I grew up in the church. I went to Vacation Bible School every year. I was baptized and became a Christian when I was 7. I enjoyed reading the Bible and eventually went to a Baptist college. I joined a young adult church group and continued to grow in my relationship with Christ.
Even though I had all of these experiences in the church and with other Christians, I never learned how to share the Gospel with the non-Christian friends I had. I would answer questions now and again, but I was always awkward and uncertain of myself. I lead by example but never started religious conversations.
That began to change last year on a mission trip to Honduras. Two fellow team members were part of a movement called No Place Left. They taught our team a new way to share Christ. It was a simple tool, and I was fascinated by it, but ultimately, I stopped practicing and let that tool get lost in the recesses of my memory.
Fast forward to the pandemic. No Place Left continued their mission virtually and trained people online about these tools. The Bucket Ministry decided to participate. Because of the simplicity of the 411 tool, it is easy for both brand-new, day-old, baby Christians and those that have been following Christ for 70 years to learn how to share the Gospel. I was excited that Chris selected Jerry White and me as the two TBM team members who would study the No Place Left tools and begin training our in-country field partners.
Through No Place Left, we are now having our partners train new believers in their areas all about the 411.
But TBM did not want to stop there. The first words Chris heard from God on that Amazon trip in 2012 were “Help Them.” We not only want to help those in far away, remote areas of the world who do not know about Christ, but we also want to help the people in our community and in our lives.
That is why Jerry and I have begun teaching the 411 tools and the following Bible study to local TBM partners. We are excited to see where God takes the No Place Left Movement, not only around the world but in our hometown as well.
Not only have I learned how to share the Gospel, but I also now have a better understanding of why I — and other Christians — should share the Gospel. This training looks at Scripture every step of the way to lead us. I can now give my Testimony in less than 15 seconds, and I now know why that is important.
We would love to have many people join us as we begin new classes periodically. Please consider joining us on Monday, August 3, at 7 p.m. If you are interested, please contact me at [email protected] or Jerry White, [email protected].
by Karen Brown
