The Beautiful Feet of Gospel Proclamation

There's something profoundly counter-cultural about doing hard things. We live in an age where comfort and convenience have become, in many ways, a tyranny—lulling us into patterns of ease that slowly erode our spiritual vitality and Kingdom effectiveness. Yet the call of Scripture remains unchanged: believers are called to be bearers of the most important message the world will ever hear.

Plan A (There Is No Plan B)

The Apostle Paul presents a compelling chain of logic in Romans 10:14-18 that should arrest our attention: "How then can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?"

This isn't simply rhetorical flourish. It's a sobering reality check about God's chosen method for salvation. Throughout history and across every culture, God has sovereignly decided that the proclamation of the gospel—spoken, declared, shared from one person to another—is the primary means by which people come to saving faith.

We are Plan A. There is no Plan B.

Look around at your own salvation story. Somewhere in your journey, there was a voice—perhaps multiple voices—on the other side of your conversion. Someone got out of their comfort zone, overcame their fears, and shared the good news of Jesus Christ with you. Aren't you grateful they did?

Your Strategic Platform

God hasn't placed you where you are by accident. Your job isn't merely about a paycheck or retirement benefits. Your neighborhood isn't just where you happen to live. Your relationships aren't random coincidences.

You have been strategically positioned for Kingdom purposes.

This is much bigger than your hobbies, your career advancement, or your personal comfort. You have influence, relationships, and a unique platform that no one else in human history has ever had or will ever have again. The question is: Will you use it for His honor and glory?

Acts 1:8 makes it clear that gospel proclamation starts right where you are—with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. These are the people God has placed in your sphere of influence for such a time as this.

Overcoming the Fear Factor

Let's be honest: sharing the gospel is scary. There's a reason why many Christians adopt a "live it but don't say it" approach to their faith. We worry about being labeled. We fear rejection. We're concerned we won't have answers to difficult questions.

What about the dinosaurs? What about evolution? What about suffering? The questions can feel endless and overwhelming.

But here's the liberating truth: stick to the gospel. When you encounter challenging questions or attempts to derail the conversation, simply return to the core message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for sinners. God will work out the peripheral questions once someone comes to saving faith. Your job isn't to win every theological debate—it's to faithfully proclaim the message that has the power to save.

The gospel itself carries inherent power. It's not your persuasion skills, your sales pitch, or your presentation abilities that save people. It's the spoken Word empowered by the Holy Spirit that draws people to repentance and faith.

From Here to the Ends of the Earth

While gospel proclamation begins in your immediate context, it doesn't end there. The Great Commission calls us to "the ends of the earth," and there's something spiritually formative about stepping out of your cultural comfort zone to share Christ in difficult places.

Short-term mission trips aren't just about helping people "over there"—they're about what God does in your own heart when you say yes to uncomfortable obedience. Whether it's walking through red-light districts where sex trafficking is rampant, sharing Christ in Muslim-majority nations, or serving in impoverished communities, these experiences create spiritual markers in your life that change you forever.

Consider this sobering statistic: in Muslim contexts, research shows that it often takes an average of twenty encounters with Christians sharing the gospel before someone from a Muslim background comes to faith in Christ. Twenty times. If believers don't go, if we don't get out of our comfort zones and do the hard things, people will die without ever hearing the name of Jesus.

That reality should break our hearts and drive us to action.

The Patience of a Pursuing God

Romans 10:21 quotes God's words about Israel: "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people." This verse reveals something beautiful and heartbreaking about God's character—His patience in the face of persistent rejection.

Grace is resistible. People resist God's kindness all the time, all around the world. They cry, wanting to accept Christ but fearing the cost—loss of family, job, community, or even life itself. They say "maybe tomorrow" or "not yet," putting off the most important decision they'll ever make.

But God remains patient. Romans 2 reminds us that it's God's kindness that leads to repentance. He is long-suffering because He desires all to be saved and come into relationship with Him.

This divine patience should inform our own evangelistic efforts. Never give up on that family member who keeps rejecting the gospel. Don't stop praying for that coworker who seems hardened. Continue faithfully sharing with that neighbor who politely declines every invitation. God's patience with them should fuel your persistent, loving witness.

The Adventure of Obedience

Imagine standing in heaven one day when someone approaches you with tears of joy and says, "I'm here because you shared the gospel with me." You were the voice on the other side of their salvation story.

That possibility—that eternal reality—is available to every believer who will simply say yes to gospel proclamation.

It starts with doing hard things now. Fasting. Praying. Sharing your faith in everyday contexts. These spiritual disciplines prepare you for harder obedience later—perhaps even traveling to difficult places where the gospel is desperately needed.

The call is clear, the need is urgent, and the Savior is worthy. Worthy of your surrender. Worthy of your comfort being sacrificed. Worthy of you stepping into the adventure of gospel proclamation both in your daily life and to the ends of the earth.

As Isaiah wrote and Paul quoted: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."

Will your feet be beautiful? Will you be the voice on the other side of someone's salvation? The choice, and the privilege, is yours.