Share the Story

Many missiologists (academics who study Christian missionary work) make a distinction between “reached” and “unreached people.” For example, a missiologist would say that the American people are a “reached people” because there is a general knowledge of the person of Jesus and wide access to the Gospel. The people of Caracas would also be considered a “reached people” because of the general cultural awareness of Jesus Christ and the number of “believers” in the city.

Nevertheless, I have a hard time seeing this distinction as something Jesus Himself or even the Apostle Paul would approve of. I believe it is fair to make a distinction between cultures that have a large Christian influence and others that have none whatsoever. However, I believe to call a people group “reached” as opposed to “unreached” in a way minimizes the real need for mission work within that group.

One of the greatest joys in mission work is sharing the Story. The Good News of Jesus Christ is the greatest story ever told. Despite Venezuela’s rich religious history, there are many who do not truly know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Just this last week I had the opportunity to share the Story for the first time! It was not my first time telling the Story, but my friend here in Caracas had never heard the Story of Jesus! We began reading in the first chapter of Genesis about the creation, how God created the heavens and the earth and it was good. We talked about how we are created in God’s image. We also talked about the fall of man and the serious problem of sin. Then I shared with him about God’s great love, how He loves us so much that before the creation of the world, God made a plan to save us from our sins.

While we read these sacred texts together, my good friend kept saying, “wow! I didn’t know that!” I must admit, even I was a little bit surprised by his reaction to the Story! My friend grew up in a Catholic home and in a culture with many Christian values. But truthfully, his reaction is not very surprising! The truth is there are millions of caraqueños who do not know the Story!

Have you ever had the pleasure of sharing the Story for the first time? You do not need to go to a remote village in Africa or to the Ye’kuana people in the Venezuelan Amazon to share the Story for the first time! Look around you! Make a list of your friends who are not Christians! It is very likely that many of them do not know who Jesus truly is! Pray about it and make a serious effort to share with them the greatest Story ever told! Try it out! Remember, it’s one of the greatest joys of mission work!

I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the Story
Because I know ‘tis true;
It satisfied my longings
As nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story:
‘Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet;
I love to tell the story,
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story,
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest;
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long.

I love to tell the Story!
‘Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.

Catherine Hankey, 1866.