I was born in South Korea and moved to Los Angeles when I was five. I remember wondering, “Is there a God?” You see, my great-grandfather was one of the first church planters in South Korea, but the gospel didn’t quite translate down the generations, so I grew up in a non-Christian home.
I didn’t get saved until I was 16, and it was in Mexico. I encountered God to the point where every longing and thirst in me finally made sense. When I came home, I just started to talk about Jesus. My father got saved, my sister got saved, my friends started to go to church.
But I never once thought I was evangelizing.
But I never once thought I was evangelizing. I never once thought, “Oh, this is my strategy. This is how I’m going to get people to Christ.” No, I was introduced to God, and he became my friend. And from that, my life exploded with evangelism. Because, you see, God is not just a divine being—he is a movement.
When you are in proximity with a mover, you become a mover. I’m a couch potato, but I married a personal trainer. Now I own a pair of HOKA running shoes. When you are in friendship with God, you start to move.
It’s one thing to love him, another thing to know him, and another to depend on him. But can you follow him? Because there is a difference. Have you ever tried to move with four little children at Target? You know they like you; you know they love you; you know they depend on you. But will they move with you? One’s trying to climb the cart. One’s trying to climb me. One’s trying to go to the baking aisle. One’s heading for the Legos in the toy section.
When you are in friendship with God, you start to move.
It’s one thing to know God and another thing to depend on him, need him, and want him. My kids love me, but they don’t know my will. They don’t know I want to go the cashier. They don’t know I don’t want to go all around Target to see the toys one more time. Are we willing to move with God? Do we take time to know his will? And are our churches willing to move with God? We could gather on Sundays, but what if God wants to move in a soup kitchen on Monday? What if God wants us to cross the street and minister to the mosque? What if God wants us to move into the foster care system?
In Acts 10:9–29, Peter is praying on a roof. He is hungry, and he is preparing food. But “while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.” He saw a vision where a large sheet was being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals. And a voice said, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter answered. “I’ve never eaten anything impure or clean.”
Peter wrestled with God, and God prepared his heart to move to the Gentiles. It was mysterious; it made no sense. But when Cornelius’s people knocked on Peter’s door, he was ready. And he stepped into a Gentile’s home, even though it was against the law of his people. Peter dwelled with God, and he was challenged to move. Although it was confusing, although it was uncharted territory, he listened, he wrestled, and he simply obeyed. And by stepping into Cornelius’s home, he released a movement among the Gentiles. He changed the trajectory of the Church forever, simply by being with God, hearing his voice, and obeying him when he said to move.
He changed the trajectory of the Church forever, simply by being with God, hearing his voice, and obeying him when he said to move.
Is your church walking in friendship with God? Are they more familiar with your programs than with Jesus? Is there space in the rhythm of your community to hear from God and move where he calls you to move? Are you willing to be inconvenienced and interrupted to go beyond the plan and the agenda?
Our Christian walk cannot culminate in merely our own enlightenment and betterment. God loves to sit with you. He loves to heal you. He loves to sanctify you, protect you, and forgive you. But you will be missing out on another depth of friendship with Jesus if you do not move with him. And we must move until the trumpets blow.
This article is one of many articles on evangelism from our Lost Cause: Reviving Evangelism library of resources, plus multiple other FREE evangelism resources including our 2023 Digital Access Pass, webinars, and more which you can view here.
