Commissioned for Crisis
In the Summer of 2018, I heard a friend of mine, Kent Bailey, share about two recent events that had just happened in Thailand. That June, during monsoon season, twelve kids on the Wild Boars soccer team, along with their coach, had gotten stuck in a cave and were lodged two miles deep into the Tham Luang cave system.
Just days later, a two-story tour boat, the Phoenix, capsized off the coast of Phuket during a sudden storm. Forty-seven people tragically lost their lives.
The first event was a crisis. The second, a tragedy.
While the story of the capsized boat evoked a deep sense of mourning and loss for the community, the story of the trapped children in the caves evoked a sense of urgency, unity, and mission. The reality was that none could stand by passively, but all must engage somehow, in some way, to help these individuals before it was too late.
Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn was committed to using every means necessary to save the trapped children and would spare no effort to ensure their safe evacuation. Over 10,000 people were deployed in the effort, and all of the trapped children were brought to safety.
When King Jesus stands with his disciples on a Galilean mountain in Matthew 28, he reminds them that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, that they should go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He commanded them, and that He would be with them to the end of the age.
When Jesus considers the lost, I wonder if He sees those who are in crisis, trapped in the darkness of their addictions and patterns which are silently destroying their lives (see also Matthew 9:35-38). At the center of His compassionate response is the commission to His church to go and make disciples. But how do we, as those with full-time jobs, families, and pressing needs all around us, faithfully obey the call?
Let me suggest a few ways to get started.
Befriend the Lost.
We, as God’s people, should be continually building new friendships with lost people. For some of us, we need to relearn the art of simply befriending new people God puts in our path. If the goal is to make disciples, we should start by befriending those who are lost. Much of evangelism involves simply showing up and engaging with people on their own turf.
Pray for the Lost.
Keep a note in your phone with names to pray for. Whenever I meet someone, I’ll get their name and add them to my prayer list. Before I enter a particular location, I like to pray for the people I may encounter inside those places, and also for myself that God would give me opportunities to engage with them.
Connect with the Lost.
Ask questions to get to know the person. Questions like where someone is from, what they do for a living, and learning a little about their family. Look for connections to your own story and see if you can connect the dots of why God might have allowed you to meet. Over time, I like to take things a little deeper by asking “why” questions, such as why someone chose to live here or how they got into their careers. I have found that people typically appreciate a listening ear as they share their experiences.
Share with the Lost.
These conversations can move to more faith-related questions. I find it unarming to simply ask if the person goes to church anywhere. Eventually, this could lead to an invitation to join me for church or to a bible study. I have found it helpful to start a Bible study with a friend or two, where we can invite new people to join us as we meet them.
Love the Lost.
I’m always challenged and encouraged by the way Jesus loves us. His love becomes the motivating force in my life, compelling me to love and engage with the lost (2 Cor 5:14-15). During my prayer times for people, God gives me specific ways to love that person uniquely. Maybe it’s a gift, a resource, or a meal. Maybe it’s a thoughtful text, a verse, or some way to meet a need they have. God usually gives me great joy as I find ways to serve and love them as Jesus has done for me.
At the end of the day, it is Jesus who is in the rescue business for His people. God is the One drawing them to Himself (John 6:44), removing the veil that blinds them (2 Cor 4:4-6), and will ultimately save them if He so chooses. And He invites us, commands us, to join with Him in His work.
So let’s go looking. Let’s start by befriending and praying for the lost. Let’s connect with them, share with them, and love them in the same way He has done with us. And let’s trust King Jesus to continue rescuing His children so that all might find freedom in Him.