Platt explained in Radical that is not the case. There is no difference in the ordinary people of Haiti, and the ordinary people of America. We are all called to spread the Gospel.
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is mine, and your, calling to missions! There is no “special calling” that you must have to share the Gospel. The Great Commission was not directed at a select group of Christians. Jesus has not merely suggested that we spread the Gospel, but He commands us to do so. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, and act upon The Great Commission. God will go before you, and prepare the way for you to share the Gospel with others; you just have to place your trust in Him.

Blessings,
Han