With over 230 million people who do not know Jesus Christ, the U.S.A. is the world’s third largest mission field. Only China and India have more persons who are not yet followers of Jesus. The enormity of the unfinished task before us threatens to overwhelm. How can we possibly reach that many people?

The purpose of this post is not to identify a particular missiological concept, or even to suggest strategies and tactics. Beyond those necessary discussions is a deeper need. To use an analogy from sports, it is one thing for a head football coach to devise a philosophy and strategy for winning, then to chart specific plays designed to successfully implement that strategy. But it is another thing altogether to have the players that are talented, dedicated, and bright enough to apply it all on the field.

So, for this discussion, let’s assume we have a winning strategy. Christian leader, has our discipleship produced Christians that are capable of reaching this nation for the Lord? We can answer that question with a resounding “yes!”—if we have relied upon the Spirit and taught others to do the same. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can and we will build a strong church in the U.S.A. In short, the Spirit produces three qualities that equip us for effective witness.

Integrity

The word integrity is related to the term integer, which is a whole number. A person with integrity reflects wholeness. There is a purity to a person with integrity; he or she maintains a character that is untainted by a tainted world.

“John answered them all, saying, ‘I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’" (Luke 3:16-17 ESV)

Only the kernel of grain is suitable to eat. So, when grain is harvested, it is necessary to separate the kernel from the rest of the plant (“chaff”). Once it is removed the chaff is destroyed. “Chaff” represents the lack of refinement or contamination in our lives that undermines our wholeness.     Chaff builds obstacles in our right standing with God and hinders the close relationship we need and that God desires.

Lack of integrity hinders the outreach efforts of the church. When seekers respond to the “taste and see” invitation of the gospel, chaff in the church causes goodness to turn to gravel in their mouths. To be effective followers of Jesus, disciples must act like Jesus—that is filled with integrity.

The Holy Spirit removes the extraneous and the harmful from our lives through “fire.” It is sometimes a painful, and always an intentional process. Chaff will not blow away on its own.

Here is the really good news. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just remove chaff; He replaces it with the character of Jesus (Gal. 5:22-23). No longer under sin’s dominance, as God’s people we are free to walk in the wholeness of a transformed life.

Remember, that it is not about perfection, but it is about integrity. Integrity is not an unobtainable goal; it is God’s expectation of a prevailing church.

So the Spirit produces integrity, but the Spirit also provides…

Empowerment

To do God’s work, we need God’s power. People bound by sin need a greater power to rescue them—the power of the Spirit.

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49 ESV)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8 ESV)

In a recent tweet, Tim Keller said, “No one has ever learned that he or she is a sinner by being told.” It takes an intervention of the Holy Spirit to convince a person that he or she needs to be saved. And then it takes being “born of the Spirit” to come into the family of God.

The power of the kingdom of God manifests itself incarnationally, clothed in the humanity that makes up the church. Through signs and wonders and the spiritual gifts, the power of the Spirit testifies to the greatness and glory of God.

Growing up in the upper Midwest, I became a loyal fan of the Green Bay Packers. My idol was their quarterback Bart Starr (woops, I just dated myself). Several years ago, we visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One exhibit displayed the jerseys of players named Most Valuable Player in the Super Bowl. There was Bart Starr’s jersey. I couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it. It felt like—a piece of fabric. That jersey did not throw a pass, score a touchdown, or call a winning play. It was along for the ride on the back of a great player. When it comes to ministry, I am just the jersey. It is the Holy Spirit that does the work.

So, the Spirit equips us with power, integrity, and…

Love

There is a big difference between knowing what you ought to do--obligation, and being compelled to do it--passion.

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV)

I know I ought to mow the lawn—that is obligation to keep the grass presentable. I rarely—no, never—get up at the crack of dawn to mow the lawn. However, will awake in the darkness to play a round of golf. That is passion to play a game on grass.

Love is the engine of authentic and effective witness. Certainly, it is passion for God and for people that will move us to ministry, not guilt. But how do we get that kind of love? It is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:5 ESV)

What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 CEV)

Just as God’s power is manifested incarnationally, so God’s love is revealed incarnationally—in human contact. In my connection with God—through Scripture, prayer, worship, and obedience—the Holy Spirit builds a heart of love. There is one thing that the human heart cannot resist—authentic love. Service rooted in genuine Spirit-produced love provides an effective invitation to the lost.

Conclusion

May the Spirit gives us the methods and the plans. But more than that, may the Spirit make us—with integrity, power, and love—to be the kind of people that God can use to reach this nation for Christ.

The Church. Some hate it. Others love it. Many misunderstand it. Almost all Christians worry about it. But there are four things that we know about the Church:

1. The favor and blessing of God is on the Church.

The Church is the visible expression of Jesus on earth. Paul describes it as the “body” of Christ. (Colossians 1:24) Jesus loves the Church so much that he died to create it. (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25) Sometimes we fret that “the Church nowadays has lost its way” and perhaps some local churches have veered off track. But if we can trust the love of God—and we can—then we maintain our confidence that the Lord who established this Church with his blood will continue to pour his grace upon it.

2. Jesus promised to build His church

“I will build my church,” Jesus proclaimed, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:19) The word picture describes a forward moving church overcoming every obstacle that its enemies helplessly place in its path. For two thousand years, opposing worldviews have taken aim against the church. Not one has succeeded.

3. Jesus is fulfilling His promise to build the Church

In the Assemblies of God alone, a new believer is added every twenty seconds, and a new church is planted somewhere in the world every fifty-two minutes. In India, Assembly of God leaders and churches have engaged in what is believed to be the largest single church planting initiative in history. They will train 30,000 pastors to plant 25,000 house churches by 2020. The conservative estimate of leaders in India is that 625,000 new believers will result.

4. Every believer belongs to the Church

“Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 CEV) The Church is expressed as a local church. No, a perfect local church does not exist; humans bring human brokenness to the church. But it is in our life together that we find a path to wholeness in Christ. You need a church, and a church needs you.

Wow, what a winter we are experiencing! While large parts of our nation have endured a historically cold and wet winter, other parts, including the southwest, have been unusually dry and warm. The snow, ice, and rain continue to fall in some places while a streak of 70 days with no precipitation was just ended this weekend in Phoenix. In our travels, we have experienced some of both extremes. Some like it hot, others like it cold, but we have all been reminded that we cannot control the weather.

Nature reminds us that we encounter seasons in our lives. And, they are mostly out of our control. But each season prepares us for the next. The winter snow provides the moisture needed by the summer crops. In turn, we are sustained through the winter and spring by the fall harvest. In the same way, each season of our lives prepares us for the next opportunity that God has in store for us.

Our sense of anticipation grows stronger every day. Windows of opportunity continue to open around the world and in the U.S.A., and we are eager to get to work at the International Offices of Global University. But, we have embraced the deputation season of our ministry. A strong network of prayer support and financial provision will sustain us as we equip a new generation of Spirit-filled leaders in the years ahead. What a joy it has been to meet so many pastors and visit incredible churches that are engaging the harvest in their communities and around the world.

We thank the Lord that our financial support is growing, and we hope to be fully in place soon. The unique training ministry of Global University has been raised up for this time. Thank you for praying for us and for your faithful and generous financial support.