I’m not an especially sentimentally guy. Wish I was, but I’m just not. I don’t think back to my high school days very often, and when I do, I have never thought, “I wish I could go back”. I am just not wired that way. I try to get the most out of an experience while I’m in the middle of it. I don’t always live this way, but for the most part I try to fully experience what is right in front of me. One of the ways I do that is by asking myself, “What is this offering that I cannot experience elsewhere?”
For Jesus Followers, we know that this life is just a foretaste of what our eternal life will be. This messy, busy, sin ruined life is not the best life-heaven will be better! In fact, the Bible teaches that heaven is better than we can imagine (1 Cor 2:9). I look forward to heaven, but as Paul said in his letter to the Philippians, “To live is Christ, to die is gain”.
If I’m going to keep on living, I need to live for Jesus. Here’s the question to help us all fully experience the best life that is right in front of us, “What among all that Jesus taught can I only do this side of heaven?”
The answer: the evangelism.
There will be no need to evangelize when we get to heaven. Everybody there will already be following Jesus! This is a commission and a command that is only for our short time on this Earth. For that reason, we must prioritize advancing the Gospel in this dark world we live in.
“And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
This short verse teaches a pattern that we want to emulate: to be Gospel witnesses, in our town, in our region, and around the world. Tahoka is our Jerusalem. West Texas is our Judea and Samaria. We are counting on God to create and cultivate relationships with like minded Jesus Followers to reach the ends of the earth.
We will take the Gospel to our town. We will live missional lives that teaches and encourages every member to share the gospel in their circles of influence. We talked about this in our Proclaiming Jesus blog a few weeks back.
Short term missions are important part of the life of an evangelical church. We want to help sister churches in their efforts where ever in this world they may be. By being a part of short-term missions, we desire to help other churches advance the Gospel all over the world.
In addition, we will be planting churches. Our focus in on small towns in west Texas. We believe it is our calling to be a Gospel driven church and to plant churches that are Gospel driven throughout west Texas. So many people think being good is enough to get them to Heaven. In contrast, he Bible teaches that Jesus is the only way to Heaven!
Our vision is for every man, woman and child in west Texas to have an opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel and we believe that missional living, short term missions, and church planting are the way to accomplish that very big vision He has laid on our heart.
Your favorite church planter
Mike Watt