D.L.

LIVE

Learn – Inspiration – Vision – Encounter

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
(Acts 4:31 NIV11-GKE)

I love preaching, and I love talking about Jesus every time I have the opportunity. Yet, this was not always the case. Not that I disliked it, but I was afraid that one day, I would be asked to stand before a crowd and share my story or preach.
One of the things that you learn very quickly in Chile( well when I was growing up) is that there is a group of brothers and sisters who belong to a particular denomination whose life mission is to stand on street corners and preach the Gospel to whoever happens to be walking by. This is remarkable, so much so that when Pope John Paul the Second visited Chile back in the eighties, he felt much peace during his time in the country.
Well, I grew up in this denomination, my dad’s family all belonged there, and the youth group was asked frequently to go to the street and do this form of evangelism. But I disliked it so much that I used to make fun of them, even if I was part of that outreach. Around fifteen young people in my group visited a town and supported a local church. We all went out, and the leader would call a name at random, and whoever that was stepped forward with a bible in hand preached.
Years later, I was on a mission trip south of Chile. This time, I was a committed follower of Jesus, believed in his good news, and had an experience with the Holy Spirit. We took to the streets; no one was walking around, the sun was shining hot, and something happened. I heard my name being called to step forward, and I knew what that meant. Fear gripped me, and my legs shook. It was payback time. I used to make fun of this type of outreach, and I was frozen there. I learned how to share my story and to prepare a short message, but nothing can prepare you for such a task. Obedience, faith and Trust come into play. Obedience to Jesus. Faith in his message and trust that something coherent will come out as you open your mouth and fill it with words. It takes courage to stand on a street corner and testify about your faith, and I did. No one stopped and listened; as far as I remember, there was nobody there. But we were, and the team was the crowd.
This was the beginning of a journey that has not stopped. I still get a measure of fear, but I know I can take much courage from the one whose message I share; I have felt his power over me.