The Crew

Have every considered, when we’re involved in sharing the Gospel, we’re part of the greatest international enterprise on earth. We are like crewmen on a ship and each of us has our own gifts, talents, opportunities, and positions. When it comes to evanglism, nothing beats the spirit and determination of a crew committed to the Captain and determined to complete the voyage. The crew is the “ye” in the Great Commission. Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15, KJV). The “ye” is ye and me—it’s us! You and I are called by God to take His cargo—the message of the Cross—to the ends of the earth.

The Personal Responsibility of the Great Commission

The Great Commission applies to each of us, to all God’s children. This is the way Christianity spread in the book of Acts and in the days of the Early Church. The church historian Philip Schaff wrote about the growth of the Church in Roman times: “Christianity once established was its own best missionary… It was a light shining in darkness and illuminating the darkness. And while there were no professional missionaries devoting their whole life to this specific work, every congregation was a missionary society, and every Christian believer a missionary, inflamed by the love of Christ to convert his fellow men…. Every Christian told his neighbor, the laborer to his fellow laborer, the slave to his fellow slave, the servant to his master and mistress, the story of his conversion, as a mariner tells the story of the rescue from shipwreck.”[1]

The Personal Availability to the Great Commission

            That means each of us should be excited, eager, and available, filled with the wonder of what Christ has done for us. Our testimonies are simply the overflow of grateful hearts; and our soul-winning is the by-product of our enthusiasm for Christ and His Gospel. Three of the greatest words in the Bible are: “Here I am!”

            When God called Abraham in Genesis 22:1, Abraham said, “Here I am.” When the angel of God spoke to Jacob in a dream, Jacob replied, “Here I am” (Genesis 31:11). When young Samuel heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him in the night in 1 Samuel 3, he said repeatedly, “Here I am. Here I am.”

In chapter six of his book, the prophet Isaiah tells of seeing a vision of the throne of God in heaven. A voice said: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah replied, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

            When the Lord spoke to Ananias in Acts 9:10, that humble disciple in Damascus replied, “Here I am, Lord.” And according to the book of Hebrews, the Lord Jesus, when assigned the task of redeeming the world, replied, “Here am I” (Hebrews 2:13).

            According to the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ wants to continue His ministry of evangelism through you. It hasn’t been relegated just to those in “professional” ministry. It’s a matter of everyone’s personal ministry, for the Bible says, “He who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).

The Personal Opportunity of the Great Commission

            Signing up for the crew of the SS Gospel Ship provides many personal opportunities for helping fulfill the Great Commission. Let me suggest some ways you can be of service to the Captain. As it relates to missions, remember to pray for God’s people around the world as you read or watch the global news. When there’s a natural disaster or a manmade crisis in any part of the world, somehow there are Christians responding. Personalize your prayers by adopting some missionaries onto your daily prayer list. Be faithful in financially supporting these missionaries and other global ministries.

In the overall work of the Kingdom of God around the world, these are critical days. Be an active part of “God’s crew” through individual efforts, through the missions program of your church, through partnering with worldwide ministries. Of course, there’s one more thing you can do regarding global evangelism.You can also say, “Lord, here am I. Send me!”

David Jeremiah is the founder and host of Turning Point for God and the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church. For more information about David Jeremiah or Turning Point, visit www.DavidJeremiah.