I am fascinated with landscapes and how they change over time. Natural landscapes usually change slowly, but occasionally, they may change rapidly. We often call those dramatic changes natural disasters. I personally love the landscape of the mountains in the Western United States. A few years ago, one of those landscapes I was familiar with was changed drastically by a wildfire that consumed over 30,000 acres in a few days. The year prior to that, another wildfire in the same area burned nearly 200,000 acres.
When I returned to that place, it was difficult to find anything familiar. A landscape that was once lush and filled with life was left barren and desolate. Just as natural landscapes can be changed dramatically by these occurrences, we as people can change the landscapes around us, both slowly and quickly. If you are a bit older, think back to when you were a child and how things have changed in the landscape you were familiar with. Those changes may have seemed slow or unnoticeable unless you were absent for a time.
Through the message of Jesus, we can offer hope in hopelessness.
As I have thought of the Rosedale Network of Churches’ vision to mature and multiply, I invite us to see this as an opportunity to change the landscapes that we are familiar with, as well as those we may not yet be familiar with. To mature and multiply is really just a tool to accomplish the greater mandate Christ gave us to “go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19 NIV). To see churches in every neighborhood should be an intentional effort to change the landscape of that community. So how can we begin? Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that we have good news to share. We have an opportunity to bring hope and blessing into the burned landscapes of our communities, which will have both an immediate and an eternal impact.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).
When we multiply, we expand into those areas where Satan has brought devastation. Through the message of Jesus, we can offer hope in hopelessness. We can simply talk about what we love. I love to describe the beauty of the western mountains. I easily speak of my experiences there and how they have changed me. In a similar way, I love to talk about Jesus. My relationship with Him has changed the course of my life; not just in this world, but for eternity.
“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ” (Col. 1:28).
I was recently reading a book by author Jeff Vanderstelt, Gospel Fluency. In his chapter relating to the good news, he makes a simple declarative statement that we as believers can sometimes forget. He states, “the gospel works, and it addresses what doesn’t work.” We realize that there is brokenness and darkness in our world. The gospel addresses that. Along with us talking about what we love, we also easily talk about what has worked in our lives, from fitness to home remodeling. We can start changing the landscape around us by speaking of the Jesus we love. By modeling our lives after this same Jesus, we show how the gospel has impacted our lives to those around us.
These same two things also work well within our own church communities. When we share how God has impacted our lives, and we live out the gospel in our churches, we encourage and inspire one another to deeper maturity in our individual lives and also our local churches. This can change the landscapes of our local church communities. The apostle Paul expresses a similar thought when writing to the church in Colossae: “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ” (Col. 2:2).
When we share our stories, either in our churches or communities, the landscapes can change. Sometimes, those changes may seem slow, but God can dramatically change those landscapes in short periods of time. Together, within the broader community of Rosedale Network, let’s continue to be intentional about changing the landscapes God has called us to—so the world may know the good news of Jesus.
2 Responses
Our testimonies point to Jesus/the gospel, don’t they? When the blind man said, “I don’t know who healed me, but one thing I know, I was blind, but now I see!” he was pointing to Jesus even though he didn’t know his name. But the miraculous transformation in his life sent him on a search.
Respectfully, testimonies have their place, but they are no replacement for the word of God. The gospel is not my testimony, the gospel is not that my life has improved, the gospel is “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Christian, be prepared to help people see that they are a sinner in need of a savior (law) and then tell them of the savior and what they must do to be saved (gospel). This is the story that will change the landscape.