So being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us
(1 Thessalonians 2:8)
There is a saying out there that goes something like this; “Everyone likes to make babies, but few like to take care of them.” This saying holds true today amongst many evangelical churches, who love making converts but have neglected the very call to make disciples. Paul would write against this kind of “baby-making” Christianity, his very life and ministry stood opposed to this kind of methodology.
We are a culture with more health precautions then ever before, we even have inventions like hand sanitizer so that we can stay clean on the go. Making disciples does not work that way, we cannot run into a dirty situation, share the gospel, then apply our spiritual hand sanitizer and walk away, free from any aftermath the gospel might have just had on its recipient.
If there is one thing I am learning in my short time of being a disciple it is that ministry is messy. Making disciples requires one to get dirty with other peoples problems. It requires a willingness not only to share the gospel of God but also our own selves. To share the gospel and yourself looks like living out the message you just preached. How can we share about a God who so loved the world that He came down and gave of himself, and then not do the same? The gospel is more then a message, it is a life poured out, and those who share it must be willing to pour themselves out on behalf of it.
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