Prepared: 5 Exercises for 2020
Adam Barr
Adam T. Barr (MDiv, ThM) serves as senior pastor at Peace Church near Grand Rapids Michigan. In addition to his work in the local church, Adam speaks and writes on Christianity and culture, helping followers of Jesus understand and apply God’s Word in an increasingly post-Christian society. His most recent book, Compassion Without Compromise, is available through Bethany House. Adam is also a contributing writer and adjunct teacher on the Organic Outreach International team and hosts our Organic Outreach Podcast.
Recap
In our January article, I laid down a challenge for us all. This year, let’s set an outreach goal. Here it is: This year, I want to walk with at least one person until they make a faith commitment to Jesus Christ.
Each month, I will be breaking down some very practical ways you can take steps towards doing this. Each month will focus on one big idea with several “baby steps” (think What About Bob?) You can cherry-pick just one baby step or try several. What you do is up to you. The idea is to take at least one step towards your big goal each week (and there are 52 opportunities in 2020). This month, our big idea is simple: If we want to pass on our faith compellingly, we must be prepared.
Be Prepared
In my first year in seminary, a buddy and I went for a hike in the Smoky Mountains during the winter break. It was February, but the weather in Tennessee was warm. It was my first three-day loop and I was excited. I was excited but unprepared.
This lack of preparedness showed up dangerously on our last day of hiking. As the trail was winding downhill, we began to hear the sound of water. A LOT of water. We realized we were descending to a river, and when we finally reached it, things looked scary. The river was at least thirty yards across. The water was over our waists. The winter snow melt had swollen the current to a churning rush.
At that moment, I realized I had not packed an essential hiking component: river-crossing footwear. I didn’t have a pair of sandals. Attempting to cross in my boots seemed crazy. By the time I made it across, they would have been heavy as bricks. So my buddy and I came up with a crazy idea. He would cross 75% of the river with his sandals on. I would follow barefoot about 25% of the way. Then he would turn, throw me his sandals, and proceed the rest of the way barefoot. I would slip on the sandals and follow. Throughout the process, we would be holding up our packs to avoid getting soaked.
Believe it or not, we made it.
You can be sure I learned my lesson.
When it comes to outreach, it is critical to come prepared. Our preparation is not about external equipment, but inward equipment. To share the Gospel compellingly, we must prepare our own hearts for the endeavor. Here are five “baby steps” to doing just that.
- Be prepared to love authentically: Outreach that is not motivated by love is not outreach. All too often, Christians are motivated by so many things other than love. Some people are motivated by guilt (“I’m supposed to do this if I’m a good Christian.”) Others are motivated by a misplaced sense of superiority. I have even encountered some people who I worried might be motivated more by a desire to prove their own spiritual credentials than rescue spiritual wanderers. Paul said it in 1 Corinthians 13, without love, it doesn’t matter how much “good” we do. If we want to grow in love, the only way forward is to grow in our intimacy with the Lord. Which leads to step #2.
- Be prepared to pray faithfully: The source of true love is actual alignment with the heart of God. Just like a water pipe with loose fittings will leak over time, so do we. We must constantly realign our hearts with the Lord’s. His heart of true love led Him into this world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). We often think of prayer as a pipeline for sharing our desires with God. It is much more important to realize prayer is the vital conduit of God’s life into our own. When we come to him, he rises up in us and causes us to value what He values and love how He loves. As you prepare through prayer, imagine the names and faces of those you are seeking to reach, and lift them up to the Lord.
- Be prepared to jump fearlessly: Have you ever watched those videos on YouTube with people skydiving for the very first time? There is always a moment when you must count to three and then jump. If they haven’t made up their minds before climbing on the plane, they probably won’t be ready when it’s go-time! One vital tool in preparing to jump into an outreach opportunity is our imagination. The imagination is one of the most powerful tools to prepare for action. If you want to be ready to reach out, imagine yourself actually doing it. What is your opening line? What are some questions you can ask? What is something you can use to connect with them where they are?
- Be prepared to welcome hospitably (into your life, into your world): Outreach will demand time. Have you taken time to prioritize people in your calendar, or is it dominated by the next task, the next, and the next? Outreach will also demand openness. How do you feel about people seeing dirty socks on the floor or unwashed dishes in the sink? Listen, if we want to reach people, we need to be ready to open up our lives. Our real, sometimes messy lives! Do a gut check and begin imagining how you might need to change to welcome people in.
- Be prepared to wait patiently: A famous book about outreach, Becoming a Contagious Christian, reminded us that we must always remember something: You are just one link in the chain leading people to Jesus. We might not be the person who takes them across the line of faith, but we have a role to play. We can also apply this image differently: We shouldn’t feel the burden to make every single interaction “the” action that will open the door for praying the prayer. Instead, we need to have a patient approach that accounts for authentic development. This might take time.
So, there you have it. Five simple steps you can take over the next month. I want you to know I am praying for you. I am praying the Lord will open a door and that, when he does, you will be prepared to walk through!
