An Open Letter to Laodicea

Save Our Students
Fall 2023

A man pointedly questioned our going outside a high school to offer the evangel message of salvation through JESUS Christ. Indeed, a number of people have questioned it, but one in particular questioned, and in such a way as to be clearly suggesting that we ought not continue going. A visiting brother was astounded by this and wondered who this man was, wrongly concluding that he must certainly not be a supporting collaborer.

We had begun praying concertedly regarding this specific outreach venture back in July, and we have continued to increase in specific and intentive prayer in all our prayer groups regarding this exact evangelistic outreach since then.

We station ourselves on God’s ground and graciously offer free bibles and sound biblical tracts along with free friendly conversations and discussions. We are gentle toward all, and we are not of those who spew hatred, anger, vitriol, who incite division or political agendas. We do not tolerate such people to be among our own numbers. We extend the WORD of life with grace and peace. We hold out the words of truth, of hope, of forgiveness and salvation by grace through faith in JESUS alone. We declare the grace of God boldly, and we answer with gentleness and respect. By God’s great grace and favor, He grants that we experience the favor of both God and man and walk in peace with outsiders.

So, here is a question. Do you have a 15 year old son? Do you have a high school student? Do you know anyone who does? If not, imagine what it would be like, and then consider some further thoughts. Are these students born again? Are you sure? Are you upset that they are born again? Do you think they are too young to be born again? Are they too young to hear the good news of JESUS? Do you truly believe it is wrong to offer the good news of salvation outside a high school? Are you afraid? Maybe a little? Or a lot? Do you have some fear of man? That is understandable. This is a very common ploy of Satan. Of course, you do not believe it is wrong to offer salvation by grace through faith in JESUS to high school students.

So, here is another question. Who will go? Oh someone else will go. Who? There is another way to do this. Oh, how? And when? Where? There are students sharing the good news with their fellow students. That is true, and that is wonderful and amazing. It truly is. We are praying for these students. We are meeting with these students. We are encouraging and supporting and networking and collaborating with these students. This is God’s community. This is not any one of our exclusive community. This is not my community or your community. This is God’s community, and only because of that, this is our community.

Friends, keep in mind that there are 1000 and more reasons not to do what JESUS commanded. There 1000 and more reasons not to go, not to go into the street. There is a lion in the street. There are people who do the works of their father the devil. There are people who falsely accuse brothers in Christ. There are pushy people who push their own agenda and make themselves adversaries of the Holy One and His ambassadors. There are lazy people and there are mere talkers.

Consider this also: it is one thing to agree with something when it is stated. It is another thing entirely to declare that thing yourself of your own initiative without any provocation. And then an entirely different category is action. Action and verbal assent are two entirely different things. We know that it is not those who merely say, LORD, we obeyed You whom JESUS will commend before The Father. Rather, JESUS clearly said it is those who do what He commanded whom He will commend before The Father.

So do not go if you are not born again. Do not go if you have not experienced the life altering grace of JESUS the Messiah. Do not go if you have not truly experienced the transforming power and sacrificial agape love of the Almighty Father through our great God and Savior JESUS Christ. Do not go if you have hatred in your heart toward your brothers, toward your sisters. Do not go if you do not care about the eternal destiny of thousands of lost souls.

Do not go if you have your own agenda. Do not go if you have alterior motives, though we will still give thanks to God if you do hold out the true evangel of salvation whether by pure motives or ill. But do not go if you love to argue. Do not go if you are pushy. Do not go if you are possessive or domineering or hateful or angry or political. Do not go if you think you are strong or if you are not filled with the Holy Spirit of God and His holy anointing and grace.

Do not go if you are an accuser of the brethren. Do not go if you have fear of man or have not counted the cost of discipleship. Do not go if you do not truly know that JESUS is the resurrection and the life. Do not go if you are playing games or are just a nominal Christian. Do not go if you do not even know what the evangel is or what discipleship is. Do not go if you think the evangel is about America or about being a good person or about going to church or winning arguments.

As a matter of fact, on second thought, please do not go. These and 1000 other things we experience every day among those who are within and those who are without only skim the surface of the opposing positions, hindrances, lies and deceptions of ideas falsely called science and of those with a mere form of godliness denying the power thereof.

Do not go.

First, repent and turn to God for the remission of your sins. Weep, mourn and wail for your misery has come upon you. Turn to God, and be saved. Call on Him, and He will answer you. Then, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be washed with the pure water of the WORD.

Then go.