There are SO many wonderful organizations and opportunities to get involved with, both in our local communities as well as internationally.  Here are just a few actionable ways to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”  (Mark 16:15)  These are also great for kids, church small groups, etc.!   This is by no means an exhaustive list, but we hope that it will inspire you to proactively get involved in God’s Great Commission by starting somewhere!  Let’s be intentional about bearing fruit for His kingdom!

1. PRAYER:
   • Post a prayer calendar visibly in your home; pray for that day’s topic each time you pass by it.  You can find one online or create one of your own!
   • Pray for unsaved family and friends by name! (Stay tuned for Beth’s upcoming post entitled More Than We Might Ask or Think for more about this topic!)
2. THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: Learn about the work of the persecuted church! Our brothers and sisters in Christ living in nations hostile to Christianity are spreading the gospel at the risk of persecution or even martyrdom.  The organization called Voice of the Martyrs is a great way to get involved right from your own home here in the U.S.!
   • Prayer updates through free monthly publications. (Go to persecution.com to sign up and to learn of other ways to get involved with this organization!)
   • There are many other ways to get involved. VOM publishes literature and animated DVD’s for children about men and women of faith who risked everything to spread the gospel.  You can also check out their website to find out how you can help meet immediate needs of persecuted Christians and their families!  You can even write personalized letters of encouragement to a brother or sister in Christ on the other side of the world!
3. INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT:
   • Samaritan’s Purse is an organization that is part of the Billy Graham Association that meets needs globally in the name of Jesus! I cannot even begin to tell you how many practical ways there are to get involved with this organization!  Go today to samaritanspurse.org to learn about many opportunities for prayer, giving, and involvement!  You can also sign up for their free prayer updates and quarterly publication that highlights the work God is doing around the world!
   • Go on a short-term mission trip through your church or an organization such as Youth With a Mission (YWAM)!
4. REACH OUT: Find local outreaches and volunteer opportunities.
   • There are seemingly countless local opportunities to get involved with that are reaching the lost and hurting people of your community! A few ideas to get you started are VEEP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People), local food shelves, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, babysitting for children with special needs, nursing homes, playing games with hospitalized children, making Christmas cookies for neighbors with a personalized card, etc.  Pick something, and take action!  These are great ways to involve your children and members of your church in actionable ways to “be witnesses” for Christ in this earth!  (Acts 1:8)
   • Church involvement – Help in the children’s church, make meals for elderly members, volunteer with the hospitality committee, lead a small group, facilitate a local outreach, lead a short-term outreach, etc. And these are just the tip of the iceberg.  Powerful things can happen for God’s kingdom when His people come together!
   • Political involvement – Many people these days believe that politics should not be mixed with family or faith. While it is often wise not to be overly dogmatic about your political positions, as Americans who can express our beliefs freely, it is also a right and even a responsibility to get involved in causes that we believe in!  Perhaps local or state funding will improve the lives of the underprivileged in your community; maybe there is a congressman who will pass legislation that coincides with your spiritual convictions whose campaign you can get involved in.  There are also many nonprofits that are involved with the judicial process that directly impact at-risk or incarcerated families, vulnerable children, addicts, etc.  If there is a political cause that you are passionate about, pray about it, then get involved to the glory of God, remembering that you are His witness in all that you do!
5. APOLOGETICS – Study reasons for your Christian faith! This will both strengthen your own faith and worldview, and it will also help you to engage those who hold a different worldview than you or who are uncertain of their own belief system.  “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”  (1 Peter 3:15)  Check out a few of these modern-day Christian apologists:
   • C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)
   • Timothy Keller (i.e. Reason for God, Encounters with Jesus)
   • Ravi Zacharias (Look up his talks on YouTube!)
   • Josh McDowell (Evidence that Demands a Verdict)
   • Ray Comfort (Way of the Master… you can also find evangelism resources on his website livingwaters.com.)
6. GET INSPIRED – Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Get inspired as you learn from the examples of others who have courageously obeyed the Great Commission!   Here are a few ideas:
   • Listen to Podcasts
     • G.P.S.: God People Stories podcast, by the Billy Graham Association.
     • Modern Homemakers by Donna Otto, a women’s ministry leader who was mentored by Elisabeth Elliot.
     • Mission-Minded Families, a practical and passionate podcast by Ann Dunagan for families looking for ways to spread the gospel.
   • Read biographies, books, and other publications that challenge you to grow in your personal faith and to live boldly for the Lord!
     • In His Steps, by Charles Sheldon
     • Tramp for the Lord, by Corrie Ten Boom
     • The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson
     • Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxas
   • Join with others who are passionate about reaching the lost for Jesus! The sky is the limit!  You can start a weekly prayer group that “prays to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”  (Matthew 9:38)  Ask regular volunteers at a local outreach about their experiences and passions. Attend a missions conference at your local church.  The Bible tells us that “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  (Proverbs 27:17)  Get inspired, get sharpened, and get on-mission!

A powerful quote by Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China in the 1800’s, says, “The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.”  Take some time today to prayerfully read Romans 12 and to seek the Lord from an earnest heart about ways to obey the His Great Commission!  (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-49)  Then choose to get involved somewhere, and keep an open heart to the leading of the Lord!