Yesterday we looked at three dimensions to the urgency of the world’s need for the gospel. My desire is that you will sense the urgency, as I have, to tell every person in the world about Jesus and make disciples of all the nations. Here are three more dimensions to the urgency of the gospel.

Statistically Urgent:

We must understand the numbers when it comes to those around the world who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. I served on a task force that assessed our efforts to take the gospel to the world and the statistics we uncovered are heartbreaking. Only 11 out of every 100 people in this world are willing to claim Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. We also discovered that just over 50% of the world’s population (approximately 3.5 billion people) has no realistic opportunity to hear the gospel at present. The statistics are bad and will continue to get worse unless Spirit-filled Christians begin to act with urgency.

Strategically Urgent:

We must organize and execute an effective strategy for taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We have one gospel but thousands of people groups and billions of individuals. Our urgent need is for strategic ways of reaching each one. Perhaps the best solution is to plant new churches. Churches that are ready to address languages, cultures, and needs. Here is a sobering thought: We simply cannot reach billions of people with our current means. Every existing church should be planting multiple new churches.

Personally Urgent:

We must come to a place where it is unthinkable to leave the work of the Great Commission to others. Each of us must own it personally. At some point we must stop simply talking about theology or mission philosophy and take personal ownership in seeing it fulfilled. Reaching people for Jesus and making disciples of all nations is not someone else’s “problem.” It is my burden and it is your burden. Each of us, individually, is responsible for seeing the gospel proclaimed locally, nationally, and internationally.

Doors are opening around the world that we have never been able to step through before. We cannot afford to assume they will stay open for long. Now is the time for action! Billions of people urgently need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fulfilling the Great Commission truly is this world’s last great hope and it all starts with each of us owning the task personally. Will you join me in acting with urgency to reach people for Jesus? What ideas do you have for urgently taking the gospel to the world?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

I am convinced that the greatest difference between the churches of the first century and the churches of the twenty-first century is the sense of urgency. Unfortunately, modern day Christians do not live as messengers of an urgent gospel. If we are going to be a generation that takes seriously the task of fulfilling the Great Commission we must recapture the sense of urgency. I believe there are six dimensions to this urgency. Today I want to share the first three of them with you.

Theologically Urgent:

We must begin by understanding the gravity of what Scripture teaches about creation, salvation, and eternity. Human beings are created in God’s image but chose to live as slaves to sin. Yet, God provides salvation through His Son and is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The Bible also teaches that every human being will spend eternity either in heaven or in hell, depending on whether or not they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Isn’t this decision that everyone must make enough to instill a sense of urgency to take the gospel to the entire world?

Spiritually Urgent:

We must remember that those who are without Christ are spiritually dead and headed toward an eternity of punishment. As Christians who trust the Bible, we affirm that the lost will ultimately go to hell. We scorn the universalists who believe there is no hell and no judgment but we are seemingly just like them. If we truly believe that people all around us stood on the precipice of eternal suffering, then we will be moved to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need a renewed spiritual urgency in our churches today.

Physically Urgent:

We must recognize that the Bible teaches us that no one is guaranteed their next breathe. James tells us, “You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring – what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” (James 4:14). Telling ourselves that we will share the gospel with that co-worker, family member, or friend at a later time may not work out since we are not even sure tomorrow will come for that person. With urgency, present the gospel to others before it is too late!

Urgency needs to exist not only personally, but through our churches. Churches MUST

Fast track the taking of the Gospel to their communities, their states, our nation, and across the entire globe.

Let today’s challenge be to renew the urgency of the gospel in your personal life and in the life of your church. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring. Therefore, pray that God will give you someone to share Christ with today. Create strategies in your church that will penetrate your community’s lostness. The need is urgent!

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

When we think of the sound an alarm makes we don’t think of beautiful music. We think fire alarms and alarm clocks. These are loud and obnoxious sounds that are designed to grab your urgent attention. You may not like them but when you heed their warning cry they can keep you out of trouble, maybe even save your life. God has sent an alarming message that the Church urgently need to listen to. It tells us three important facts about the Great Commission:

Judgment is Coming:

The Bible makes it clear that there will come a day when God will have His way. All accounts will be balanced and history will reach its final moment. Doesn’t the realization of that there is such a day, and that it could come at any time, make you feel that the alarm should be sounded from the highest mountain of every nation?

There is an Outpouring of the Spirit

The prophet Joel spoke of the outpouring of the spirit which we saw partially fulfilled in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost. Now we await the culmination of this prophecy as we actively take the gospel to the entire world and the power and presence of God is poured out upon people of every nation.

Now is the Time for Harvest

We’ve seen great revivals occur throughout the world at different points in history but all of them must pale in comparison to the final events of our mission to take the gospel to the world and make disciples. Jesus said, “open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest.” (John 4:35).

This is God’s warning cry to His people: Judgment is coming and he has empowered us by His Spirit to reap a spiritual harvest in His name. Are you ready to begin?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

There is something special about the freshness of a new morning. After a good night’s sleep you awake rested and ready for the opportunities that lie ahead. The Church needs to experience this sense of freshness like never before. Christians need to wake up from their spiritual slumber and experience a renewed energy that comes with a new day. Romans 13:11 describes a great awakening. ‘Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than we first believed.’

“Knowing the time” refers to a special moment in history – a defining moment. I believe we are in a defining moment when the Spirit of God is acting within us to take the gospel to all nations and make disciples everywhere. We need to wake up, get moving, and take hold of the opportunities before us. It’s time for the Church to seize the day!

Wake up!

Physically waking up each morning is often a difficult challenge. Waking up spiritually can be equally as hard, sometimes more so, but it is a battle we must be determined to win. If the church is going to be effective it needs to wake up from its spiritual slumber. We can’t get around the fact that God has numbered our days, time is currency, and He holds us accountable for how we spend it. How are you spending your days?

Get moving!

Being awake is only the beginning. It is not enough for the church simply to wake up. We have to take an active role in fulfilling the Great Commission. Meet people who are far from God. Get to know them, love them, help them, and tell them about Jesus. Show that you care for people by being involved in their lives.

Take hold of the opportunities before us!

If we will wake up and get moving our eyes will be open to the countless opportunities around us to share Jesus with the world and make disciples of all nations. The church cannot afford missed opportunities to carry the gospel to a lost and dying world. Are you taking advantage of your chances to speak Christ into someone’s life? Who have you talked to today that needs Jesus? Take hold of those opportunities!

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

Few churches today ever add thousands of people to their membership in a single day. We might even think such numerical growth is impossible. However, this is exactly what happened with the disciples in the book of Acts.  I want to share with you four steps they took that are essential for us to follow if we are going to experience dramatic growth in our churches.

We Must Pray

We can’t read the book of Acts without noticing the place of prayer in the formation of the early church. Prayer for them was more than half-hearted words with a superficial attitude. They devoted themselves to it. How many Christians today can say they are “devoted” to prayer?

How devoted are you to genuinely speaking to God from your heart, with faith that He will hear and answer?

We Must Gather

When we gather and pray in God’s name, amazing things happen. There is a supernatural joy experienced in coming together with other believers. A local body of believers who have unified in serving the Lord can make an enormous impact on their surrounding community.

How committed are you to growing the fellowship with other believers in your local church? 

We Must Rely on the Holy Spirit

We need the Spirit of God to empower and enable us to be a missional church. If we are going to shake our churches, and shake this world, we must have the Spirit come in power. Creating genuine, God-honoring church growth is not something we can do on our own. We absolutely must rely on the Spirit to work in us and through us.

How much do you rely on the Spirit to cause the growth in your church or small group and how much do you rely on yourself?

We Must Speak the Word Boldly

When we truly rely on the Spirit we become fearless. We speak the name of Jesus boldly. Today’s churches are easy to criticize, easy to ridicule, because too many of them are fruitless and fearful. However, churches that have Spirit-driven boldness see dynamic growth and a weekly pattern of people coming to Christ.

How boldly do you share Jesus with those around you?

Here’s a bonus question: How bold is your church’s vision to reach your community, your nation, and the world for Jesus Christ?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

In my previous post, we looked at Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 6 for modeling godly parenthood. We saw it has two major components of being disciples as parents while also making disciples of our children. Today I want to discuss four steps you can take in the process of raising Great Commission focused children.

Evangelize Your Children

You kids will want to know what you were like when you were younger. Use that opportunity to tell them how and when Jesus changed your life. All you need to know are the three parts to your personal faith journey. (1) Your life before Christ, (2) How you came to accept Christ, and (3) How your life has been different ever since.

Expect Your Children to Grow as Disciples

Just because your child has accepted Christ in his or her life does not mean as a parent you can stop teaching them about the Lord. We need to be intentional about beginning the discipleship process with our children or it won’t be long before their conversion experiences are just vague and meaningless memories.

Engage Your Children in the Life of the Church

Help your children understand the importance of the local church. Here again we see the importance of leading by example. Make sure you and your family are immersed in a Bible-believing, Great Commission church. I have yet to see a young person who is a passionate follower of Christ without being actively engaged in a local church.

Equip Your Children to Go to the Nations

Talk to your children about a world full of lost people. Teach them about the different people groups. Share stories and pictures with them about the exciting places and beautiful people from around the world. This is an opportunity for you to plant seeds in their lives when they are young. The lessons you are teaching them now, as they get older, will grow into a passion for fulfilling the Great Commission.

Take these steps with your children at levels appropriate to their age. If you need help in any of these areas go to the children’s or youth pastor at your local church. By transforming into a Great Commission family, you can play a part in preparing the next generation to take the Gospel to the world.

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

As Great Commission Christians, our goal is to transform the world for Jesus Christ. However, we cannot transform the world unless we first transform our families. Over the next two days, I want to share with you some ideas about parenting that will help your family become more Great Commission focused.

There is a passage in Deuteronomy that shows us the heart of godly parenting. It is the nonnegotiable, essential, lowest common denominator of all parenting. It is Deuteronomy 6:5-7:

Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your strength. These words that I am giving to you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

There are two important ideas I want us to understand in this command. They are the fundamental building blocks of being godly parents.

• Parents Are To Be Disciples
  Whose heart does Moses say these words are to reside in? Look at the text again. He says “your” heart, speaking to the parents. We, as parents, are the ones who are to love the LORD with all that is in us. Everything else proceeds from that premise. Transforming the world begins with transforming our families, but transforming our families begins with transforming ourselves. Put God first in your own life. It is the most basic, and most important, parenting skill.
• Parents Are To Make Disciples
  In a family, every moment is a teachable moment. Every decision is a commentary on the influence of faith. Like it or not, children mimic the actions of their parents. They watch your behavior more closely than they do your words. They learn with their minds what we say but they learn with their hearts what we show. Becoming a disciple-making parent means modeling a godly life in your actions, as well as in your words.

Are you following Moses’ instructions to love God with all that is in you and consistently talk to your children about the Lord? What example is your behavior setting for them?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

To understand the significance of your ability to make an impact for the kingdom one person at a time read Acts 9:10-19. There we meet a man named Ananias whom God commissioned to go meet Saul of Tarsus. There are four important ways in which we can apply Ananias’s situation to our own.

1. Ananias was told to “Go”
   God chose not to bring Saul to Ananias but instead was told Ananias to “rise and go.” To fulfill the Great Commission we as a church must rise and go to the people rather than waiting for the people to come to us.
2. Ananias was sent to someone he saw as the enemy
   Ananias had heard about Saul and “how much evil he has done” (v13). Remember that God sends us to people who are far from Him and many times those people will not be friendly to us. Our obedience to His call should not be conditional on how receptive people will be to us. God calls us to go even when we are scared about what might happen.
3. Ananias was strengthened by the sovereignty of God.
   The Lord again commands Ananias to go and explains that he has made Saul “a chosen instrument.” God assures us of his divine purpose in telling the world about Jesus and making disciples of all nations.
4. Ananias was part of God’s plan
   Being obedient to God’s command, Ananias was instrumental in the Lord’s work of bringing the gospel to the gentiles. We know from his initial response that he had no idea that God was about to use Saul of Tarsus in an unbelievable way. But in obeying the Lord’s command he was able to plant seeds in Saul that would grow in ways that Ananias never imagined possible.

Ananias, through his obedience, played a part in God’s plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Think about the great heroes of the faith like Charles Spurgeon or Billy Graham. Somebody shared the gospel with them and planted seeds that may have seemed small at the time but grew into world-changing ministries.

We do not know who the next person like this may be. Is it the person you work with? Is it the barista at your favorite coffee house? Is it you? How will you know unless you are obedient to take the gospel to those around you? God does amazing, far-reaching works when we simply prove obedient enough to speak His name – to talk Jesus as a life priority.

What miracles would be happening in your life, and in this world, if you talked about Jesus every single day?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released book, Our Last Great Hope

The Story

Over one year ago, my Mom, Elva Floyd, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Today, she is 83 years of age and those who are medical professionals believe she is just days away from death. The change from last week when I was with her in Houston’s M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital to yesterday in her home was very dramatic. She had just returned via ambulance from Houston less than 24 hours before and her care was turned over to Hospice and our family for her final days. A hospital bed has been set up in the home, placed in the living room so family and friends can be with her.

The Fight

Prior to getting leukemia, Mom had fought at least a year with a pre-leukemia condition, even taking chemotherapy treatments that would hopefully deter the looming leukemia diagnosis. Then, when this condition crossed over into full-blown leukemia, she was placed on another chemotherapy regimen. Upon being on this regimen without any success, she was given an experimental chemotherapy regimen, which also resulted in little success at all. Then, the conversation we knew would occur happened: “Mrs. Floyd, we would like to offer you one more experimental chemotherapy regimen and if it does not retard the cancer, then this is all we can do to help you.” We agreed and went for it. Mom was in the fight. Yet, those 16 pills a day after two weeks had to stop because of infection and virus that had attacked her body which now has little to no immunity at all. Then, the final conversation happened last Friday night: “We have done all we can for you. We will try to get you healthy enough to get you home and turn you over to Hospice Care.” When our family asked, “How long?” the response was, “Weeks.” Before she left on Tuesday afternoon from Houston, these weeks seem to lessen greatly.

Thoughts

Yesterday we spent the day with Mom and family. I just want to give you a few thoughts from the bedside of a leukemia patient that is moments away from death.

Cancer is a brutal disease

This was one of the summary statements of my son, Nick. My Mom who was a beautiful woman earlier in life and was gracing with beauty in her elder age, looks completely different. Her beauty is in her inner person who has walked with God for years, but her outer beauty has been diminished by this brutal disease. She has no hair. Her skin color is darkening. Her arms and legs are blotchy. She is skin and bones and barely can turn any direction at all in the bed. She is helpless physically, except for her extraordinary restlessness. She can barely speak in a whisper, moans regularly saying she is in pain all over, and is mentally in and out, even though yesterday she was “in with us” probably at least 80% of the time.

Hospice care is amazing

As a pastor I have known it and watched it, but today I really know it. They walked in with caring expertise, filled with sensitivity. I picked up and read a brief booklet on dying they had left with our family. We had seen my Mom walk through all of those stages and now are seeing the final moments. I felt as if I was reading the Bible talking about the last days and then watching them occur before my eyes. The value of hospice care will increase in this journey.

Care-givers are critical

How can I ever repay the love and care my sister, Linda, and my brother and sister-in-law, Johnny and Delores, have given to Mom? They live there in the small town of Yoakum, Texas, and have cared for Mom daily since Dad died suddenly six years ago this coming November. Linda moved in with Mom and Dad a year before Dad died. Yes, God knows all and takes care of us. How can I ever repay the love and care of close friends, a Baptist deacon and wife, James and Judy Leist? They have cared for Mom and Linda for a long time. They live right behind them, mow their lawn frequently, especially over this past year, and have insured Mom’s flower beds were re-done and perfect upon Mom’s arrival from Houston. Yes, care-givers are critical, even caring in the smallest of details.

Touch is necessary

For hours yesterday, I held my Mom’s hand or touched her shoulder, even reaching down to hug her which is no small ordeal. She seems so brittle and helpless, yet able to move her hands and arms. She wants human touch. She knows we are in the fight with her.

Talking is special

We talked to her continually. Her responses would be very limited, usually with a whisper, but she understands and can respond. She can say, “I love you.” Our words were mostly encouraging, informing her of family, showing her pictures (She did smile a little when she saw a funny picture of our youngest grandchild Jack) and of course filling her ears with thank-you’s, support, and love.

Worship is important

I returned to Mom’s bedside just steps away while the family was completing lunch. As I sat there a minute I felt as if God was saying to me: “Get your iPad, pull up Pandora music, and enter various hymns to play for her.” That is exactly what I did. For the next hour or so, I did this and Mom and I worshipped together. I heard her humming and even singing various words in a whisper. Tears filled her eyes as I played these old great hymns of the faith. Family saw her, joined us and we were all moved, as God walked in the room.

Prayer is critical

Before we departed, I prayed over Mom. We all stood beside her bed and interceded for her, releasing her to Jesus, asking God to fill her with His sweet peace. I asked God to send His angels to her and carry her home to the Father when her moment is up.

Final words are timely

Only God knows when He will call my Mom home, but as I watched and heard Nick and Meredith, Josh and Kate, and then Jeana give Mom some of those final words, they were timely. They were special. They were emotional. Then I gave her my final words filled with love and thanks, releasing her to go to heaven even then, and assuring her God is with her, of which she knows and senses. I kissed her on her head for each member of my family with a “love you” from each, even from our two grandchildren God is preparing to give us from Ethiopia sometime in 2012.

Christians do not say “good-bye”, but “see you later”

For at least three months, as I talked to Mom daily and saw her some, I stopped telling her good-bye, but see you later. It took discipline from me, but it is the truth. I told her yesterday I had been doing that. I believe she understood. Her final words yesterday to me were, “I Love You” and my final words as they have been for at least three months were, “Mom, I love you and I will see you later.”

If God brings Mom to your mind, pray for her. She is nearing going home to heaven. May the presence of God fill that house, the peace of God fill her life, and the angels of God usher her home into the presence of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is Lord over death.

Adoption is one of the clearest pictures of the gospel we could ever see. In fact, the doctrine of adoption is the heart of the gospel. We were hopeless and lost but Jesus brought us into God’s family.

How, then, can we as Christians not be moved by the fact that there are over 163 million orphans in the world? This is a huge number of children who do not know what it means to be loved unconditionally, to have parents who care about them, to experience the benefits of a secure home.

James 1:27 says “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

What if Christian families everywhere began to practice their faith in the pure and undefiled way James is talking about? What if we all took an active approach to addressing the problem? Here are five words to remind us of the actions we can take to have a dramatic impact on the orphan pandemic.

Pray

We all should be praying for the 163 million orphans to be given a loving home. Pray also for the prospective families and the groups that work so hard to make adoption possible. May God greatly bless the fruits of their labor!

Give

Financial support can make a major difference in the lives of children around the world.

You or your church can get behind some orphanage or ministry with regular, consistent financial support. Additionally, you can help a couple adopt a child. The process is quite expensive. Therefore, each couple needs assistance.

Go

Your church can send people on short-term missionary endeavors to aid the children and encourage the workers in an orphanage. For example, our church partners with Esther’s House in Malawi, Africa.

Encourage

Care for orphans in such a passionate way that you are contagious to those around you. Talk to your co-workers, extended family, and your church group about joining you in caring for orphans.

Adopt

Consider adoption in your family. Imagine millions of orphans being adopted by Christian families, raised in love, and then allowed to participate in the spread of the gospel themselves.

The unconditional love of an adopting God reaches toward a lost, dying world, and it won’t allow us to focus on ourselves while so much needs to be done. If we truly care about the Great Commission, then we must be serious about orphans.

What are you doing to care for orphans?

Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Author of newly released, Our Last Great Hope