Let’s Leave the Building

Last Saturday morning I did something I haven’t done in awhile. I teamed up with the women in my church and went door-to-door witnessing to residents about the love of Jesus.

My pastor is determined that in 2009, our church becomes a hub for evangelism and outreach. He feels the best way to be a beacon of light in the community is to do what Elvis Presley did, “leave the building.” The Bible says, ‘”Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled'” (Luke 14:23, NKJV). Last weekend we knocked on more than 400 doors during our Canvassing for Christ event.

Every resident I encountered that day was friendly and receptive to what my friend, Shirley, and I had to say about Jesus. In fact, we were fired up and ready to save the world with a two-minute spiel and prayer. But when we knocked on the door ready to rattle off the “If you died tonight, where would you spend eternity?” type questions, we were greeted by ordinary people with obvious needs, so we flipped the script and listened to what they had to say.

One man wanted prayer for his two sons and young daughter. A few doors down, a single mother told us she knew Jesus and was certain that her eternity is secure in Him, but said she had been strattling between the demands of work and making it to church on Sunday. So we prayed about her schedule and for a closer walk with the Lord. One elderly man listened to what we had to say and then let us take out the trash.

The Bible is replete with examples of how Jesus reached out to people who didn’t know Him. When He approached them, they could since the unconditional love in His words, and they agreed to turn from a life of sin and live for Him.

Jesus is authentic and loving and every time we knock on a door or approach people with the message of salvation, they should see Him in us. But we must first go.

Scripture tells us “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matt. 28:19-20).

Let’s take our cues from Jesus and leave the safety of the church to go next door, the marketplace, YouTube. Go wherever and tell people about Jesus. He is the only One who can heal their hurts, solve their problems and offer them eternal life.