Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Jesus spoke these words in connection with the Great Commission, which is the most fundamental duty of every Christian believer. I have had an opportunity to witness the parade of newly trained officers at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. It is a ceremony of commissioning an officer into the military, which gives him authority to command the soldiers under him. In the same way, through the Great Commission, Jesus has given authority and a mandate to His followers to preach the Gospel to all creation. It is the will of God that none should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), that all should be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and that God so loved the world He gave His only Son so we could have eternal life (John 3:16). It is the duty and responsibility of believers to present the Gospel. However, it must be understood that our approach must be different in every context. Sharing the Gospel with a tribal community would be far different from sharing with people following more systematic forms of religion like Hinduism or Islam. The approach to share our faith with a group of illiterate people would be different from sharing with a group of university students. Therefore, we must prepare by understanding the beliefs and culture of the listeners.

The Haggai Leader Experience reminded me of the primary duty of a Christian believer: to spread the Gospel. It has given me courage and freedom from self-consciousness and shyness.