The Gospel speaks deeply to our hearts because it daily reminds us of the free grace, forgiveness and honour that is bestowed upon us. However, the Gospel can often feel “distant” from our day to day existence. We need to see and learn its relevance to our lives and ministry.
The WT Ministry Framework puts it this way: “The Gospel is how any and all spiritual change happens in the lives of individuals, groups, and institutions of people. Therefore, it informs every ministry and is our most fundamental point of reference and principle in every action, plan, and strategy. This principle, before all others, guides us in the decisions we make, the solutions we embrace, the way we conduct our ministries and our relationships with others.”
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to let several WT workers share how the Gospel is changing them, transforming their hearts in different ways and in different contexts. Here’s the first story of one WT worker’s journey:
“One day K. invited us to his grandmother’s birthday party. We would be the only non-family members there but that didn’t matter because we would be treated as one of them. I drove to the local grocery store, grabbed a gift for his grandmother and drove back to our apartment to pick up my wife and child. Then crash! To my horror, in my rushing, I crashed into a column in the parking garage. I was guilty. I was negligent in my driving. I ran upstairs and began to cry. I was ashamed. How was I going to show my face at the party? How was I going to tell my friend that I had damaged his beautiful, new car?
By now the party had started. I got the courage and called my friend. “I am so ashamed”, I started with, “I crashed your car.” Beautifully and gracefully my friend refused to shame or guilt me. He told me that it was his car, and he would take care of it. He refused to let me pay, knowing that I did not have the means, and forgave me the debt I now owed him. And then he began to plead, “Just come to the party. We want you here.” I deserved shame, and he gave me honor. In that moment I was reminded of the gospel.”
A question on which to reflect: What hope do we have in the Gospel that frees us to admit our wrongs?
Join us on the journey by sharing your story about the Gospel: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=E4rd-dxEeUymdtc3N8hETz_lXY4QRJ5ClTCIuVdURgFUQzFHUDI5U0w4SUFOQjY3QzQ3NUtXQjI0WS4u
Filed under: Godly living, Gospel, Holiness |
Thoughts Along The Journey 
What I love about this story is how this local friend expressed the gospel of Christ to our WT colleague–that is humbling, but also precious because we need the gospel as much as anyone we are training, discipling, or evangelizing.
In answer to your question, David, I can admit I’m wrong when I don’t have to be right because Jesus is the one who is right. I can admit my wrongs when I don’t have to be faultless because Jesus is my claim and boast, not my self-righteousness or reputation. That is true freedom.
I hope others will share their experiences in the link you provided!
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=E4rd-dxEeUymdtc3N8hETz_lXY4QRJ5ClTCIuVdURgFUQzFHUDI5U0w4SUFOQjY3QzQ3NUtXQjI0WS4u
Thanks Sean for adding your response to the question I raised in the post. Hope several of you will take Sean up on the idea of adding your experience in the link provide. It would be such an encouragement to see how others are experiencing the impact of the Gospel in their lives and ministries.