(January 18, 2022) Jerry Wiles challenges us not to assume that someone is a Christian because they attend church or work at a Christian college!

In the early 1990s I was introduced to the work of Living Water International. At that time, it was estimated that 1.2 billion people around the world were without access to clean, safe drinking water. (That number has been reduced to approximately 770 million today).

That was an eye-opener for many of us who have grown up with indoor plumbing and safe water at the turn of a tap. We in the modern Western world enjoy many benefits and privileges, that we often take for granted. The more time we spend in other parts of the world can give us a greater appreciation for the things we sometimes take for granted. 

It can help us overcome some of our false assumptions. While spending some time in a communist country a few years ago, a young lady asked me, ‘Is it true that in your country, there is a church in every village?’

Her questions and subsequent conversations led me to think about how easy it is to make certain assumptions and how those of us living in the free world take so much for granted. The young lady was well-educated and working as a professional translator. It was insightful to discover the many false assumptions she had about the rest of the world. False assumptions are common all over the world. 

Sharing Jesus led to reproducing life of Christ
Many of us make false assumptions on a regular basis. For example, I have often assumed that someone working at a Christian university or on staff at a church would be a believer, a follower of Jesus. I have discovered on many occasions that is not the case.

While serving for several years with two different Christian universities, I interacted with a good number of students, staff, and faculty members. During those years I had the opportunity of sharing and praying with many of them.

One of those was a young man on the janitorial staff. We frequently had casual conversations about various topics. After a few months I finally asked him about his relationship with the Lord. It turned out that he came from a religious background, but he had never placed his faith and trust in Christ. However, I was able to clarify what is means to confess, believe, and call on the Lord, from Romans chapter 10.

Not only did the young man receive Christ that day, but he immediately began sharing with others. Over the next year or so, several of his family, relatives and friends came to the Lord. It was a joy to see how he grew in his relationship with the Lord and was fruitful in his witness and ministry to others.

We often do not know how people will respond to the word of God, but we can have confidence that by sharing often, His word will occasionally connect with receptive hearts, and produce much fruit. The good seed of the word tests the soil.

Ask, rather than assume
I recently needed to have some auto repair work done. In a conversation with one of the repairmen, I learned that he immigrated from Argentina.

I mentioned the name of the late Luis Palau, who is an internationally known evangelist from Argentina. The man said he had never heard of him. I told him that he is like the Billy Graham of the Spanish speaking world. His response was, ‘Who is Billy Graham?’ 

Of course, those kinds of conversations can lead to spiritual matters and sharing the gospel. They can also reveal how we often have false assumptions and take it for granted about what people know or don’t know.

One of the major benefits of our Orality Training is equipping people to seize those opportunities and maximise one’s impact for the kingdom. So often it is simply observing and being alert to people’s interests and needs that can become life-changing experiences. When we realise we are on mission with God, and are intentional about our God-given purpose, we will be able to better connect with His redemptive activities.

Alertness to those God moments
Witnessing and ministry opportunities are everywhere!

A friend and I were at a medical centre reception area and engaged in casual conversations with some family members and relatives of patients. We simply asked how their loved ones were doing and if we could pray for them. Those connections resulted in several fruitful conversations.

Most people are quite open and eager to receive prayer, especially in times of sickness or need. It is amazing how those simple gestures can result in new witness and ministry opportunities and often lasting relationships.

It is easy to makes false assumptions about how receptive or resistant people might be to the gospel. We sometimes prejudge people based on outward appearances. The fact is that many people are much more open and receptive than we may think. We sometimes have preconceived ideas about how people might respond, if we make the effort. So, we do not even make the effort. It is normally easier not to say anything, than it is to reach out and say something. Therefore, many opportunities are missed.

The unreached are all around us!

A shopkeeper I engaged in conversation at a mall told me he had been in this country 15 years. He immigrated to the United States from a Middle Eastern country, where there are few churches and a very low percentage of Christ-followers. 

I could have assumed that surely in those 15 years living in a major city in the Bible-belt that someone would have shared the gospel with him. That, of course, was a false assumption. He said that no one had ever told him about Jesus! He was very open and eager to learn about what it means to know and follow Jesus.

With the amazing availability of churches, Bibles, the internet, gospel radio and television programs, there are still more than two billion people in the world today who are unreached. Many of those may be people we rub shoulders with every day. Sadly, studies have shown that more than 90 percent of professing Christians never share their faith or lead others to Christ.

The harvest is ripe
The many crises and problems happening in the world today seem to be creating a greater awareness of the spiritual needs in people’s lives. It’s causing many to think more about their need for the Lord. We hear reports that more people are turning to the Lord now than at any other time in history.

Hopefully, followers of Jesus are beginning to see more opportunities to reach out with the love and message of Jesus. The prophet Joel spoke of a time when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all humanity. He said it is a time to put in the sickle, because the harvest is ripe (Joel 3:13).

In other words, seize the opportunities. Wherever we connect with people, virtually or personally, we can be salt and light to those around us and around the world.

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Excerpted from GodReports.com, founded by Mark Ellis in 2009 and devoted to promoting Christian missions by sharing stories and testimonies from missionaries and mission organisations.
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