What did you get for Christmas? What are your New Year’s resolutions? I bet you’ve been asked those two questions more times than you can count over the last several weeks. Christmas feels like a season of gift-giving and New Year’s like one of resolution-making. Perhaps the two could be more connected than we think.
These days, Vanessa and I are pretty simple gift-givers to one another. Already having more than we need, and with our kids grown, Christmas is more about the small gestures and the time together. We still surprise one another with good gifts on Christmas morning. But I remember an earlier time in our marriage when our gifts to one another were intensely practical. You know, things we really needed but just had not yet found the will (or the money) to buy for ourselves. One Christmas I told Vanessa I wanted to get healthy the next year, so she bought me some workout gear to help me with my goal. Turns out, workout equipment doesn’t make you healthy (shocking, I know). On its own, it doesn’t change your daily routines, put muscle on your bones, or shed fat from your belly. The only workout strategy that works is the one you work.
For every Christian, to share the gospel is not mere good intention or arduous obligation; it is a gift of God’s grace, extended to each of us in Christ Jesus. In the third chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the apostle wrote not only of the “incalculable riches of Christ,” the “multi-faceted wisdom of God” that is on display through the church, and the strange “glory” of Christian suffering, but of the “gift of God’s grace that was given” to him in the proclamation of the gospel (Eph. 3:7–13). Both the gospel itself and the sharing of it are gifts of God’s grace to us. Evangelism should not feel like a burden to the Christian. Evangelism is an open invitation from God to work out, in daily rhythms of gospel sharing, the glory of Christ that has been gifted to you.
You have probably heard of our SCBaptist G2 (Give+Go) initiative for this year. If not, take a few minutes this week to visit www.scbaptist.org/giveandgo and learn more. In 2025, we need to see an explosion of clear, compelling gospel witness across our state. We are encouraging each church to develop a simple evangelism strategy for your community. Your neighbors need nothing more than to hear of Jesus Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of their sin and assurance of eternal life. Each church must commit to reach every life.
Personally, I would like to invite you to join me in a commitment to share the gospel with at least one person every week this year. Feel free to modify that goal to something practical for yourself — twice a month, once a month, or with a certain 10 to 12 people over the course of the year. Much like workout equipment and strategies, the only evangelism strategy that works is the one you work. So, develop a goal and a plan, and work it in 2025. Our Share (Evangelism) team is here to help your church map its community, train your people in evangelism, and strategize for local engagement within your context.
The question for SCBaptists today is, what will we do with what we have received? I’m not referring to the presents you unwrapped Christmas morning. I’m referring to the gift of God’s grace to you in the gospel of Jesus Christ — the inexpressibly precious, incalculably rich, woefully undeserved gift of eternal salvation you received upon repentance from sin and faith in Him. You received this grace, and it is meant to be shared. You have been gifted the gospel. Now, what will you resolve to do with it?