When we share, God uses our stories to grow the Kingdom
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. Matthew28:19-20
In Matthew 28:20, we are mandated to go and make disciples of all the nations. not doing this, we embody Christ in all our actions so that when people engage with us, they want the true life that lives within us. They need to be hungry for what sets us apart. We get to create moments to share stories that make us relatable. When people relate, they connect; that is where our opportunity lies in building the kingdom.
In my case, it was through sharing that I found my place in Tent.
In 2022, we decided to homeschool my daughter, but she struggled with her social life and connecting with other teenagers. I was also having a hard time myself, as I was on sabbatical and trying to figure things out alone. After a few months, my eldest son suggested I meet a friend's mother, who had been homeschooling her children for years. That meeting marked the beginning of a new journey for us. Rather than discuss how to integrate our homeschooling kids, we were invited to join a home church. Through sharing and participating in this community, I found my place in Tent. As they say in the movies, the rest is history.
Through these weekly gatherings of eating together and sharing fellowship, we found the living example of Acts 2:44: “All the believers were together and had everything in common”. I would love to say every conversation was easy, but it was where I needed to be to restore my relationship with The Father and the church. Not even two months after my first encounter with our home church, I was asked to help with the catering for an event; a few global partners were to present a first-time course on tentmaking in South Africa. Once again, sharing stories and fellowship, I found the next step in my journey. Today, I am not only a director for Tent South Africa, but I am also building a mentoring programme for South Africa to help people adjust to their new environment. We welcome people to our network and support them in living the Gospel in their workplace or study. And we do all this by sharing our experiences and stories to encourage them on their journey.
It is up to us to be the living embodiment of Christ. It is up to us to share our stories and experiences to grow the Kingdom. If we do not share, how will we reach the unreached?
Here are some prompts to get you started:
Who has played a significant role in your faith walk?
What challenges did you overcome in your relationship with God?
How has God used your experiences to bless others?
Choose a platform – a conversation with a friend, a social media post, or even a blog entry – and share your story.
Challenge
This week, we challenge you to identify a turning point in your faith journey. Was it a specific event, a person who impacted you, or a realization you had? Reflect on this experience and consider how sharing it could inspire someone else.
Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of community and the power of shared stories. We pray for courage to be open vessels, ready to share our experiences and learn from others. Guide our words so they may be a light for those seeking your love. Help us see opportunities to connect and build bridges of faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.