Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ Through Your Life

The year was 1940. The French army had just collapsed under the siege of Hitler's onslaught. The Dutch had folded, overwhelmed by the Nazi regime. The Belgians had surrendered. And the British army was trapped on the coast of France in the channel port of Dunkirk.

Two-hundred and twenty thousand of Britain's finest young men seemed doomed to die, turning the English Channel red with their blood. The Fuhrer's troops, only miles away in the hills of France, didn't realize how close to victory they actually were.

Any rescue seemed feeble and futile in the time remaining. A thin British navy—"the professionals"—told King George VI that at best they could save 17,000 troops. The House of Commons was warned to prepare for "hard and heavy tidings."

Politicians were paralyzed. The King was powerless. And the allies could only watch, as spectators from a distance. Then, as the doom of the British army seemed imminent, a strange fleet appeared on the horizon of the English Channel: the wildest assortment of boats perhaps ever assembled in history. Trawlers, tugs, scows, fishing sloops, lifeboats, pleasure craft, smacks and coasters, sailboats, an island ferry by the name of Gracie Fields, even Endeavor came—the America's cup challenger, and the London fire brigade fire flotilla. Each ship was manned by civilian volunteers—English fathers sailing to rescue Britain's exhausted bleeding sons.

A lesson for believers

The parallel today is striking. For too long the paid professionals (ministers, missionaries, and full-time Christian workers) have unknowingly robbed laymen of the great privilege of leading others to Christ. But today, like the leaders of Britain, pastors and Christian leaders need civilian volunteers to sign up for a rescue effort of even greater magnitude.

For too long Christian families have compromised their message. When an opportunity arises for confronting a spiritual subject we squirm uncomfortably and mumble something about church (not Christ). We often go to great lengths to avoid asking another person about his eternal destiny and his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Read More