Unashamed
By Karen Brown
Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
The Bucket Ministry has been in over 20 countries the past few years. Some of these countries are fairly open about receiving the Gospel, while others are strict. Our partners in these countries sometimes put themselves in danger, based on where they are going. Some areas persecute Christians. Some of our partners have been threatened in the past.
But through the water filter and by God’s Grace, our partners have not had many issues. Because clean water is such an important health issue, many of these communities are willing to allow the Gospel to be preached because they want clean water.
Even so, many of our partners have proved they don’t care if they are persecuted or not, based on their life prior to partnering with TBM. They boldly go forward and unashamedly tell about Christ.
In November, TBM will be visiting a new country-Nepal. This country is more dangerous as it is illegal to proselytize. We are in constant prayer about this trip, asking for God’s guidance as well asking Him to go before us to prepare the way and the hearts of the people.
Even with the threat of jail, or worse, both TBM’s partners and field teams are moving forward with Christ’s direction of going and telling all the world about Christ (see Acts 1:8). We are part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
I want to encourage you to also be a part of this fellowship in your own communities. I personally find it harder to talk to my neighbors about Christ who will see me every day than to go to a remote area. But I am still asked by Christ to tell. I try to do better, but I do fail in this task often. But as Christians, we should be a part of the Fellowship and tell our neighbors about Christ unashamedly.
So what is this Fellowship that I’m talking about? It’s a statement written about following Christ. There are different stories on who wrote it, but one tells of a Rwandan man in 1980 who was told by his tribe to either renounce Christ or die. He was given a day to think about it in jail. That night, he wrote The Fellowship of the Unashamed, and the next day he refused to renounce Christ and was killed.
Although this statement is not from the bible, I encourage you to read it with an open mind and heart. Consider what the author wrote, just as Paul wrote to the Romans, and commit to being part of The Fellowship of the Unashamed.
The Fellowship of the Unashamed
I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.”
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.
*The Fellowship of the Unashamed was found at https://www.gospeltruth.net/unashamed.htm.
