Did someone say "fearless"?

This is a response to a comment left on Brock's blog post in which he described some of the things that happened to us when we were reading the gospel out loud in Portland, on May 13th. Somebody called the act of reading in public, "fearless." I want to share this response, in case anyone else thinks this ministry requires "fearlessness."

Dear sister, if you read the comments, please let me assure you that it is not being fearless to read the Word of God aloud in public. It is just being willing to put yourself in a place where faith becomes possible.

What I mean is this: Some people might question, even oneself might question, is reading the Word of God having any effect? Are people hearing and coming to Christ thru our ministry of reading the Word?

Well, this is where faith comes in. Faith is the substance of things unseen. The Lord is giving Brock and me this call, to read the Word aloud in public, so OUR faith can grow, because we have to TRUST that Word which tells us to sow the seed, we have to TRUST the Lord to give the increase, we have to TRUST the Word that says "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11 NIV).

All we are doing is READING, giving the Word of God our voices. Just as you see people reading novels, newspapers, magazines in public, to themselves of course, as they sit in coffeehouses, wait for the bus or mass transit, or just as they relax on a park bench, we just happen to be reading God's Word—to unbelievers just another book, but to us the Word of Life, of which Jesus says, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63 NIV).

And we just happen to be reading the Word aloud. And why?

Because the Word of God needs a place on earth, it needs to be taken OUT to the people whom Christ is seeking, the 'lost sheep.' What we are doing is called in my church (Greek Orthodox) the "incarnation of the gospel." There are many ways to incarnate the gospel, not just reading God's Word in public. But that is what God has called us to do.

Again, it isn't being fearless to do this. It is just loving the Word of God and His people so much, that you're willing to stand beside Jesus as He walks in the marketplace of the world, seeking the lost sheep of His flock. We do nothing. Jesus, the Word of God, does everything. He merely lets us come along. Letting us read the written Word of God is His gift to us. And when we are doing it, we know for sure that we are living in a different world, we can sense it, we can run in the ways of His resurrection, where it's no longer an idea we just read about or hear about in church. We are there, and Christ, the living resurrected Christ, the Christ who has trampled down death by death, shares with us, even now, the power of His life-giving resurrection.What fearlessness on our part?!

When you know you are walking with the God-Man, at His side, as He sows the seed, ministers to the broken hearts of men and women, and looks for the lost sheep, and brings them into His Kingdom, how can you call that fearlessness? God is good, the only Lover of mankind, and He shares with everyone who responds to His gracious call, the privilege of following His footsteps.

And Jesus can walk ANYWHERE.