by Steve Cordle
Save the world in 3 years. That is a mind-boggling task, but that was Jesus’ mission. And He did it. It’s worth noting how: to change the world he focused on a few.
Yes, He died on the cross and rose again, but he also made sure people would hear that Good News by preparing a group of people who would be ready to take it to the ends of the earth.
Most pastors I know have a large vision: they want to see their community impacted by the Gospel. They want to make a difference in places far from their church, too. They want to “go into all the world and make disciples”. But they often spend their energies in misguided direction: they aim for the big splash.
On the surface that seems to make sense, but in the long run it has little carrying power.
Notice how Jesus accomplished his mission. He didn’t try to get in front of big crowds, gather resources, or meet political influencers. To save the world, he focused on a few.
He didn’t rent stadiums, he met in houses.
The closer he got to the cross, the more he focused His attention on the 12, meeting in houses like Peter’s mother-in-law’s home, Mary and Martha’s at Bethany, and of course the Upper Room. It seems counter-intuitive, but that move prepared his followers for the rigors of ministry they would face.
Jesus spent a significant part of His ministry with a few people in homes. As pastors who follow Jesus, it makes sense for us to do the same.
I recently asked a pastor “If you had an extra 8 hours given you each week, what would you do with it?” He didn’t know. I suggest that a great place to start is where Jesus was: spend time training disciples in the warm atmosphere of a home.
