Many Christians have the mindset that God’s best work can only be done through global missionaries, but what if He can use you just as powerfully where you are?
Alan Briggs is the director of Frontline Church Planting and author of Staying is the New Going. He encourages us to embrace our God-given identity and remember that God can use every one of us, where we’re at.
What is holding us back from sharing the gospel with others?
Alan explains that it may be caused by an identity crisis. He reminds us of who Jesus says we are in Matthew 5:13-16.
“Not to be old school, but I want to go back to who Jesus tells us we are; and that is we are the salt of the earth, we are a city on a hill.”
It’s much more than just reading about who God says we are, but we need to actually embrace it as our identity in Christ.
“If we believe that, that’s actually an identity statement…that it’s not about anything we do, that it’s not about the knowledge that we have, and that it’s not about whether we are a pastor or not.”
We have a powerful opportunity to share the gospel with people in our communities, even more so than our pastors do.
“You guys have way better chance to impact people more than I do, because I’m a pastor. That’s two strikes, maybe three strikes against me in some communities.”
He shares an encouraging example of a friend who has become the salt and light in his workplace.
“My friend ‘G’, he’s my mechanic, he’s an incredible guy. Guillermo gets to talk to literally hundreds of people a day who are having financial problems, who are frustrated at life, and he gets to shine salt-light on them. He has recently come to know Jesus and it’s been amazing to watch God use him.”
Not only does God have work Alan and his friend to do, but He also has work for you to do! We learn more about our identity and God’s handiwork in Ephesians 2:10.
“The identity that God has given us, in Ephesians 2:10, we know that we’re His workmanship created in Christ Jesus, and he already has good works for all of us to do. He already has good works for you to do.”
Alan shares that it’s normal to be curious about the details in between:
•Who does God want me to share the gospel with?
•What should I say?
•Where is this conversation going to take place?
•How can I make an impact in my community?
“If we believe that we’re actually supposed to be and can be the salty and luminous people the Jesus called us to be, then that’s most of it right there. Then, just to be obedient to however He wants to use us….but please don’t think that you have to do more or learn more to serve God.”
Alan urges us to start being the salt and the light to the world, starting today, exactly where we’re at.
“Dig in right now and put him at His word! You could actually be salty and luminous if you just follow Jesus in the place that you’re at.”
