The Great Commission

Recently I was talking to a good friend of mine named Bruce Cole. Bruce is an avid outdoorsman who hunts and fishes and is really intent on conserving our natural resources. He is now in his late 50's and has been hunting and fishing since he was a young boy.

Bruce is a Christian and each year he hosts a big game feed through his church in Waterford, California as an outreach to non-Christian men who hunt and fish. The dinner is totally free and it draws about 100 men year.

Not long ago, he asked me if I knew why he hosts these game feeds for which he provides the meat out of his own freezer from his hunting trips. He explained that about 10 years ago he was out fishing on Lake Shasta with a friend of his in a boat. They were trolling for trout that day. His buddy asked him if he knew what the great commission is. At that time, Bruce, a relatively new believer said he did not so the guy explained that the great commission was given by Jesus and it instructs Christians to going to all the world to make disciples. The scripture reference is found in Matthew 28:16-20 and it states:

 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Bruce explained that this brief conversation inspired him to want to do exactly that and he felt that the big game feeds is a great way to share the gospel in a non-threatening environment. Many of those men would not step inside a church building, but the game feed is a way to bring the Gospel to these men. He then said, "Stan, you were that guy in the boat with me that day." Up until that moment, I had forgotten all about our conversation that beautiful fall day on Lake Shasta. His revelation brought tears to my eyes. I was amazed and grateful that such a small thing as me mentioning the great commission and what it was all about has blossomed into this great outreach.

The point is, Bruce did not hear this teaching from the pulpit. He heard it from his buddy out in the great outdoors and then he put it to use. I hope this illustrates the importance of us talking about God and what he has done for us. You never can tell how it's going to turn out. God uses us in very simple ways.

Comments

Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
April 10, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Bruce h said…
Nice story. Thinking about you tonight. Heard from Noonan you were in the hospital. Praying for you. Bruce Hendry
August 10, 2016 at 9:54 PM
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