“Changing Methods, Same Message”
By Nicole Boyd
Recently I’ve been reading about the circuit riders in my AG History and Governance Course and it struck me what a sacrifice their lives were. But we’re called to nothing less in our day and age. It may look a little different, but we are all called to lay our lives down for the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As I read about these brave men who laid their lives down to make sure the Gospel was spread into places where no church—and usually no pastor—was available, I was awestruck by what they endured. These men lived out of their saddle bags, often riding circuits that took six weeks long to complete, preaching the Gospel to small pioneer towns that otherwise would not have had access to a pastor or fellowship with other believers. Many of these men had careers as circuit riders no longer than two years because of the immense physical strain—and most of them did not live to see age thirty.
From the October 12, 1867 issue of Harper’s Weekly, drawn by Alfred R. Waud.
It would be easy to romanticize the lifestyle—sleeping under the stars and really getting to experience the beauty of the American pioneer days, but it wasn’t all flowers and rainbows. It took grit and stepping out in a new avenue to see the Gospel spread to these far-flung places. These men had such a passion to see the Gospel spread through the regions of the fledgling United States, to give others the opportunity to hear the Good News and see lives transformed by the power of the Word and the Spirit, and many gave their lives to see it happen.
It got me wondering, what can I give? Sometimes it feels like there is nothing adventurous or big to do for God anymore. But the opposite is true. The message and power of the Gospel never changes, but the method may change over time. In our fast-paced world, it can be frustrating to have to change our methods every two to three years. But just like the circuit riders of old, we have to get creative with how the Gospel is presented and even the avenues through which we do it.
For some, the internet and social media may seem like more of a curse than a blessing. And while it’s true that the personal touch is lost in so many ways, that is where our young generations are spending a significant amount of their time. What can we do to reach them, a population in which statistics show only 4% have a Biblical Worldview? But this is also true: Jesus came for them. And we can’t let them fall by the wayside.
And it’s not just the youth that need Jesus. There are lost and dying people in every generation and age bracket. Rather than writing off certain groups of people, why not find creative ways to reach out?
You may be thinking, “What can I do? I’m not a YouTuber. I’m not a social media guru. I don’t have the skills to reach everyone!” It can seem daunting to try to think of ways to reach the world with the Gospel message. I’ve often felt the crushing weight of responsibility, only to be frozen in inaction. However, the Lord has recently been challenging me with this question: “What’s the next right thing?”
What is the one step I can take today, combining the creative gifts God has given me to reach the lost? Just like the story of Elijah and the widow woman in 1 Kings 17, she gave what she had in her hands—a measly measure of flour and a few drops of oil. She gave it all to the man of God, what was supposed to be her last meal for her and her son before they died. Because of her obedience, God blessed her with a never-ending supply of flour and oil that saw her and her son through the famine.
Here is the amazing thing about the God we serve: He takes what we have in our hands, surrendered to Him in obedience, and multiplies it beyond our wildest dreams!
So what do you have in your hands? Maybe you are a mechanic and can help fix someone’s car. It could be your open door to share the love of God with them! Do you bake sourdough bread like a boss? Make a few loaves and take it to your local nursing home (and also bring some to yours truly) and see what kind of doors are opened into your community!
““We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 14:17-21 NIV
I see two things here:
First, we often negate what we already have in our hands. We say things like, “I’m only a mom. I’m just a bus driver.” In the hands of the Lord, you are never just anything.
Second, Jesus gave thanks for the little lunch before he gave it to the disciples to distribute. Be sure you're giving thanks on the right side of the miracle.
Just like the circuit riders, we may have to change our methods to get the message out. But rest assured, it’s the same message that Jesus came to preach over 2,000 years ago.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Thankfully, He didn’t send us out with no authority. Because we have authority, we can go out and preach the Gospel. Let us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in the changing tides of trends and methods, always keeping the fire of our passion for Him and His Word at the forefront of our hearts and minds. We have been gifted with the greatest message the world has ever known! Let’s use our gifts to see it spread!