Dave’s message was a great reminder to be brave and bold and share the good news of Jesus. We’ve all been put where we are, with the jobs we have and the people we have around us, for a reason. Dave put it this way: “Maybe God placed you where you are, with influence and affluence, not just to grow Willow, but to grow God’s Kingdom locally and globally.” We get to pick up where the disciples left off and continue sharing Jesus’ story.

Here’s something to consider: Though we get to be brave and bold and share the story of Jesus with others, who was brave and bold and shared the story of Jesus with us? 

We live in a culture that constantly charges toward what’s ahead. Things continuously change, progress, and shift right under our feet, and we’re all trying to adapt as fast as we can. It can be easy to forget past victories and focus only on what’s in front of us. 

Part of this NEXT series entails slowing down, remembering where we’ve come from, and honoring our past. 

Dave challenged us to continue growing God’s kingdom. Maybe the first step is for us to remember what it was like to find Jesus for the very first time. Take a couple of moments to consider the following:

When you made the decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior… 

• Who were the people who were there for you? How did they encourage you? Do you remember any of their stories?

• How old were you? What was your family situation like?

• What was your life like then? What path were you on?

• What was it about Jesus that made you feel hopeful and loved?

Most of us can look back and find a key person (or people) who shared their story with us, inspired us, and helped us understand the hope and love of Jesus. They were bold for us; can we be bold enough now to reach out and let them know how important their roles were in our journeys?

If it was a speaker or teacher, can we find that person on social media and send a message? If it was a family member, can we send that person a text? If it was a friend, can we invite the friend to lunch? Just imagine the feeling of someone contacting you and saying, “You helped me see Jesus for the first time, and I’m so thankful.” How inspiring, encouraging, and re-energizing! 

As we look forward to growing God’s kingdom, let’s remember where we’ve come from and thank those who’ve helped us along the way. As much as we want to reach out to others and share the story of Jesus, let’s also be sure to honor and give thanks for those who first shared His story with us.