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From David Brickner
➤ Read David Brickner’s account of an unsung hero
Have you noticed how superhero action thriller movies burst onto local theater marquees each and every summer?
Today’s culture cultivates hero worship—if how we spend our time, money, enthusiasm and emotions is any indication of worship, that is. From film stars to sports stars to food network stars and more, it’s easy to fix our attention on celebrities whose super stardom is so appealing, so unlike our ordinary lives.
And yet, God’s heroes are often just the opposite. The heroes of our faith are likely to be misfits, unpopular, or just plain ordinary people who end up accomplishing extraordinary things for God. I have been looking at the life of John the Baptist, one of those unsung heroes of the faith. His example challenges us to live heroic lives for God.
The third chapter of Luke opens by enumerating seven political and religious leaders of the day—these are the famous and powerful folks, the ones whose images appeared on coins and on statues adorning the city buildings. Then, in starkest contrast, we’re introduced to John the Baptist.
The first thing we learn is that John is ministering out of an unconventional place. The Word of God came to John in the wilderness, in the desert. The Dead Sea region was a dry, dusty, barren place. Not only is John’s ministry in an unconventional place, but he is also an unconventional person.
To say that John was eccentric is being polite. He was strange. He was weird. He wore camel’s hair clothing and a leather belt. Not the kind of fashion that you’d see on any runway, or even in a retail catalog.
John purposely tailored his attire to set himself apart from the convenience and comfort of a normal life; his life and demeanor accentuated the message he was proclaiming. So his preaching was (you guessed it) unconventional.
John was teaching that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Because of that pressing reality, he urged the people to repent of their sins. Jewish culture included ritual bathing, even immersion. But along with commentator F.F. Bruce and others, I see John’s baptism as a new ritual, related to Jewish baptism for Gentile proselytes.
Imagine John telling his Jewish audience to convert just like a Gentile would. This is not only unconventional, it’s no doubt unpopular. It’s not the way to win friends and influence people. John is not practicing friendship evangelism here. He’s delivering an urgent message to whoever will listen.
And look at the results. “Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to Him, and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:5-6). Despite John’s strong and confrontational tone, people were flocking from Jerusalem to find out what was going on.
If John’s crowd-drawing ministry were occurring today, perhaps reporters and political hacks would be scrambling for tidbits of background about John, the son of Zacharias. Maybe agents would be offering him book or movie contracts. Advertising executives might try promoting a new line of camel’s hair clothing. Locusts and honey would become the latest craze in the hippest nightspots of Jerusalem. What an opportunity! Grab the spotlight, here’s your chance, John.
What does John do? He unselfishly points to Yeshua. “I indeed baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:11-12).
And that’s what truly heroic ministry is all about, isn’t it? Pointing away from ourselves, and to Jesus. How many ministers began preaching Christ and ended up preaching themselves? Later we see John’s disciples complain to John that all the people who were following him were now following Jesus. John surprises them by responding, “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
Oh, if we could just say that and mean it and live it each and every day! “He must increase, but I must decrease.” And John did decrease, didn’t he? In a moment, he was off the scene. At the end of his life we find him imprisoned, discouraged and uncertain. The crowds have left, just a few faithful disciples remain. Then, finally, his head is severed from his neck, at the whim of a drunken despot, a vengeful adulteress, and a shameless adolescent.
How humiliating! Is that what we get for committing to unselfish ministry? Maybe, but remember what Jesus said of John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:7-9, 11). I find Jesus’ words very challenging.
John’s example inspires me to regularly examine myself, to see if I might be missing something of the power of God and the presence of God, because of the conveniences and the conventions of this world. Will you examine yourself along with me?
Do we spend more time honing our convictions or hanging on to our conveniences?
Do our lifestyle and our location emphasize the authenticity of our message? Do we spend more time honing our convictions or hanging on to our conveniences? Do we surround and protect ourselves with comforts that might take the edge off the urgency, the power of our message?
How and where we choose to live, how much we allow ourselves to indulge our own preferences, can reflect our understanding and our undertaking of life lived to honor the Lord.
It’s great to have a winsome witness and to find tangible ways of extending concern to those we want to reach. Yet, if we want to make a difference, we need to be just as willing to confront, to call people to repentance. As believers we’re meant to be countercultural because our message is counterintuitive to the world around us. And if we are successful, it is God they will see, and we may fade from memory. This was the unconventional approach of John the Baptist.
- D.L. Moody once said that one may easily to be too big for God to use, but never too small.
He must increase, I must decrease. What would the church of Jesus Christ be like if we held to this creed? What cooperation would flourish between ministries, churches and individuals, if no one cared who got the credit or the most resources or the best people or the biggest name? He must increase and I must decrease. May God grant us the courage to be that kind of people, to have that kind of ministry. Unconventional, uncompromising, unselfish—all so that He might increase, we might decrease and people might be won to the Savior.
David Brickner is also an author, public speaker and avid hiker. For more about David, his writings, speaking schedule and possible availability to speak at your church, see http://www.jewsforjesus.org/david-brickner.
➤ Watch David’s update, pockets of anti-Semitism will not prevent outreach
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Praise and prayer request from Israel
Praise And Prayer Request From Israel by Jews for JesusTop Stories
Praise and prayer request from Israel
A couple of months ago our Russian-speaking Israeli team handed out Passover-themed gospel broadsides. The last line of the pamphlet invited: "If you want to receive the eternal redemption that Yeshua gives, please write or call us."
Praise God, the team just received an email from “Avi” who said, "I want to receive the eternal redemption that Yeshua gives."
Maybe Avi has been considering the matter for two months. Or maybe he stuck the pamphlet in his pocket and only recently looked at it. Possibly someone else took the tract from us and passed it along to Avi. Our Russian-speaking team will find out soon enough. Meanwhile, please pray for Avi, that he will be willing and able to meet with us, and will indeed find redemption in Yeshua (Jesus).
Gospel outreach in Zurich!Download
Gospel Outreach in Zurich!
Stephen Pacht (who leads our work in Switzerland) and Aaron Lewin (from our Essen, Germany team) recently co-led a four-day outreach on the streets of Zurich. Campaigners received contact information from ten Jewish seekers and thirteen Gentile seekers who want to know more about Jesus, as well as 21 Christians who would like to know more about our ministry.
Stephen says, “The team’s unity and enthusiasm were evident throughout the campaign, as was the strong support of the two churches who hosted us. Our “home base” was a church in Zurich-Wiedikon, the main Orthodox Jewish area. The pastor, Steffen Denker and his wife, Heidrun, were very involved in the outreach. Heidrun provided most of our meals during the day. Steffen and his associate, David Bagdasarianz, took part in much of the outreach. Our accommodations and evening meals were provided at a modest rate by the Midnight Call, a church and ministry in the suburbs.
“David B. is following up a very open college-age Jewish seeker who lives in Zurich. I received contact info from an Israeli Hebrew teacher who lives in Zurich with his Swiss Jewish wife. Aaron connected with an Israeli whom you can read about below.”
Aaron reports: “As I was checking up on my team members, I found two of them talking to a young man. As I approached, I found out that he was Israeli, like me. We started talking and got on really well. He was struggling to understand why there is so much anti-Semitism in the world, and I explained that we won’t understand until we look at the spiritual level. I was then able to share the gospel with him. He was very open, gave me his contact details and told me to visit him in Tel Aviv when I next go!”
The brothers and sisters who hosted us are eager for us to return to Zurich for another outreach. Stephen and Aaron are thinking about possible dates to return next spring. Please pray for fruitful follow-up with the seekers we met in Zurich, and for God’s leading as we consider our next outreach there.
Published on Wednesday, 17 June 2015 10:26 (May contain information that is dated.)
This week-by-week prayer calendar will help you pray for most of our summer outreaches world-wide in
“real time.” However, due to opposition we would rather not announce the actual dates or place of our
Behold Your God (BYG) Israel campaign. So you’ll find the team’s specific requests in the first week of July,
regardless of when that particular campaign is taking place. We appreciate your prayers for this strategic
outreach, and know that our eternal God who hears our petitions before we even speak them will answer
your prayers for BYG Israel in just the right time!
Week of June 28
Moody training in Chicago continues through July 3; please pray for the team to enjoy one another
and to gain insight and vision that boosts their enthusiasm for the work of the gospel among Jewish
people. Pray for open hearts as trainees go out on the streets of Chicago to practice evangelistic
techniques they are learning.
Berlin campaign continues; please pray for strength and discernment for the leader, Leonid
Dolganovsky, and for Irina Voladarska who is assisting him in leadership and also serving as chief
steward. Pray for creativity on the streets and unity among campaigners so we can turn Berlin upside
down for the gospel!
London campaign continues; please pray for the grand opening week of our book shop in London,
(starting July 1) and for the events that we hope will draw Jewish people who live in the area. Pray
for God’s spirit to open the hearts of many in London to our message and please also pray for our
chaplain, Alison Barnett, as she cares for the spiritual needs of the team.
Moscow campaign is still a few months away, but now’s the time to pray for team leader Maxim
Ammosov and his second, Ilya Khaimovich, as they are still recruiting and raising funds for September.
They are hoping to recruit a team of 30 people.
Israel: Pray for final preparations for our Behold Your God (BYG) Israel campaign; that we will have
good participation from local believers, that leaders Vladimir Mitnitsky and Alexander Adelson will
have wisdom and creativity, both for final preparations and throughout the campaign. Pray for
campaigners to be spiritually prepared, i.e., ready to give their testimony, ready to be bold but humble
in the face of opposition. Pray for open hearts among Jews and Arabs, and that many will receive the
gospel and/or want to learn more; and that there will not be conflicts with Hamas in the area. Please
also pray for fruitful follow up!
Week of July 5
Moody training (Chicago) ends July 3; please pray for everyone to utilize what they learned; pray
especially for the three who will be moving on to our New York Summer outreach, that they will be
confident and eager to join the rest of the team.
Berlin campaign continues; please pray for many Jewish people to give us contact info to hear more
about Jesus, also for our Internet connection to hold up (we’ve had problems in the past).
London campaign ends July 8; please pray for campaigners to finish joyfully, and for fruitful follow-up.
Pray for continuing interest in our new book shop to become a dynamic part of our ongoing ministry
in London.
July summer evangelism prayer calendar
Leonid Dolganovsky
Irina Voladarska
Maxim Ammosov
New York outreach training begins July 6; it’s really a mix of training and on the job outreach. Pray
for campaigners to be bold in engaging people in conversation, especially during less “traditional”
outreaches such as handing out cold brew iced coffee “Brews for Jesus”; please pray for our support
team: chief steward, Reggie Douglas, our chef, Arun Gaddum, and our chaplains, Aaron and Rachelle
Trank. Pray for them to have health, strength and spiritual fortitude to care for the campaigners.
Toronto Pan Am outreach begins July 10; pray for campaigners to arrive safely on the 9th. Pray for
Karol Joseph, our chaplain who is flying to Toronto from London after leading the campaign there.
She will need health, energy and quick recovery from jet lag. Pray for Laura’s teenage daughter
Simona and her friend Naena as they help with stewarding tasks, that it will be a faith-building and
joyous time for both of them as they minister and take on responsibilities.
Week of July 12
Berlin campaign ends July 12; please pray for us to finish strong for the Lord! Pray for many new
Jewish and Gentile followers of Yeshua as a result of this campaign. We don’t have a branch in
Berlin, so pray for believing partners to be enthusiastic with following up seeker contacts.
New York outreach continues; please pray for many people to stop and talk with us, particularly Jewish
people who are willing to hear more about why we believe in Jesus; pray for Amer’s wife Paige that God
will make the work of caring for their four kids light while Amer is fully invested in the outreach.
Toronto Pan Am outreach continues; please pray for team unity, boldness on the streets, favor with
the authorities and flexibility to adapt depending on what we learn about the different events and
venues. Pray for local volunteers to find time to join us, despite the every day responsibilities they
have; pray that the local anti-missionaries will not be able to thwart our ministry, and that any
attempt to do so will work in our favor.
Budapest campaign will have a month-long ad campaign that starts before the actual street
outreach; our slogans will appear on buses, trams, trolleybuses, plus inside the metro. The ads will
launch this week, on July 15. Please pray that God will use them to catch people’s eyes, and that
many seekers will use the contact info to get in touch with us.
Week of July 19
New York outreach continues through July 24; please pray many Jewish people will give us their
contact information and that conversations begun during the outreach will translate into fruitful
ministry as we follow up; pray that we will see many Jewish people we meet this summer become
believers in Jesus!
Toronto Pan Am outreach continues; please pray for energy and boldness for the campaigners,
for divine appointments, and for strength, energy and blessing for Clara, the hostess of the OM
missionary guest housing where the team will be staying.
Budapest campaign begins July 22; please pray for wisdom, creativity and grace for team leader
Ildikó Hajdu and for Kata Tar, her second; please pray that many people will see our ads and stop
and talk to our campaigners. The team has set a goal of handing out 250,000 gospel tracts; may the
Lord grant it!
Week of July 26
Toronto Pan Am outreach ends July 24; please pray for the team to finish strong and for fruitful
follow up with the many seekers we pray will give their contact information.
Budapest campaign continues; please pray for campaigners to be bold and filled with God’s love
for the people they meet, and that people will continue to see our ads and want to talk to us about
Jesus. Pray for many divine appointments and that we’ll have the joy of seeing Jews and Gentiles
come to faith in Jesus.
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About RealTime
RealTime delivers breaking news and views on Jewish evangelism, as well as inspiring perspectives from executive director David Brickner. Check back often for the latest updates. You'll find reasons to praise—and opportunities for prayer.
Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus
Your financial support, prayers and willingness to spread the Word make the work of Jews for Jesus possible. Please consider giving now to help share the gospel and introduce Jewish people to their Messiah. Thank you!
Become a partner today
Follow Jews for Jesus
About RealTime
RealTime delivers breaking news and views on Jewish evangelism, as well as inspiring perspectives from executive director David Brickner. Check back often for the latest updates. You'll find reasons to praise—and opportunities for prayer.
Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus
60 Haight Street
San Francisco, California 94102 United States
Phone 4158642600
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