“Certainly, it is disturbing and troubling, all of these things we have had over the last several years — many moments of national anger and issues between people,” says Ron Hutchcraft with Hutchcraft Ministries. “The extreme feelings are the ones that seem to rule on all sides.”

No matter how this unfolds or what future history accounts say about current headlines, we may be overlooking a “Kingdom of God” perspective. 

“The question to ask ourselves [as followers of Christ] is, ‘Am I taking my cue as to how I’m going to feel and act from the headlines, from events, from comments on social media … or am I going to go with the Holy Spirit?’” Hutchcraft says.

If Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior, you have a clear calling from 2 Corinthians 5:20. “It says we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us: be reconciled to God,” Hutchcraft quotes. “What an incredible honor we carry!” 

Living as representatives of Christ in times like these

Here are five questions Hutchcraft has asked himself:

1. Am I praying for our country and for our leaders as Scripture commands? (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

“Don’t underestimate when you go to the throne room of Almighty God who rules the universe and billions of galaxies,” Hutchcraft says. “When you go to Him in prayer, you are impacting whatever you are praying for. There is no doubt about that.”

2. Am I basing my relationships with people in my world on anything other than the unconditional love of Christ? (Ephesians 4:31)

“[When] you step into that [chaotic world] with the love of Christ that says, ‘I’m not going to decide my love for you based on how much we agree, or how agreeable you are, or how you treat me. I’m going to treat you like Jesus treated me,’ you are part of the answer at that point, and so am I,” says Hutchcraft.

3. Do I see people as a category, or do I see them as valuable individual creations of God, created in His image?

4. Am I doing or saying anything that does not represent my Jesus? (Colossians 3:17)

5. Have I let any cause other than Jesus’ rescue orders become more important to me? Or am I defined by any cause other than the mission of Jesus? (1 Corinthians 9:12)

(Image courtesy of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries)

“Jesus said He had come to seek and save the lost. He said, ‘Go and take the gospel to everyone in creation.’ I wonder if the things that we are bombarded with by news media and on social media have taken over more of our heart[s], time, and passions than the very cause for which Christ gave His life. Because when all of this is over, what will be left is people in eternity, forever in one of two places,” Hutchcraft says.

If other things have crowded God’s call out of focus for you, would you ask Him for a course correction? Hutchcraft encourages a simple prayer for realignment: “I’m sorry, God. I have allowed some of the magnets of our time to pull me away from things that matter the most, and I want you to bring me back.”

Believers have a powerful opportunity to bring hope as the news gets darker.

“Let’s not miss this opportunity, and let’s make that our passion: to let people see the hope of Jesus in us, instead of the despair and anxiety of a culture around us,” he says.

The header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Lara Jameson via Pexels.

Now, the study doesn’t examine what Americans understand about Jesus and His teachings. But there is at least one takeaway: The Church in the US has our work cut out for us to better represent Christ’s truth and love.

(Photo courtesy of Samantha Gades/Unsplash)

Ron Hutchcraft of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries says, “You look at 2 Corinthians 5:20 which says, ‘We are Christ’s ambassadors,’ as though God was making His appeal through us.

“What is an ambassador? It’s somebody who is assigned to a specific location by the highest authority there is to be the voice of that authority of the person who appointed them and deliver His messages and represent Him to other people.”

Living as an ambassador for Christ expressing His truth and love doesn’t mean everyone will like you. Some people may even walk away with a very negative view of you.

After all, Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

There may be only so much committed Christians and Evangelicals can do prevent the world having a negative view of them. But we are called to proclaim Jesus Christ (see the Great Commission)!

(Photo courtesy of Austin Kehmeier/Unsplash)

For non-believers who are genuinely interested in the message of Jesus, how well or poorly we live out Christ’s message of repentance, salvation, and grace could make an eternal difference in their life.

Maybe your neighbors are all about Christ’s love but don’t know His truth. Tell them!

Maybe they’ve heard biblical truth but haven’t felt Christ’s love. Show them!

Hutchcraft says, “We were positioned by God as His personal voice – to be that at Acme Tool & Die, or George Washington Middle School, or on a soccer team, or at the Rotary, or at the PTA, or at the nursing home.”

Click here for Gospel sharing resources with Ron Hutchcraft Ministries.

Header photo courtesy of Andrew Seaman/Unsplash.

For SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, social media is bringing more awareness and viewership to their Christian television programming.

Dennis Wiens, Vice President for Ministry Partnerships at SAT-7, explains that social media gives people more opportunities to become social ambassadors for SAT-7 and share the Gospel.

What is a Social Ambassador?

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 via Facebook)

A social ambassador is someone who shares information about organizations such as SAT-7 so that others can learn more about the organization and God’s Word.

Wiens says, “In the West, we’re so into this mindset that we have to have a conversation, we have to go knock on a door. And yet we can have a great witness just by being in their social environment.”

He adds, “A lot of the time it’s just subtle messages that through Instagram, through Facebook, through social media you can have a great impact on someone’s life.”

By sharing information and positive messages, social media users can help lead others to Christ.

Spreading the Gospel in the Middle East and North Africa

SAT-7 currently broadcasts to 25 different countries in three languages. They reach almost 25 million viewers with Christian satellite television programming.

This programming is interactive and designed to bring viewers into the conversation. SAT-7 often takes phone calls and answer questions, while providing family-friendly content.

Wiens explains that most of SAT-7’s social ambassadors are just people who love SAT-7’s programming and want to tell others about it.

“It’s everybody that’s willing to share with their networks, their family, their friends about SAT-7. And so many have been touched by SAT-7 programming. They found help, they found counseling, encouragement. For many that can’t go to church, we are their church… They are excited about that and so they share that with others,” he says.

Becoming a SAT-7 Social Ambassador

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7)

Do you want to be a social Ambassador for SAT-7?

“We’re telling some amazing stories of how God is working in lives and through lives,” Wiens says.

“Read the stories and then share the stories with your friends and be an encouragement to your friends about… all this news you’re hearing from the Middle East,” he adds.

If you want to connect with SAT-7 or help them by becoming a social ambassador, follow SAT-7 USA on Facebook here. You can also donate to SAT-7 here.

Pray for SAT-7 and the work they do in the Middle East and North Africa. Pray they will reach more people with the Gospel through their programming and social media efforts.

Header photo courtesy of  Milada Vigerova via Unsplash.

Deaf Bible Society is part of Every Tribe Every Nation alliance and is helping advance the all-access Bible translation goal — specifically for sign languages!

JR Bucklew, President of Deaf Bible Society, explains, “Our role isn’t doing translation on the ground. Our role is really highlighting the projects, bringing awareness, [and] helping resource them. We work with national partners on the ground. We recognize that as the fastest way we’re going to be able to accomplish this vision.”

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

For all languages used by 5,000-500,000 people, Every Tribe Every Nation also hopes to make the New Testament available by 2033. And for languages with populations of less than 5,000, the alliance of ministries aims to get at least 25 chapters of Scripture translated by 2033.

For sign languages, however, this all-access goal is easier said than done. Unlike spoken languages, there wasn’t much data on sign languages even a few years ago. As we shared yesterday, the collection of data for sign languages was spurred by Deaf Bible Society and has greatly improved. This gave Bible translation initiatives a starting point for sign languages.

“Deaf Bible Society’s role coming into this was saying, ‘Okay, let’s first identify how many sign languages we feel like are vital for Bible translation.’ And now we’re able to do that. ‘Let’s determine approximately the population of signers within each of those languages.’ And we’ve been able to do that.”

This year, Deaf Bible Society and their ministry partners plan to start 25 new sign language Scripture translations.

“To start those type of projects in 25 sign languages next year will be huge. It will be the most acceleration we’ve ever seen in sign language Bible translation.”

For Bible translations to be successful for sign languages, Bucklew points out that the whole process is Deaf-centric. “The best way to do this is by starting locally sustainable sign language ecosystems where Deaf people are trained and equipped to do Bible translation and Scripture engagement work among themselves well; not for them to be eternally dependant on Deaf Bible Society.”

We talk a lot about the trifecta of involvement in missions — praying, giving, and going. But Bucklew says rather than just doing any or all of these things passively, Deaf Bible Society would love to see believers “lean in” and passionately advocate for Gospel outreach among the Deaf.

(Photo courtesy of the Deaf Bible Society via Facebook)

“We’re really looking for ambassadors. So how people can really help is pray, but praying in a sense of, ‘Lord, would you have me truly become an ambassador for this cause? Someone who waves the banner for the sign language movement among my Sunday school group, among my church, among my community in order to see that more Deaf people will be reached for the Gospel than ever before.’”

Click here to learn more at Deaf Bible’s website!

“We truly believe the Gospel is for every person, including the Deaf, and that they have a right to access the Bible in their language, their sign language, so they can have personal communion and community with God and with his people.”

(Header photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)