Great Commission - You Are Called, You Are Sent

Our guest at Church Alive this past Sunday, Dr. Leon Van Rooyen, told us about a season when he pastored a church and kept getting "retired" from things. At weddings, he'd pronounce the couple husband and wife, then tell them to go tell the whole world about Jesus. The elders politely suggested he stop doing weddings. So he did funerals instead, where he'd knock on the casket and tell everyone that if John could sit up, he'd have one message for them: while you have breath, don't keep this to yourself. You can guess how long that lasted.
We laughed. But I think a lot of us also squirmed a little. Because somewhere in the back of your mind, there's a question you've maybe never said out loud: Do I really have to share my faith? Isn't that the pastor's job?
If that's you, keep reading. The answer is yes. But it's probably not the "yes" you're bracing for.

Why You Don't Have to Share Your Faith Out of Guilt
Let's be honest about what usually motivates us. Guilt is why you floss like crazy the week before a dentist appointment. It works for about three days, then it runs out of gas.
Love is different. Love is why you'll drive back across the river at 9:30 on a school night because your kid forgot their cleats at practice. Nobody had to guilt you into that. You just went.
That's the engine Paul describes in the Bible: "The love of Christ compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14). Not pushes. Not shames. Compels, the way love gets on the inside of you and moves you from there. Paul goes on to say Jesus died for everyone, so that those who follow Him would stop living only for themselves (2 Corinthians 5:15).
So if your picture of "sharing your faith" is a guy on a street corner with a megaphone, you can let that go. The starting point isn't a technique or a script. It's noticing how loved you are, and letting that spill over onto the people God already put around you.

You Already Have a Ministry
Some churches hand out spiritual gifts assessments. Ninety-some questions, rate yourself from one to five, and twenty minutes later a chart tells you you're a "teacher-helper with administrative tendencies."
There's nothing wrong with those. But Dr. Van Rooyen pointed out something that might save you a Saturday morning. Paul already spelled out your first job, and it's the same for everyone who follows Jesus.
God "has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). "Ministry" just means a job God gives you. "Reconciliation" is a big word for bringing people back together. And you already know how to do that. You've refereed fights over the last juice box in the back seat. You've been the go-between when two family members weren't speaking at Thanksgiving.
Now God asks you to help people come back to Him. And the message you carry is short enough to fit on a napkin at a breakfast burrito place: God's not mad at you. He's not out to get you. Because of Jesus, He isn't keeping a running list of everything you've done wrong (2 Corinthians 5:19). He loves you more than you can imagine.
That's it. That's the good news. You don't need a seminary degree to say it.
"Your success isn't how many people say yes. It's that you went."

You're an Ambassador, Not a Salesperson
Here's the part that took the most pressure off me. Paul says, "We are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20). Not might be someday. Are. Right now.
An ambassador doesn't write the message. They carry it. They represent someone else and speak on that person's behalf. Think about when your kid yells across the yard, "Mom says it's time to come inside!" The neighbor kids don't argue with your kid. They know who's really talking.
That means you don't have to win debates, have every answer, or close the deal. Dr. Van Rooyen reminded us that even Jesus wasn't welcomed by everyone. Your job isn't to control how people respond. Your job is to show up and pass on what God already said, with kindness.
And your "mission field" probably isn't overseas. It's the bleachers at your kid's game. The coworker who's been carrying something heavy. The neighbor you wave to every Saturday while you're both doing yard work. You don't need a passport. You just need to notice.

Try This

1. Write down one name. Who came to mind while you were reading? Write their first name somewhere you'll see it every day, like your phone's lock screen or a sticky note on the dashboard.
2. Pray for them by name every day this week. It takes ten seconds at a red light on Coors.
3. Watch for one natural moment. No speech, no pitch. Just one honest sentence, like "Hey, I've been thinking about you. How are you really doing?" Then listen.

One Last Thing
I'll be honest: this message stirred me up too, and I'm a pastor. The good news is Jesus already did the hard part when He said, "It is finished." Our part is just raising our hand and saying, "I'll go."
If you'd like to hear the whole message, you can watch it here. And if you're on the Westside, come join us any Sunday at 10:00 at Church Alive. Come as you are.