You are on this page because you have been asked to participate in the Super Bowl Outreach. Someone has deemed you worthy of heralding the great gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, whether it is through preaching, tracts, one on one conversations, a prayer stand, or whatever means.
Now you have a decision to make. Over the years, it seems many people have expressed the same concerns:
- “I can’t afford it.”
- “My wife won’t let me.”
- “Oh what about the weather?”
- Are the accommodations nice?
- “I cannot get off work.”
I want to back up a step, and then give you some ways to consider this choice.
Let’s start by establishing a few facts:
- Lost sheep are only found through the hearing of the gospel of Christ.
- There are plenty of lost sheep in the USA, including and particularly the Super Bowl city.
- Lots of lost sheep (maybe over 1,000,000 people actually) will travel to the Super Bowl city.
Having agreed upon those facts, it is now incumbent upon you to decide how you will participate in the great commission at the Super Bowl. You can ‘do nothing,’ although I don’t recommend it. I hope you’d at least pray, and if you will not maybe help finance others going (let me know if you want to do this).
But you are here because someone wants you to GO. So you, like so many others, have a list of reasons why you cannot go. But I want you to think about it this way.
- God CAN afford it if it’s His will.
- God CAN change your wife’s heart.
- God controls the weather. Maybe he wants you to be too cold or hot and even afflicted?
- God CAN protect your job and turn your employer’s heart.
Here is the action you ought to take. Forget all these excuses reasons for a few days and simply go to the Lord in prayer. Pray to the Father through Jesus Christ and ask Him to give you a heart for the gospel to go out at the Super Bowl. Ask the Lord if it is His will that you go, that He would give you a sense of commitment and that He would provide.
Commit to me, or to whomever invited you, that you will honestly answer the question, “Do you want to go?” Assume money is not a factor. I want to know your will. Would you like to go if God provided the funding? Assume God will change your loved one’s hearts. Would you like to go if God did that?
I have seen remarkable works of God over the years as He has provided for His children. I have seen money pour in to cover costs from unpredictable sources. But it always came AFTER prayer and AFTER commitment to the cause.
Because God doesn’t always knock down all the barriers on our paths before we take the first step. Often we take steps in the direction we ought to go only to face obstacles, obstacles He has placed there in order to strengthen our faith. Obstacles are not a providential way of telling you, “Not this way, my child,” but often are a way of God saying, “You’re going to need to lean on me, my child.”
God has given you His Holy Spirit to dwell in you, aid you in prayer and a heart of flesh that is sensitive to His Truth. Pray earnestly, believing that God can do exceedingly and abundantly more than you can ask or think, that God would give you the COMMITMENT necessary for you to get His gospel to the Super Bowl city.
P.S. As far as the accommodations, they vary year to year. No one, including the organizers wants to be uncomfortable. We always try to find accommodations that are inexpensive, close to the ministry location and as comfortable as can be. But you will probably be sore after this trip. You will miss your own bed. Your body will ache. And maybe, just maybe, you will not have perfect physical comfort for a few days. If you have a real health concern which needs accommodated, talk to me or your team leader about that. The rest of you, frankly, consider if you need to toughen up a little. {he said in love} 🙂