Stewardship of Testimony

The Stewardship of Testimony

As a pastor in the year 2012 of our Lord I am faced with what appears to be an impossible task. Only one third of believers feel that it is important to share their faith testimony with those who have no faith declaration at all. Another one third feels very strongly that in fact it is not their place to share their faith with others. The remaining one third has only slight feelings – this is the lukewarm group[1].

• As a child I personally witnessed the power of great revivals. I watched the transformation of hard-hearts that yielded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Lives were changed.
• I grew up in a revivalist era. That meant the preaching was “Heaven or Hell” or “Revival or Perish.”
• A passion for the lost has molded me and shaped my thirty plus years of ministry. Do I doubt it? A thousand times NO! But I am faced as a 21^st century preacher of the gospel with what looks like an impossible task.
• My task is simple this: As a God called preacher I am eat-up with a desire for revival – the lost coming to Christ! But I preach in a time-era in which only 33% of believers in America believe that it is important to share their faith. On any given week in America I face the reality that 66% of church attending believers has no real sense of urgency to share their faith with the lost. I am swimming upstream!

lYRICS TO "LORD,PLEASE MOVE ME WITH COMPASSION"(AS SUNG BY JANET PASCHAL)

They were so tired and weary- lost and scared and everywhere, to the master they were just like sheep, without a Shepard's care. He felt of their infirmity, so much, that it made him weep- His heart was filled with pity and compassion for his sheep.

Lord, please move me with compassion for the lost I pray-For the millions who are lost and cannot find their way-melt my calloused heart with love no matter what the cost, Lord, please move me with compassion for the lost.

This world is so tired and weary, lost and wandering aimlessly, just like sheep without a Shepard, they're as lost as lost can be!

Consume me now, with a love for the lost,let that love become a light, that guides the lost sheep into the fold, before there comes a night!

Lord, Please move me with compassion for the lost I pray! For the millions who are lost, and cannot find their way.Melt my calloused heart, with love no matter what the cost! Lord, please move me with compassion for the Lost!

Lord, Please move me with compassion for the Lost!

---

[1] George Barna Research Group. 2005 State of The Church.