original posting: 06/18/2012
Years ago when I was traveling with the evangelist Lowell Lundstrom singing for his crusade ministry, I used to sing a song every Sunday morning called “Each One, Reach One”. Babbie Mason, of course, made this song popular and she sang it with so much conviction and passion, I fell in love with both her delivery and the message she shared with us all.
(a pic of me with the Lundstroms)
Very simple. Each one, reach one.
The task to “go into the world and preach the Gospel to every nation” is really a very simple one that could be accomplished quite quickly if every Christian would actually do just that. Which also reminds me that if every Christian would tithe to their local church – there would be no need for government assistance, no government tax system or health care option because the church would have more than enough money to take care of the widows, the fatherless – the poor. There would be abundance & we’d be looking for places to give the money because there would be more than enough! That’s God’s plan – 10% versus the 40% we pay to the government. But… that’s another blog.
Just the other day, I looked up some information online about the total population of the earth today. As of 2011, it is estimated that the population of the earth was approximately 6.9 Billion. The estimate is that by 2050 we may have a population of around 9 Billion people.
Here is the power of 10.
If I, as one person, reach 10 people
and that process is replicated by each one of them
and that is done 10 times over
… the total would be 10 Billion.
1 x 10 = 10
10 x 10 = 100
100 x 10 = 1000
1000 x 10 = 10,000
10,000 x 10 = 100,000
100,000 x 10 = 1,000,000
1,000,000 x 10 = 10,000,000
10,000,000 x 10 = 100,000,000
100,000,000 x 10 = 1,000,000,000
1,000,000,000 x 10 = 10,000,000,000.
Now, I know this is a little more than each ONE reaching ONE but seriously… do you know 10 people? Do those 10 people know 10 people that you don’t know? Well, of course they do. Talk about a grass-roots-revival! If every Christian would make it a commitment to find 10 people to talk to about Christ – and then pass on the challenge to each of those 10 to do the same… look at how the numbers begin to multiply! Wow… what a challenge to think about. Even if within the 10 people you talk to – half of them are Christians, you still have touched 10 lives and passed on the challenge for them to talk to 10 people.
What if just within your LIFETIME you simply worked toward the goal of sharing Christ with 10 people & passing on the challenge to do the same. The numbers are still the same….even over the course of the next 40 years, the population still will not have reached the 10 Billion mark.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Why have I not lived my life more PURPOSEFUL in this way? I know I have tried to live Christ-like but have I truly lived my life purposeful not only reach the people around me for Christ but to also challenge others to do the same. I would have to honestly answer, no. But I want to!
I leave you with the words to Babbie’s amazing song. I cried just now reading them. I want to do better than I have done in the past. I commit to reach one, and one, and one and….
Each One, Reach One
by Babbie Mason
Tonight a man is somewhere proclaiming the good news
Winning families to Jesus all around his neighborhood
He tells them that God is able to make their house a home
He wants to win his world for Christ, but he can’t do it alone
But each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one
The message is unchanging, “Go ye into all the world”
And share the love of Jesus far away or door to door
You see, just like somebody told you that Jesus loves you so
You must tell someone, who will tell someone,
Until the whole world knows
That each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one
So will you go and labor
Will you hold high your light
One by one and two by two
We can win our world for Jesus Christ
And each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one