How God Wants to Use You to Reach the World for Jesus Christ
When we are new in the faith, we believe God wants to use us to reach the world for Jesus Christ. It seems that for most Christ-followers, this belief wavers rather than intensifies the longer we know Christ. Personally, I believe this belief, that God wants to use me to reach the world for Christ, must intensify daily.
The Big Question
The big question we have to answer is: What is my part in God’s plan to reach the world for Jesus Christ? This question must be answered by each born-again Christian, whether in private business or corporate America, politics or education, a missionary or pastor. God has a big plan; therefore, we need to find our place in God’s grand plan of redeeming the world.
Have you ever considered what your part is in reaching the world for Jesus Christ? Take some time to think and pray about it. You have many gifts, and God has a plan for you to use those gifts – to bring Him glory and reach the world for Jesus Christ.
Why We Must Answer This Question
Because of the following three realities, we must answer this question, “What is my part in God’s plan to reach the world for Jesus Christ?”
- Spiritual Reality: Of the world’s population of 7 billion people, over 3.9 billion have little to no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must do all we can with all we have to give these dear people a chance to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Our generation can complete the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
- Biblical Reality: Every person in this world is sinful and in need of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Since there is a heaven and a hell, people die and enter into one of those two eternities. Therefore, if we do not take the gospel message to people around the world, they will die without Christ. We must do what we can with what we have to accelerate the message of the gospel to every person in the world.
- Personal Reality: Each of us must ask ourselves, “What will I give my life to?” Either I will use my gifts, talents, calling, and resources to gospel advancement and eternal value, or will I use all of it for myself and my gain. Which one? Therefore, it really comes back to each one of us discovering our part in God’s plan to reach the world for Christ.
Be Encouraged
Be encouraged that our generation can be a part of completing the Great Commission by taking the gospel to every nation, tribe, people, and language. God is going to complete this task, and I believe we need to do all we can to discover our part in fulfilling His plan.
Whatever your part is in reaching the world for Jesus Christ, surrender to it today.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Cross-Generational Leadership
What kind of leader are you? Would you consider yourself a leader to your own generation? What about generations other than yours?
Our Goal
Our goal should be to make the biggest difference in as many lives as we possibly can. Therefore, we need to adjust our leadership as much as we can without ever compromising biblical truth and principles. This is possible, and in reality, we must do it if we are going to make the biggest difference with our own lives.
Someone told me years ago, “The sharper the ax, the bigger the blow!” Therefore, sharpening our leadership can increase the influence we have in the lives of people.
The Key: Leading Cross-Generationally
Few leaders lead across generations of people. What is a cross-generational leader? Leading cross-generationally occurs when you are able to lead people in your own generation, the generation that came before you, and the generation that comes behind you. This is cross-generational leadership.
Quite honestly, few lead like this. Many are so focused on their own generation that they are leaving the others out. Others are so focused only on the generation behind them that they ignore those beside them and ahead of them. This limits your influence in every way.
How to Lead Cross-Generationally
In a conversation with some younger leaders today at Liberty University, I was challenging them in this very area. They asked me how I had learned to lead cross-generationally.
I shared that if a leader is growing in his spiritual life, he should also be learning in other areas of life. I also shared that through the experience of operating in different cultures and leading people from all backgrounds and generations to a common goal, it forges you into the capacity to lead cross-generationally. Or at least, if you want to lead successfully and effectively, it does.
Therefore, here are three quick thoughts to consider:
1. Cross-generational leadership is biblical.
Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus led cross-generationally. They were leaders who reached around, ahead, and behind.
2. Cross-generational leadership is missional.
It is so important that we keep the completion of the Great Commission in everything we do. Presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and making disciples of all the nations is our priority. Since this is our missional calling, it must serve as our missional motivation to impact as many people as possible. The only way to do this is by leading cross-generationally. Again, we must be able to reach people within our generation, behind our generation, and ahead of our generation.
3. Cross-generational leadership is spiritual.
When the Holy Spirit fills, empowers, and anoints us as leaders, He equips us to reach all generations. The love of Christ ignites me to reach all generations. Jesus loves people within my generation. Jesus loves people behind my generation. Jesus loves people ahead of my generation. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit is leading my life and the love of Christ is motivating my life, I will lead cross-generationally.
When You Lead…Lead Cross-Generationally! In the coming days, I will share more on what it means to be a cross-generational leader. Until then…
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.