It’s About More Than Tracts // S02E07

Tracts—the leaflets we hand out with hope for someone’s salvation. Totally important, completely relevant. And yet, somehow so intimidating for many. We’re talking about The Great Commission and the many ways other than tracts it can manifest in your life when you let God work.

Revelation Verse-by-Verse Commentary

Here’s the one Michelle read that led her to Christ:
Discover Revelation

QUESTIONS WE TOUCH ON IN THIS EPISODE:

• What are you sharing?
• Are you sharing the gospel?
• Are you putting your comfort above all else?

VERSES FROM PRIDE’S MANY SIDES

Matthew 9:37-38, Genesis 1:27, Jeremiah 1:5, 1 John 4:19, 1 Peter 3:15, Corinthians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 1 Luke 14:26, Matthew 25:46, Timothy 4:5. 

QUOTES FROM PRIDE’S MANY SIDES

“When you are confident in Jesus, he starts changing you from the inside out. People will be able to witness on the outside. What’s changing on the inside in countless ways.”                                                                                                                               

Michelle Watson, The Pantry Podcast, S02E07, PRIDE’S MANY SIDES

“Go out there because you love him because you love him. And you want other people to understand what this love is.”

Shea Watson, The Pantry Podcast, S02E07, PRIDE’S MANY SIDES

Transcript

Shea: It’s awesome to be here. It’s awesome to just sit here with, with Michelle. What we’re about to talk about is a calling. I mean, it’s the calling, you receive Christ and it’s time to share. I mean, it is time to share.

Michelle: I know we’re supposed to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel, all creation.

Michelle: Some people might not even know what tracks are. But it’s right. I exactly, I think the same thing when I came to greater grace, they said, Hey, we’re going to do a track.

Shea: We’re going to pass out tracks. And I’m like, but really all it is is just a piece of paper that has a really cool, quick message that you can hand people on the street and, and just share the word of God with them. We are going to dig a little deeper than just the track.

Michelle: A lot of the time when people hear evangelism, they’re like, Oh, that’s not my thing. And one, I mean, we already quoted Mark 16, 15 to say that is all of our calling. But I think the reason they think it’s not their calling is because they have a limited notion of what it actually is. All those things that are first conjured up. We’re going to definitely cover that tonight. But we’re also going to talk about all the ways that you can walk in to the great commission

Shea: I’m telling you, there are so many ways that I’ve done it. I’m like, yo, this is hard. I think my hardest is knocking on doors. Oh, that’s my toughest. I don’t, I don’t know what it is. And it’s kind of funny when I see a no solicitation side, I actually think about putting one on my house. I’m like, Oh, I need one of those. So, but here I am and you know what? I still knock on doors. I still hang things on doors. I still go to doors, but that’s this thought I fight all the time. I like really why we share though, you know, let’s just get into that a little bit. In Matthew 9:37-38 it says, then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. We need to be laborers for Jesus. Why not? He is awesome. He, he has changed my life. He has changed your life. I can’t keep it inside everywhere I go. I know maybe, okay. Bible keycard or whatever. I don’t know, but I want to share Jesus. And maybe it’s the years of brokenness pain, searching, turning to other things and finally finding something that is solid.

Michelle: I was one of those people. When you say the no solicitation sign, I wanted to walk around with one hanging on my neck. And when I went to the university of Maryland, you know, right outside the student union, there was always someone with like a handout, sign this to stop this, sign this, to start this a, read this, or you don’t do this. You know, then so eventually you just duck down and run and you start saying, no, no, no. Having someone come up to me that never worked because I had this mindset already that I didn’t want to hear anything from anybody didn’t want it. Like, if you have to sell it on the street, it must not be that great. Right? Like that was my mentality. Back then, when you’re thinking about the great commission, he’s calling us to share him. And it’s like, no, when something’s great, people want to share it as social media has. I mean, it’s taken off in my lifetime and it’s taken off in all of our lifetime.

Michelle: If something is great, it is worth sharing. And so when it comes to Jesus or there there’s nothing better out there, it’s about going to him and asking, okay, what have you given me? What are my talents? What are my gifts? And how do you want me to share you? And it’s not always going to look the same at your calling. Might not just be door knocking a podcast. It’s going to look a lot of different ways for a lot of different people. That’s the whole point of this is kind of challenging ourselves to see it as, as a way of life, rather than just something you do. Sometimes

Shea: I like that we are all unique six and a half years ago, we would have never sat there and said, Oh, we’re gonna have a podcast. Cause we just didn’t understand. And what’s really cool also in this uniqueness, okay. Is he created us in his own image. This is God in Genesis 1:27. So my uniqueness, your uniqueness, he has all of these attributes because it’s his image. If we looked at Psalm 96 O sing to the Lord, a new song, sing to the Lord, all the you’re a sing to the Lord, bless his name, proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day, declare his glory among the nations, his wonders among all people memorize that verse and proclaim. Yeah. Knocking on doors. You know, handing out tracks, like you said is one way, but look, Michelle, you know, I can’t design, but let me tell you something.

Shea: Some of the designs that I bring to her and thought she whips them out, it makes the picture makes the image gets it done for me. I have different talents too. I mean, Oh my goodness. But everyone has that. Everyone has that uniqueness. I love it. Jeremiah 1:5, before I formed you in the womb, I knew you see, he knows what you have. He knows what you’ve been given and what he’s given you. I like that. What he’s given you now, when we turn over our lives to Christ, now you’ve just turned on the light switch. I mean, these are talented.

Michelle: This is the opener for several episodes in a row that are going to be spotlights and interviews with people who are doing more than tracks. Not that tracks are bad by any means, but they’re showing how you can go beyond that idea. For me, my testimony speaks to the, of diversity in the way we present our evangelism. And I didn’t want to hear anything. I didn’t care what it was. It could be something great that I really actually could benefit from. I wanted to find it on my own. Very prideful, very stubborn, right? God knows you. And he forms you himself in your mother’s womb. He had called somebody. I’ll actually find the links and everything and put them in the show notes. He called a man to annotate the Bible, add commentary line by line. I came to Christ through the book of revelation and it was confusing.

Michelle: At first I was trying to just read on my own. I was like, okay, I own it. I know at the time didn’t have the spirit. So how was I going to know what the heck revelation was trying to say by any means? And he’s walking you through line by line, referencing other areas of the Bible. It was made clear to me as I was reading what Jesus dying for my sins meant and how that plays in. And so I know I didn’t have to read the whole thing before I just stopped. I was sitting on the couch with the laptop on my lap. When I came to Christ, aside from the Lord, I was all alone. God used that man who obeyed and decided I’m going to help explain these more confusing chapters in books. That’s evangelism. That guy did something that he put the work into, but then bam, it was sitting there waiting for me. If you obey in those, in those moments, something you don’t even know is evangelism can become evangelism.

Shea: You know, I could go out a thousand times and if I take on that mentality, that it’s about me. Like I’m going to bring the right word. I’m going to bring this. See Michelle was sitting on the couch and the Holy spirit still struck out of revelation. I mean, that’s, that’s like, that’s like awesome. You know, when we talk to people, when we go out on the street, when we go out to share, what is the game? It’s not my game. It’s their game. Now I’m from Colorado. I’m the opposite. I will talk to anyone anywhere at any time I have no problem. And I actually thought it was the op I’m the opposite. I thought it was weird being out here. And you say, Hey, how you doing? And people duck their head and walk off. And I’m like

Shea: I’m still like, and it still happens just to let everybody know it hasn’t yet. I have not changed the East coast. But while I say this, the East coast has not changed me. Amen. And here’s the reason he created me a certain way. He’s like fire here, just fire, fire. And so when I go out though, I mean, he saved me from so much torment. One day I might write a book. Michelle always says it, but you know what? That’s not. What’s important. What’s important is the day that I carried my cross for Christ was the day that the elephant on my chest left me forever. I mean, even to this day, when there’s there’s tension, there’s trials or, or there’s tests or there’s conflict, I don’t feel that way. I don’t feel alone. I feel like, okay, I’ve got someone I can grab onto. And that’s what I want to pass on. So when I say what’s the gain, it’s it’s this love. See God loved us first. And we love because he loves us 1 John 4:19. I want everyone to hear this. This is, imagine if the world lived this way, the fruits of the spirit love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Imagine if the world ran off that algorithm

Michelle: All of these ways that we would be able to reflect God, rather than just talk the talk, but then people can easily point and say, well, you know, you Christians talk the talk a lot, but you don’t not walk the walk. And really when we’re not walking the walk it’s because we refuse to put ourselves second to God. We might be second, but it’s not to God for a slave to something else in that, in that moment, this is a time that’s very important because of everything that’s going on. And the word says, it’s just going to get worse because it’s supposed to cause revelation that book I read first, right? I read the ending first guys, but looking at it, we’re supposed to have an answer for anyone who asks for us to give the reason for the hope we have that’s in 1 Peter 3:15, it says, give the reason for the hope that you have, which means we’re living in such a way.

Michelle: People notice. We have hope. And they’re curious enough about this hope that sets us apart, that they’re going to ask about it. Walking in that hope is part of our evangelism. It’s opening doors for deeper conversations because in second Corinthians 5:20, it says we’re there for Christ’s ambassadors. As though he’s making an appeal through us, we need to be ready at any time. So we need to know some basics, but more than that, we need to live our life in a way that glorifies him rather than ourselves. And even if you started out for him, it’s really easy to lose sight. That’s when things actually become less fruitful because now I’m trying to operate in myself rather than in him. And something I thought of is even in America, there are differences, depending on where you live, there’s a benefit to evangelizing outside of your locale because you see things that they might be struggling with. Like you seeing how closed off and antisocial we are when we’re being looked at through a Colorado lens. Whereas here we think we’re pretty friendly people as long, if you get to know us, right? So all of these factoring in, if God calls you to move, move, if he tells you to speak, speak, because these are opportunities to evangelize without a track in hand,

Shea: Take up your cross and follow him. I mean, it sounds, it sounds simple, but let me tell you, even if it’s difficult, it’s beneficial. How would I ever love my neighbor? If I don’t pick up my cross and follow Christ, right? And that’s, and that’s telling me to the cross every day, my sacrifice to him, it’s like, here I am, Lord. Just change me. Use me, build me, show me what I’m doing wrong. And I like this 1 Thessalonians 4:4 that each one of you know how to control your own body. It says his own body. But anyways, your own body in holiness and honor, he is standing us up for greatness. He’s standing you up where the world doesn’t stick to you. Yeah. To where, when people come against you or don’t understand you or reject you or, or just push you away, you don’t care about it. You’re like, okay, because watch this. If I am in tune with Christ and I’m sharing Christ, they’re not, he says it. He says, they will not like you because of me

Shea: People who can give God glory, just do it. Like, and everyone’s like, why do you care so much about all getting all the scuffs up? Cause God would care. Cause I’m doing it for the Lord. You know,

Shea: Mama grace in Kenya at our church there, she just is there available. She cleans. I mean she wipes the chapel down before service. She wipes it down after service. I watched a homeless drunk guy come in off the street, fall asleep, soil himself, and mama grace was there to help him clean up. What kind of ministry did that do for him? Here was a woman selflessly serving. And that’s really where this comes in. Not just your ordinary track, but this idea that I am going to serve, that I am going to share that I am going to demonstrate and reflect and be an imitator of Jesus Christ because Jesus loved, cared, drove after people. I mean, come on, walk through some area. Oh, mind blown. That ain’t what you did back then. He did it. You know, pride, no pride came in. When they lowered the dude in from the roof, he was like, no. Okay, fine. Or when people come through for that, sir, no, let them come. Children push away. No, no. Bring the children. He was always there to share

Michelle: Been. So in that season that we were evangelizing every Wednesday, we invited people. It was kinda like an open invitation. So sometimes we had people. Sometimes it was just us. It was an awesome time. I remember several times when someone who was comfortable enough with us to try evangelizing for the first time would come with us. There were a lot of struggles that I had felt, but I was seeing them for the first time and that person, they would try to hand somebody a track and the person would just straight up walk by brush by bump into them on their way. But like just so done. And sometimes the person would be like, we’ll find in, want you to go to heaven anyway, like really worldly moments, rejection, stings, you’re doing everything you can to avoid the thing that happened to Jesus over and over and over.

Michelle: And so when we wouldn’t, when it comes at us, I think sometimes really well, God, why didn’t you favor me today? During a, like I handed out maybe three tracks, I was ignored by 50 people. Is this my calling? Maybe I’m not meant to do this when it’s like, okay, welcome to Jesus’s life. He pretty much guaranteed. Like you said, that we were going to be hated for his sake. But more than that, we have no idea what will happen for those three. We have no idea what will happen to the 50 who walked away. Sometimes the rejecting of a person moves somebody when they feel like, well, I just rejected that person. Maybe I need to check myself. Even if you just hand them something, it’s more than that. There’s prayer involved. But also in you, every act of evangelism, you’re also dying to yourself. Something because you’re not benefiting in any immediate way from doing it. You’re actually probably suffering a little depending. Like when we went down to Costa Rica for the first time, that’s a whole other episode, but I was struggling a lot because I was dying to self. There were things I wanted to do things I wanted to see things that were hard that made it feel uncomfortable. Evangelizing in Spanish. When I barely speak Spanish.

Michelle: all these things, it’s more than just tracks in what it can look like. But it’s also more than just visible action of doing it. It’s what’s happening on the inside. You really start to change when you start doing it, no matter how you choose to do it. And then the next time something else will get easier. It’s affected how we argue. It’s affected how we work together. It’s affected how we engage people. Even if we don’t bring up Christ, it’s emboldened me to just smile and make eye contact again. Cause you know, on this coast, that’s like a weird thing. Sometimes in some instances, you know, but I’m a lot more comfortable, loving like him because the other thing is, think if you have physical food and you’re offering free food to people and someone turns you down because you know food is good because you know, people benefit from food.

Michelle: If someone turns you down, you’re not going to feel haunted by it. Probably, you know, you’re going to be like, Oh, okay. I guess they didn’t want food. You’re going to be more focused on the people who want the food. And you’re going to feel good about being there because you’ve got food. If you can feel that way, that confidence, like I know I’m here with something good about physical food, about physical bread, right? Then how much more do we need to channel and own the fact that we’re coming with the bread of life, the living water, the cup that never runs dry. The basket that never runs out of bread and fish. We have Jesus Christ. So I don’t care if someone turns me down in the sense of I’m not going to take it personal. It’s not me. Maybe they don’t like my tee shirt. Maybe they’re busy on their way somewhere, but who cares? If anything I have yet another person that will be included nameless only in my end of the day, prayer. When I pray for everyone who walked by, that’s what the mindset we have to get it. You find a great sale. You text the people that would benefit. You love a food place. You’re going to bring other people to that food place. Next opportunity you get, get in the mindset that Jesus is better than the BOGO deal. The great new taco place and realize

Shea: La casita than pupusas. God’s better. But then that too

Michelle: I know. And how many people have brought there to talk about Christ?

Shea: It’s funny how you’re talking about this. Okay, here we go. Cause this, this is real world. Cause Shay jumped on this bandwagon and she was like, I want to do it to Costa Rica was me saying, she’s like, I want to go to closer. You guys, this is like straight up work. We’re just going to work. We’re not going to go. You know, what does those zip lines and all that other stuff. And we went down to evangelize and I was like, I just want to spend time with, with Brent and just move forward. Right. And she was like, in one of those back then she was, she was always under that. I don’t want to disrupt people and, and like right where you just said where you’ve come in all them years. Right. Disrupt them. Cause this is a message that matters. Right? I was, I was flipping and sometimes you’re just flipping and I love this 1 Luke 14:26.

Shea: And it’s going to be a little long y’all but Hey, just deal with me for a second. Cause this is awesome. If anyone comes to me, cause it explains the sacrifice that you’re talking about. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters. Yes. And his own life. Also, he cannot be my disciple and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost. Whether he has enough to finish it less after he has laid the foundation is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish or what King going to make war against. Other Kings does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000 or else while others is still a great way of, I know Islam. He says a delegation and as conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that. He has cannot be my disciples. We got to let go of some things. Y’all and then my last two, because I think this is like sums this up salt we’re flavored y’all man, better than Koolaid.

Michelle: Yes. There’s a shirt come in, flavored and favored. Okay. So get excited.

Shea: And it says salt is good. But if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for land nor washes for the dung Hill. But men throw it out. Who who has an ear? Let him hear, let him hear. We are speaking it today. Y’all sharing the word of God. But watch more importantly, we have all been given a talent. We’ve all been built uniquely. We have all been given something beautiful because God created us in his image and he breaks that off in pieces makes us one body so that we can support one another, but we’re flavored. We’re flavored. And if we don’t tap into this and if we don’t surrender and if we don’t just give it all over to him, look, he was hard. Hate your mother hates your father, hates your wife, hates your child.

Shea: Hate you. What? Hey, what? Because what it is is this is what makes it beautiful. When I put them this way for just a minute. Now get rejection. You know, Michelle is my cherry. I tell people this all the time, Jesus is my ice cream. I go for ice cream. Y’all and she’s a blessing to be the cherry on top. But what I’m saying is when we push that aside for a minute, we allow the love of God to come into us and rain man, the reflective love that goes out onto people is true. It’s it’s perfect. And in that, that is where this message is shared in that love because why we love them. The last hard verse, cause I love the hard verses and why the reason Matthew 25:46, and these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life, it’s life and death use your talents. Use your talents.

Michelle: Amen. Amen. I love so I’m looking at the comments and Fernando said exactly to change internally is the key. Step-by-step being confident in Jesus. And it made me think of this verse second, Timothy 4:5. And it says, but you keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist and discharge all the duties of your ministry. When you are confident in Jesus, he starts changing you from the inside out. People will be able to witness on the outside. What’s changing on the inside in countless ways. You can imagine. But in this verse it says endure hardship. And it pairs that with doing the work of an evangelist because it is hard. There will be the things that we’ve been talking about. There will be the fruits though, because after hardship comes fruits, but it says discharge all the duties of your ministry, get them out there, all the duties of your ministry, whatever that ministry is, let go of all the stuff you’re talking about. All the compromises that we’ve made really start submitting them to the Lord and letting him go. He will replenish you in ways we don’t even understand, but discharge all of your duties of your ministry, you know, and evangelizing that is, that is the duty

Shea: Man. Go out there because you love him because you love him. And you want other people to understand what this love is. Well, not there to beat them over the head and in religious tech, you’re there to actually to love them, to hear them, to see where they’re at and then share with them a way to fix it. Amen.

Michelle: I’m excited for people to hear the interviews coming up. If you have any questions, comments, prayer requests, you can put them on our Facebook page or Instagram podcast or go to our website, pantrypodcast.com, where you can do all of that. Listen to episode subscribe, and you can support our ministry with our merch store. So all those things, exciting things are all there for y’all to connect with us, which we love until next time.

KEYWORDS: GOSPEL, GOD, LOVE, SHARE THE GOSPEL, SHARE HIS LOVE.