Realistic Recruitment

Do outreach promises transform witnessing and missions into safe activities involving little risk or danger? Not at all. However, our truthful God never soft pedals the difficulty of His rescue work, nor does He abandon you when you grow weary.

Unrealistic recruitment. Have you ever received a phone call like this? "Hi, this is Joe from church. I'm recruiting volunteers to help with activity X. Could you help us?"

You ask, "How much time and effort will activity X take?"

"Oh, not much. It'll be easy."

Now, which is most likely to occur?:

__ A. Activity X will be less work than was claimed.
__ B. Activity X will be as much work as was claimed.
__ C. Activity X will be more work than was claimed.

Let's face it. Some tasks become more than we bargained for.

Honest recruitment. Our Lord is seeking people like you to share His love and proclaim the gospel near and far. Unlike a volunteer hunter who soft-pedals the difficulty of a task, our God is totally honest about the hazards and the opposition.

For example, in 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 Paul lists nine difficulties he faces: troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger. Is this a gripe list? No, it is the job description of a Christian witness. Paul's honesty shows God is a realist, not some lunatic dreamer. He openly warns we will be opposed by the world, our flesh, and the devil.

Similar problems confront missionaries today. Nurse Gloria Sauck serves the Samburu people of Kenya. Like Paul, she has endured nine difficulties: robbery, car jacking, threat of rape, hepatitis, malaria, a bus accident, the near loss of her leg, being dragged across rocks by a run-away camel, and the unexpected death of her only missionary co-worker. These are enough adventures for a lifetime, but Gloria experienced them all during her first four-year term in Kenya.

Promises for every difficulty. How does God ever get anyone to volunteer for His mission? Well, in addition to being honest about the difficulty, the Lord graciously counters every outreach challenge with a corresponding outreach promise. Consider this list from 2 Corinthians. Underline the items which are most pertinent to your witnessing circumstances.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed" (4:8-9).

"[We are] genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich;
having nothing, and yet possessing everything" (6:8-10).

What powerful contrasts! No matter what hardships may arise, God counteracts and overcomes them with His mercies. May Paul's pithy promises of hope speak to your troubled heart.

More promises. In a similar manner, texts like Matthew 10 and 24, Luke 10, and all the Book of Revelation overflow with outreach promises in the face of Satan's fierce opposition. For example, Jesus said, "But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say" (Mt. 10:19). Our Lord is a realistic recruiter who honestly admits the work is hard but compassionately matches every potential obstacle with a promise.

Prayer: When I feel forgotten, remind me I am held in Your hands.
Action: Identify a time you volunteered for a difficult church task. How might outreach promises have helped you?

Getting Across the Lake

A riddle. Most people know the answer to the question: Why did the chicken cross the road? It's a lame, old joke. But in the familiar story of Jesus stilling the storm, why did Jesus and His disciples cross the lake?

Most of us think the story ends with them sailing on peaceful waters. But let's learn the complete story from Mark 4:35-5:20. Jesus was leading His disciples on a mission adventure. Three times they were attacked, but every time He led them to a victory.

The mission field. Some people mistakenly assume a missionary's major role is to bring advanced culture and technology to underprivileged people. If this were so, Jesus would have stayed on His side of the lake. The region across the Lake of Galilee was called the Decapolis, a Greek word meaning "Ten Towns." The people there were non-Jews. They were heirs of Greek culture, complete with all its great art, wisdom, philosophy, and religion. In spite of their advanced culture, the people in the Decapolis still lacked a saving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

What individuals or groups of people do you know who are well-cultured, but still lack such a relationship with God?

Attack #1. Have you ever wondered what caused the sudden, violent storm on the Lake of Galilee? Perhaps it was purely meteorological, but the Book of Job records that Satan can produce fatal storms (1:18-19). Even though it can't be proven, the storm could have been Satan's attempt to send the boatload of missionaries to Davy Jones's locker, but Christ proved stronger.

What "storms" have risen to hinder your witnessing? What difference does it make to know that, like the disciples, you can call on Christ to still such "storms"?

Attack #2. After almost drowning, the disciples are starting to calm down now. They long for terra firma, but when they land, they find themselves in a graveyard in the middle of the night. Among the tombs is a naked, raving maniac who can tear them limb from limb. This isn't terra firma. It's terror! We aren't told what the disciples said, but we wouldn't hold it against them if they had screamed, "Jesus, let's get out of here!"

However, neither the disciples nor we understand Jesus' plan. The dangerous demoniac is the very individual Jesus came across the lake to meet. In this divine appointment, the Lord frees him from the Legion of demons that rule him. He is saved and restored.

Have you ever been in a witnessing situation that seemed as dangerous as this? If so, did you run, or did you stick around? Who are your difficult cases, people whom you consider too untamed to ever approach? Does Jesus consider them hopeless? Should you?

Attack #3. Things are looking up now. The maniac is clothed, in his right mind, and listening to Jesus. Maybe mission work isn't so bad after all. But then the neighbors show up. Fearing Jesus' power they order Him to leave, and Jesus agrees to go.

"What?!" we protest. "After all this risk and bother, all we will have to show for it is one convert?"

But we are wrong. Jesus orders the man to go tell his family how the Lord has had mercy on him. When Jesus returns months later, the crowds welcome Him (Mk. 6:53-56). What looked like a feeble attack on Satan's territory becomes a mighty blow.

Have you ever made small beginnings in witnessing to someone and then given up? Dream a moment. On the basis of this story, how might the tale of your initial efforts end?

Prayer: Jesus, accompany me wherever I go to share Your name .
Action: Identify a "lake" you could cross with Jesus' help.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.