What Will You Do?

Jessica Sanders
Dec 31, 2017
4 min read

Updated: May 31, 2021

I have been in ministry for three, almost four years. Often when I go somewhere to share, people come up to me afterward and tell me, "thank you for what you do!" I often do not know how to respond, but I usually say, "you're welcome." It's a humbling comment to receive because I'm just doing what I love. I am following the passions that the Father started to carve out in me almost 19 years ago. Sometimes people tell me, "I wish I could do what you do!" I tell them that they can, but they usually reply with: "oh, I can't leave my job...my family. I couldn't live overseas etc. I'll just live vicariously through you."

When I hear comments like this, my heart kind of drops, and I think we have misinterpreted the Great Commission somewhere along the way. "Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

Yes, we are called to go into all the nations, but one of those nations we are called to is the nation we live in! People have been misled to think that to be in missions/ministry, you have to live overseas. That is not always true. Some are called to live abroad and leave behind family & friends and adapt to another culture and a different language, but just because you don't move overseas doesn't mean that you cannot live out the Great Commission.

When I started this process, some people asked me why I wasn't pursuing ministry in the States because there is a need. My response to them was that I was going where the Father led me and, for the time being, that is other nations. I know the call that I have-- to reach out, equip, and be a voice for the voiceless-- is something that I cannot ignore, but I do see the need in my own country. I am not blind to it. And for those of you who do not feel the call to move overseas, I ask you this: what will you do? What will you do to be a voice for the voiceless in your own country? What will you do to equip those in need and reach out to those who need a helping hand?

As the year is coming to a close, I want to encourage you all--better yet, challenge you all--to let the Father use you in the New Year in a way that you have never been used before. Spreading the Gospel is both local and global.

Locally you can do so much! Here are some suggestions for you and your family as to where you can start reaching out to others in your own community:

Volunteer at a local shelter and commit to it! More than likely you will build friendships and be able to minister to the people that drop in. Then, during the holidays, serve a meal at that shelter.
When you clean your closets out during the spring and fall, have your kids go through their toys/books as well. Donate them to a shelter or a family in need. Connect with that family or shelter--don’t just make it a drop-off thing. Maybe you’ll end up starting a small group.
Reach out to a Veteran---this one tugs at my heart--befriend one. Mentor and disciple them.
Look into writing soldiers who are on active duty overseas.
Visit the elderly who are cooped up. Offer to go grocery shopping for them or take them to their doctor or hair appointment. Show them that someone still loves them.
See if you can start a Bible study on a local campus---middle or high school.
Reach out to the teachers. Deliver them coffee. Write them notes of encouragement. You never know how far a note can go.
Reach out to families whose kids have terminal illnesses or special needs. Make a Biblically-based support group for parents.
If you have overcome drugs or alcohol addictions, become a sponsor for someone who is going through AA or Celebrate Recovery. It’s definitely a commitment, but to walk by that person’s side on their road to recovery will be worth it.
Volunteer at a pregnancy center. Mentor a teen mom. Guide them in how to “train up a child in the ways that they should go.” (Proverbs 22:6)
If you live in a city with a high Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu population, etc., start doing prayer walks around the community. Create a mom’s group, craft or sports group, etc. Learn how to cook food from their culture and “break bread” together.
Sex trafficking is not just an overseas problem; it’s a local problem. It takes place in small towns too. Become aware. Educate yourself. There are many NGOs that work in this area. Some are: Rebecca Bender Initiative /Exodus Road (They are now based in the Americas and will soon be launching an online training program that you can take part in from your own home.) Unlikely Heroes / A-21 (They are international but have offices in the U.S. Cities near you may have the Freedom Fighters group that you can join. Or, you can find out how to start one in your own town!)

This is not an exhaustive list. If anything, I hope it sparks something in you to develop some outreach ideas of your own. I would love to hear your stories of how you’re impacting your communities. Because with each life that you impact, with each life that is changed, they, in turn, do the same. You never know whose life you may be affecting ---they could one day find themselves overseas serving others because someone first served them in their own nation.