At Redeemer Community Church we’ve identified seven practices of a disciple of Jesus that we hope to be true of each one of us in increasing measure. These are not practices we pursue for God’s love (we cannot earn nor deserve the love of God), but rather from God’s love poured out on us through the gospel of Jesus.

The first, Seek God. Second, Love Others. Third, Pursue Holiness. Fourth, Serve the Church. Fifth, Steward Your Resources. Now, Share the Gospel.

As He called some of His disciples Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 4:19) After His resurrection Jesus said at the end of Matthew, “Go therefore and make disciples…” (28:19); at the end of Luke, “repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations.” (24:47); at the end of John, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (20:21); and at the beginning of Acts, “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…” (1:8) It’s clear: followers fish.

• Live with Gospel intentionality in your various circles of influence to help others see, hear, and respond to the Gospel. The spheres of influence might include where you live (your neighbors), where you work (your coworkers and clients), and and where you play (your friends at the gym, the bookclub, etc.). Are there people far from God in each of these spheres of influence? 
• A good way to think about Gospel intentionality is living to B.L.E.S.S. others. Having identified the people far from God in your spheres of influence, (1) Begin with prayer: this is always the best place to start, (2) Listen: ask good questions and listen well, (3) Eat: practice hospitality on a regular basis—have them in your home or enjoy a good meal at a great restaurant, (4) Serve: find ways to meet the needs of these friends, and (5) Story: share your story and THE STORY of God’s love through Jesus! Learn more about this strategy HERE.
• Learn a simple yet solid way to communicate God’s love in the Gospel. Sonlife has a great blogpost that briefly exposes readers to a number of ways to share the Gospel like The Wordless Book by Child Evangelism Fellowship, the Romans Road, the Four Spiritual Laws, One Verse Evangelism, and more.
• Just as you seek to help those in your spheres of influence know about Jesus, help others around the world see, hear, and respond to the Gospel by becoming more and more involved in world evangelism. OMF International and the Perspectives Study Program encourage six ways people like you and me can get involved: (1) Learn about missions, (2) Pray for missions, (3) Go on a mission trip, (4) Send others who go, (5) Welcome internationals in your city, and (6) Mobilize others for mission. You can learn more about each of these HERE.

In his commentary on the book of Jonah, Man Overboard!, Sinclair Ferguson wrote, “He [Jonah] also learned that the pulse-beat of God’s heart has an evangelistic rhythm.” What’s the pulse-beat of your heart?