I want to share with y'all something I learned at church camp this summer. I posted part of it on my account, but I didn't have room to share all of it.
Did you know that in John the Baptist's account of the first disciples' first encounter with Jesus (John 1:35-42), Simon Peter wasn't even there? Andrew, his brother, went and found Peter and brought him to Jesus. Just a few verses later, we see Philip bringing Nathaniel to Jesus as well. Simon Peter, one of the greatest Christian evangelists and most famous disciples first found Jesus through his brother. Jesus may have called him later, but that first little mustard seed was planted by Andrew.
Later on in Acts, we see Saul's conversion. Saul persecuted Christians, even killed many, and yet he is later depicted in the New Testament as one of the greatest leaders in the Christian church. And who helped bring him to faith? Ananias. Ananias trusted God even though God was leading him to minister to someone who had previously killed Christians, and through that, we gained one of the greatest testimonies of faith.
These Christians are far less famous than the disciples they brought to faith, but their importance is no different from that of Paul or Peter. It doesn't matter whether you preach to thousands or you pour your life into one person. How great of a Christian you are has nothing to do with how widely know you are or how many people you bring to faith. How great of a Christian you are is measured by how much you seek God and His truths, how much you pour your life into the people around you, and how much you let your life be a shining testimony of His Grace and goodness.
At the first camp I went to they taught us that there may not be a whole lot of great Christian ministers like Peter and Paul, but there will be many Ananiases and Andrews who bring countless people to faith and through them, endlessly build the kingdom. The kingdom is not built by preachers preaching to thousands like Billy Graham or Amy Carmichael. (Though their lives saved countless.) The kingdom is built by one person ministering to another and pouring their life into others. The kingdom is built through one person telling another, through constantly living our lives for Him. You don't have to be Paul or Billy Graham to make a difference, because the Ananiases are just as important to God.
At the second camp I went to, our speaker told us that all of us, as Christians, will be called to ministry and preaching the Gospel, but only a handful will be called to vocational ministry. Sometimes I think we believe that we don't have to tell the Good News because we have preachers, church camps, and sermons. And as amazing as those are, it's statistically proven that a person is more likely to listen to someone they know.
Mark 16:15 tells us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and Isaiah 6:8 tells us to respond to Jesus' call, whether that is an overseas missionary or a school teacher. Not all of us will be famous or have our names on billboards, but all of us are called to minister to those around us and build the kingdom. No matter where God is calling you, you matter. Statistics tell us that sharing the Gospel can take up to 7 times before the person really listens. So even if you don't see a change, the Bible tells us faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. (Matthew 17:20)
It doesn't matter where you are in your walk with Christ. It doesn't matter how unimportant you feel. No one is unimportant to God. We're all His children, forever adopted into His family. We make disciples by ministering to people, loving people, and setting godly examples of ourselves, not by preaching to thousands. So even if you can't see it, you're making a difference. Never forget that.
So go! Be a Peter, be a Paul, if that's what God is calling you towards. But most of all, be an Ananias. Minister to people no one else will. Listen to what the Lord tells you. Be an Andrew. Be excited about the Gospel, and love people enough to take joy in sharing Him with them.
I pray that God gives you the courage and strength to minister to everyone who God leads you to. I pray that He gives you wisdom and understanding of His Word to answer questions, and I pray He gives you the boldness to be willing to be a Peter or an Ananias.
Amen.
