If faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God – then I believe God is telling us that we must speak. (Romans 10:17)
As Christians, we can fall into a terrible habit of doing good but never speaking why we are doing what we are doing. We think that by silently living by example, we will somehow change hearts and open minds to the love of Christ. I’ve been listening to this song called Speak, by Jimmy Needham.
We mostly keep to ourselves 'round here
No sense rockin' the boat 'round here
We watch you dance into hell 'round here
It's time we speak His mind 'round here
Oh, so open your mouth, open it wide
Quit singing songs for a minute tonight
You can love with your hands, you can love with your deeds
How will they know if they know if we don't even speak?
If I walk into the clubs, help women but never mention the name of Christ.. what good am I? I may have helped lots of people into leading a ‘better life’ by the world’s standards, but they will still be going to Hell unless they hear the good news of Jesus.
One of the owners recently said.. “Christians coming into the club with us.. well, the two don’t go together. “ Yet we feel, it’s exactly where Jesus would be going. The two go together, because that is the commandment that Jesus gives us to go and make disciples. It’s the mission he gives to his true followers to go bring light to the darkness, hope for the hopeless and freedom for the prisoners. Yes, the two go together – in fact, it is commanded that we walk there.
In the club, it requires discernment in how we share Christ with the women there.
The women at the club typically just don’t trust us. Why should they? Typically, the girls in this industry have been hurt by so many and even those in the church. So, it’s important that love is the primary feeling they get from us. We meet needs, we listen and when the timing is right.. we speak truth.
I recently have been struggling with speaking the truth lately. I’m finally at a point where a lot of the women trust me and even like me a lot. Yet, it seems as though every time there is opportunity to share, it gets interrupted by something. Last night, it happened 4 times. Right at the moment where I can share a word or testimony about Christ, there is interruption.
We must understand that this ministry is pointless without the Gospel?
There is a parable about a farmer who sows seed but before the seed can take root, birds come and snatch it away. In the parable, the seed is the word of truth and the birds are the enemy who steals the seed away. In stealing the word, the soil (the person who would receive the word) never gets the seed and thus never knows truth.
It’s grievous when this happens, especially when you love people and desire for them to know Jesus. Yet, how will they know if they have never even heard. (Romans 10:14) So, open your mouth. We are commanded too. And pray for us, that the enemy may be silenced and the Gospel may be heard.
– Julie W.
