GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing)

Every believer sharing...Every person hearing

By Jerry Pipes, Prayer/Church Renewal team leader, NAMB

Last words are lasting words. Just before His ascension Jesus gave His disciples (that’s us) His most important assignment.

His present day followers were listening closely:

John recorded Jesus this way, “As my father has sent Me, so I send you.” (John 20:20)

In Mark 16:15, Mark provides the simplicity and urgency of Christ’s call, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Luke records the nature of message, “Thus it is written, that Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47)

Mathew writes in Matthew 28:18-20 what is generally referred to as the great commission, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you till the end of the age.” 

Luke helps his present-day contemporaries along with all future disciples understand the timing and inclusiveness of Christ’s plan in Acts 1:8, “After the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the age.”

The plan of Jesus was simple, JE Conant in his classic Every Member Evangelism puts it this way, “Jesus’ plan was the total saturation of the world with the gospel by the total mobilization of the church.” Every man, woman, teenager, and child on the planet would hear the claims of Christ from someone they know who is a Christ follower. Every believer has a Jerusalem—a street, block, and circle of influence.

Some present day believers question the “every member” aspect of the assignment, “wasn’t the assignment to be a witness given to the apostles, or the professional clergy of the day?”

Luke anticipated this obvious future objection, notice how Acts 1:8 begins, “After the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” Who is the text speaking of? Every one on whom the Holy Spirit comes—that would include every believer.

GOD’S PLAN FOR SHARING IS: EVERY BELIEVER SHARING…EVERY PERSON HEARING.

78% of unchurched Americans say
they are willing to listen to someone talk to them about Christianity 

Every believer
has a circle of influence. 

89% of nonbelievers say,
“I have at least one close friend who considers
himself or herself a Christian.”