S1: This is Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. I'm Wayne Shepherd,
S1: and today we're looking back at one of history's most
S1: inspiring examples. Mark, of how a single life surrender to
S1: God can change the world. Most people know about Saint
S1: Patrick's Day, which we observed recently. The real story behind
S1: the holiday is pretty amazing, though, isn't it?
S2: It really is, Wayne. And this is an amazing story, actually.
S2: Here's a young man who's kidnapped, enslaved, escapes, and feels
S2: God calling him back to witness and evangelize the very
S2: people that enslaved him. Love it. And really, his obedience
S2: and listening to God change an entire nation. And we
S2: don't believe that his story should be isolated. And our
S2: story may not change a nation, but our story can
S2: change families, communities, marriages, coworkers. And so we believe that
S2: everybody has a call upon their life they need to
S2: respond to.
S1: I believe this will be a powerful discussions, so stay
S1: with us on bold steps. And welcome to a special
S1: Bold Steps edition with Mark Jobe. Mark is senior pastor
S1: of New Life Community Church in Chicago and also president
S1: of Moody Bible Institute. You know, Mark, when we look
S1: at the story of someone like Saint Patrick of Ireland,
S1: it's remarkable to see how God took what seemed like
S1: a tragedy. You mentioned kidnapped at 16 years of age.
S1: And but it turned into something that would impact generations.
S1: It really speaks to a broader truth of who God is,
S1: doesn't it?
S2: It does. Wayne and I wish that maybe you're one
S2: of those people that celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Maybe you
S2: have Irish background, or maybe you just like to put
S2: green on and celebrate.
S1: Yeah.
S2: Um, and, you know, unfortunately, here in Chicago, I think
S2: Saint Patrick's Day has turned into a big time of
S2: partying and getting drunk and dressing.
S1: Excessively, right? Yeah.
S2: And here we actually dye the river green. But this
S2: guy was a very strong evangelist with the call of
S2: God upon his heart.
S1: Let's not lose sight of that.
S2: I'm drawn to people like what we call Saint Patrick
S2: because of the willingness to say, God, I will go
S2: to the hard places because I feel compelled, not because
S2: I want to, but because I feel compelled by your
S2: spirit to go to because your calling is more important
S2: than my desires. You know, I grew up in a
S2: family that made some tough decisions like this. You know,
S2: my parents were from northern Indiana. Grandfather grew up as
S2: a foreman in the steel mills, but my father and
S2: mother had never been out of the country, but felt
S2: this compelling desire to go to the mission field after
S2: they came to know Jesus.
S1: That's the call of God.
S2: It was the call of God. Yeah, I was six
S2: months old and they packed everything in barrels, got on
S2: a ship, moved to Costa Rica, then moved to Chile.
S2: After a few years there, they felt like we want
S2: to go to a place that has no evangelical churches,
S2: no Bible believing church. We want to go to places
S2: where people have not clearly heard the gospel. And so
S2: my father traveled around on a motorcycle through Spain with
S2: a couple of other guys. They found a city that
S2: had no evangelical churches of 130,000 people. And they said,
S2: this is where we're going to go. Met in a
S2: horse stable for five years. Now, in that city, there
S2: are hundreds and hundreds of believers, multiple churches, and my
S2: father is buried outside of that city.
S1: And your mother still calls it home.
S2: And my mother, who's 87, still lives in Spain. Amazing woman.
S2: So I feel deeply that sense that when God calls,
S2: we respond. You say, well, I don't think I'm going
S2: to go to Africa or Europe anytime soon. But I
S2: do believe that you have a calling upon your life,
S2: and it may be your relatives who they're not that
S2: sympathetic to your Christianity, but you know that you need
S2: to love them, or a neighbor, or a neighborhood, or
S2: a ministry, or your work partners that God is saying,
S2: you know, I've put you in this place. Not an
S2: easy place, a hard place, but you need to be
S2: bold and you need to be willing to risk for
S2: the gospel of Jesus.
S1: That's the message today on bold Steps. And Mark, you
S1: gave a message recently that reinforces this message. Let's have
S1: our listeners listen to this.
S2: We want to make a difference in this world. It
S2: doesn't just happen. We roll up our sleeves.
S3: And we sow seeds. And the more you sow, the
S3: more you reap. The more you reap, the more seeds
S3: you have to sow even more. That's the way it
S3: works in the kingdom of God. And Jesus said, hey,
S3: raise your eyes. Look at the harvest. There's a lot
S3: of people out there that need God. A lot of
S3: people out there that need God. The problem is, there's
S3: not a lot of people willing to work at helping
S3: people encounter God. There's not a lot of workers. Jesus
S3: says the problem is not the harvest. The problem is,
S3: I can't find anybody to put a little work into this.
S3: I'm looking at the fields and hey, they're being spoiled.
S3: They're going to waste because I can't find anybody willing
S3: to roll up their sleeves and say, hey, God, use me.
S3: I'm willing to be used that this is not about
S3: a bad harvest. This is about people willing to roll
S3: up their sleeves and really work at what God has
S3: called them to do. Our neighborhoods are not going to
S3: change by themselves. They're going to change. When a people
S3: of God rises up and says, we're not waiting for
S3: the government to change Chicago, we're not blaming it on
S3: the school system. We're not blaming it on the police officers.
S3: We're not saying, alderman. What are you going to do
S3: about it? What's the alderman going to do about it?
S3: It's the people of God that have the power to
S3: change people's lives. It's the people of God that bring hope.
S3: And faith is the people of God that change marriages
S3: and children. We are a force for change. Too many
S3: churches are sitting back whining and complaining about when is
S3: someone else going to make a difference? And politicians are
S3: scratching their heads saying, we don't know how to make
S3: a difference. And I'm saying, why are we waiting? We
S3: are the people of God with power and strength. You say, well, pastor,
S3: they have the budget and all the money. That's right.
S3: You don't need a lot of money to make a
S3: big difference. How about it? So Jesus says, look up,
S3: raise your eyes. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers
S3: are few.
S1: The fields are ripe unto harvest. Huh, Mark?
S2: I believe it, And I do think that so many
S2: times as believers we think, I hope someone else solves
S2: the problem. But you know, Wayne, as you look at
S2: the history of Christianity, it's been believers that have stepped up.
S2: The school system that we have right now, the early
S2: schools across America were primarily started by Christians bringing education.
S2: A lot of the hospitals in this country were they
S2: have Christian names right now, and they have sort of
S2: Bible names, because the people that started them were believers
S2: that said, we need to bring health care to these
S2: areas that don't have health care. So I do believe
S2: that the church needs to recapture its heart, its vision,
S2: its mission to say, let's not wait around for other
S2: people to do it. We have a call. Let's step
S2: in and do it ourselves.
S1: And when we pray for God's leading, very often we're
S1: expecting something dramatic. God, give me something big to do.
S1: You know, something that's going to make a huge impact
S1: when in fact, he wants us to be faithful in
S1: the little things along the way.
S2: That's right. And by the way, let me say this.
S2: Most big impacts start very small. Yeah, we don't get
S2: these lightning bolts from heaven typically. It's usually small faithfulness
S2: that starts to have a snowball effect. And then years later,
S2: someone that's just been faithful to their call looks back
S2: and sees the tremendous impact. I think of a Sunday
S2: school teacher in Boston who wasn't a great orator, didn't
S2: have a huge Sunday school, Mr. Kimball, but he had
S2: a heart to be faithful with the teenagers that he
S2: had in Sunday school. And so one day, because of
S2: that heart of faithfulness, he visited a shoe store where
S2: a 17 year old boy was working, and he poured
S2: out his heart and the gospel. And this young boy
S2: in the back of the shoe store gave his life
S2: to Christ. Well, his name was D.L. Moody, and Kimball
S2: led him faithfully to the Lord. Little did he know
S2: that Kimball's faithfulness would have repercussions in D.L. Moody would
S2: go on to speak to 120 million people face to
S2: face in his life, and lead literally millions of people
S2: to Christ. But Kimball was simply being faithful to his call,
S2: and that's what we're talking about.
S1: That's a great example. And I'm thinking of your own example, Mark,
S1: of that first little church that you took over as
S1: pastor in Chicago, and how it's grown into a network
S1: of churches throughout the whole Chicago area.
S2: Yeah. And little did we know, I was 21 years
S2: old and stepped into this little church of 18 people
S2: in a really tough neighborhood, and God doesn't call us
S2: to do big things. He calls us to be faithful
S2: to a big God that does big things.
S1: Well, that's a great start, Mark, but we're going to
S1: continue this special edition of Bold Steps. So I invite
S1: everyone to stay with us now. Well, before we continue
S1: our discussion on this special edition of Bold Steps, we
S1: want to tell you about a powerful resource that is
S1: especially relevant to anyone who's feeling a little overwhelmed by
S1: the chaos of our times. Mark, can we talk about this?
S2: Yeah, I love this resource, by the way, and I've
S2: spoken on a couple of occasions to the author. His
S2: name is Mark Sayers, lives in Australia.
S1: Does he? I didn't know.
S2: That. Yeah, and just a great guy, a really sharp
S2: thinker on culture and what God is doing. And the
S2: book is called A Non-anxious presence. I love the title
S2: of the book because Mark makes a compelling argument that
S2: what the world needs today is Christians that don't get
S2: sucked into the anxiety of the rest of the world.
S2: But when we are a non-anxious presence full of hope
S2: that that is the beginning point to begin to change
S2: our world.
S1: The title makes you think, doesn't it?
S2: Yeah. He subtitles it, by the way, how a changing
S2: and complex world will create a remnant of renewed Christian leaders.
S1: Now, this resource couldn't be more timely. God is moving
S1: in powerful ways, even through circumstances that may seem chaotic.
S1: Learn to recognize divine opportunities in the midst of disruption,
S1: and lead others with wisdom and hope. By requesting your
S1: copy of a Non-anxious presence, we'll send it to you
S1: with your gift of any size. To support bold steps,
S1: you can easily donate through a number of ways by
S1: going online to Bold Steps. Org or calling us at
S1: 800 D.L. Moody. That's (800) 356-6639 or even sending a check
S1: in the mail. Just address your envelope to bold steps.
S1: 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And welcome
S1: back to the special edition of Bold Steps with our speaker,
S1: Mark Jobe and Wayne Shepherd. Now, Mark was seen such
S1: amazing growth in this ministry just recently. We're excited to
S1: welcome new listeners from major stations like K Wave and
S1: Southern California. Uh, let's see, there's Kcby in Dallas, Historic
S1: Christian Station there, Edgewater, Florida, Wcto. And you've got some
S1: that you're thinking of, too.
S2: Yeah, I'm thinking of the bridge that this is just
S2: recent last month or so, and that broadcast through all
S2: of New York City from new Jersey. And I tell
S2: you what, we God is just opening some incredible doors
S2: internationally as well. We get, uh, contacts from people that
S2: are listening, not just through, uh, terrestrial radio, but also
S2: through the internet. And so we get from all kinds
S2: of countries around the world, hey, I listen to Bold
S2: Steps on a regular basis, and I say, do we
S2: have a station there or they're just listening.
S1: To the radio.
S2: App, which is amazing.
S1: Well, and I know we can't cover them all, but
S1: we're so grateful for each and every one. There's Faith
S1: radio Minneapolis reaching the Upper Midwest and so many of
S1: our great partners who carry bold steps. So thank you
S1: to our stations. Maybe our listeners can say thank you
S1: to those stations as well. That would be a real
S1: help to us. Absolutely. Okay. Well, we're talking about a
S1: very special lesson here today that we learned from the
S1: life of Patrick of Ireland how one person's obedience can multiply. Mark.
S2: Yeah. As we think of Patrick, we just recently celebrated
S2: Saint Patrick's Day. But as we think of his impact,
S2: we're inspired to challenge all of our listeners to remember
S2: you have a call on your life, and our calls
S2: look different, our gifting is different, but we're all called.
S2: There's so many stories that come to my mind and
S2: so many people that I know that have been launched
S2: out from Moody Bible Institute. So many testimonies, but I'm
S2: always amazed how people simply say, God, I'm probably not qualified.
S2: I probably don't have what's necessary, but I simply want
S2: to say I'm available and I'm surrendered. And usually God
S2: takes that sort of spirit and attitude and he's able
S2: to multiply it. He's able to compound it with his power,
S2: and his spirit is able to do some incredible things.
S1: Yeah. Mark, I've been in radio for many, many years,
S1: and I often have people say, how do I get
S1: to do what you do? Little do they realize you've
S1: got to start with the small things. I mean, start
S1: at your church and volunteer to narrate scripture in your
S1: church or something.
S2: Yeah, even as I think of my own journey and story,
S2: I think of things that we started very, very small,
S2: just out of a sense of call. For example, 20
S2: years ago I was driving down Kedzie Avenue, which is
S2: a street in Chicago, and I was doing visitation with
S2: two other people in the car, and I saw a
S2: teenager that looked familiar. And when I looked closer, I realized, hey,
S2: that's a teenager that I haven't seen in church for
S2: a long time. So as a good pastor, I stopped
S2: the car. I got out of the car and I yelled, hey, hey!
S2: And I started chasing after him. There he was. And
S2: he said, oh, pastor, I didn't know it was you.
S2: And his name was Freddie. I said, Freddie, where've you been?
S2: He's 16 years old. He had his leg bandaged up
S2: because he'd been shot in the leg. Gang activity. The
S2: kids he was hanging out with were gang affiliated. And
S2: so I talked to Freddie, prayed with him. But when
S2: I walked out of there, I thought we got to
S2: do more for kids like Freddie. I said, when I
S2: get a chance, we're going to open up a center
S2: for youth like Freddie that need more help. And so
S2: it was a couple of years later, we didn't have
S2: a budget, but we're going to open up new life centers.
S2: We had little resources. 20 years later, New Life Centers
S2: has almost 300 people on staff working throughout Chicago in
S2: so many places with, you know, 1500 youth a week
S2: being mentored. We didn't have all the resources. We just said, Lord,
S2: here's a burden. Let's start small and see what you do.
S2: And so I want to challenge you. You may have
S2: a burden, but not a master plan. The resources or
S2: even the gifts that you think you need. And I
S2: want to say it starts with a burden and a
S2: heart that says, here I am, Lord, use me and
S2: watch what God does.
S1: Mark, thanks for that great challenge. I think that's so
S1: encouraging for listeners who maybe feel like their contribution doesn't matter.
S1: Every great movement of God started with individual people simply
S1: saying yes to whatever he put in front of them.
S1: That's such an important lesson. You know, maybe right now
S1: you are looking for new ways to start living on
S1: mission right where you are with what you have. And
S1: perhaps one of the ways is to become more than
S1: just a listener of bold steps and actually become part
S1: of this ministry. You can sign up as a bold partner.
S1: Through your monthly support, you'll be putting money directly to
S1: use for the advancement of the gospel, expanding your own
S1: ministry impact beyond borders and across the world. Plus, let
S1: me say that when you give a gift a monthly
S1: gift of $30 or more, you'll also receive a number
S1: of personal benefits as well, including discounts on moody publisher items,
S1: their special bonus content from Mark, and much more. So
S1: becoming a bold partner is quick and easy when you
S1: go to bold steps. Org Mark. It's just such a
S1: a wonderful thing to partner with listeners.
S2: It really is. And we just want to say we're
S2: blown away by the open doors that God has given us.
S2: I'm touched deeply by some of the gifts that people give. Like,
S2: we sometimes will get gifts from prisoners that are serving
S2: sentences in prison and just say, you know, I don't
S2: have a job, I don't have much. But you've touched
S2: my heart and I want to give. And I'm like,
S2: oh man, that touches my heart. I have a list
S2: in front of me of people that are giving from
S2: all over the country, like Robert, who's in Belchertown, Massachusetts.
S2: We have Sasha in Chicago, Robert in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vance
S2: from Akron, Ohio, Ray from Painesville, Ohio, Angel from sunrise, Florida,
S2: Brenda from surprise, Arizona. Robert from Athens, Tennessee. Francis from Columbia,
S2: South Carolina. Sabrina from Hampshire, Illinois.
S1: They're from all over the place.
S2: They're from all over the place. And I just want
S2: to say thank you from the bottom of our heart
S2: for just your support of this ministry, because some of
S2: you are giving for people that can't give. And when
S2: we hear people from certain parts of Africa that I
S2: know wouldn't be able to give much, but that Muslim youth,
S2: that his family is against him. But he came to
S2: Christ listening to bold steps secretly that touches my heart,
S2: or that prisoner that says, I came to know Jesus.
S2: Because of this program, I don't have much to give.
S2: And I say, hey, this is worth it.
S1: We work hard to make this more than a one
S1: way conversation. We love hearing from listeners, so contact us
S1: today through our website Bold Steps. Org. Sometimes you have
S1: a question for Mark and that's okay too. Here's a
S1: question that comes from a listener. Mark. It came on
S1: our recorded line, which I'll tell you how to use
S1: this option for your own questions in just a moment.
S1: But here's what this caller had to say.
S4: Hi there. I'm listening to today's broadcast and I am
S4: a very devout Catholic Christian. He brought up the topic
S4: of idolization specifically like replicating Jesus and bowing down to
S4: some type of sculpture. I was questioned once for wearing
S4: a cross around my neck and was told that that
S4: is a form of idolization just as much as the
S4: Christians and the Catholics wear crosses and rosaries. But you know,
S4: I know it's a representation. I'm not idolizing that actual
S4: piece of material, but others are interpreting us wearing that
S4: as such. And just curious his thoughts on this topic.
S4: Thank you.
S2: That's a great question. Thank you for asking that. By
S2: the way, I grew up in Spain, where over 90%
S2: was Catholic, so I grew up with just tons of
S2: Catholic friends and know that culture very well. I would
S2: say this. That's a good question. The Bible does speak
S2: specifically about not making any image in the form of God,
S2: because we would be tempted to start to pray to
S2: it and idolize it. And so the Bible is very
S2: strong about not making images that we would associate anything
S2: divine with. However, symbols are different and I don't have
S2: any problem with the person that has a cross symbol.
S2: The early believers had a fish symbol, and the cross is.
S2: It's a representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of
S2: Jesus of Christianity. Now, as long as people aren't praying
S2: to that cross, touching it in a magical way, thinking
S2: that it has some sort of special magical power, I
S2: have no problem with people wearing crosses. I have more
S2: of an issue if the cross has the image of Jesus.
S2: I prefer a plain cross because it's a symbol of
S2: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, not an image
S2: of Jesus himself. And so if you are wearing a
S2: plain cross to remind you of what Jesus has done,
S2: or if you have a cross in your house, I
S2: have no problem with that. Churches have crosses on steeples
S2: and so don't feel guilty over that. Just make sure
S2: you don't pray to that cross, worship that cross, or
S2: in any way idolize that cross.
S1: Good question and good answer. Thank you Mark. And if
S1: you have a question you'd like to hear, Mark answer,
S1: let me tell you how to reach us. You can
S1: give us a call and leave your message on a
S1: recorded line by dialing 312329 2011. That's (312) 329-2011. You can
S1: also leave that message online through our website. Bold steps.
S1: Org or use the old fashioned mail if you'd like,
S1: and write to us at Bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago,
S1: Illinois 606 ten. And let me also say that we
S1: are committed to praying for our listeners. Mark. As a
S1: matter of fact, we do this often as a staff
S1: behind the scenes and sometimes on the radio. But every
S1: prayer request is read that we receive.
S2: It is. And I just want to say thank you
S2: for entrusting us with some of your burdens. Um, we
S2: do know that there is a lot of difficult situations
S2: out there. And I just if you're in a tough
S2: situation financial health wise in a marriage that's difficult or
S2: any other, we just want to say that you're not alone.
S2: And we want to encourage you to know that the
S2: God of the universe sees you and cares for you.
S2: And so our heart goes out. We're praying for people
S2: like Rachel, who's dealing with healthy boundaries with their family,
S2: or Christy, who's battling some struggle with depression, anxiety. Elizabeth,
S2: who is praying for her husband to really be touched
S2: of God and turn around an angel who's praying for
S2: his church to get on target together. We're praying for
S2: some of you, like Concepcion, that's praying for a lot
S2: of her family that needs to come to know Jesus.
S2: So many, so many prayer requests. I want to pause
S2: right now and just pray. But I want you to
S2: know that we read through these. We pray for these.
S2: I want to remind you not to give up, because
S2: the God of the universe hears you when you pray
S2: in Jesus name, empowered by the spirit. Father, we pray
S2: for those that are struggling with depression, anxiety, emotional challenges.
S2: We pray for those that are have loved, ones that
S2: are battling with cancer, those that are in marriages that
S2: seem to be falling apart, those that have prodigal sons
S2: and daughters that really burden them, uh, those that have
S2: aging parents that are struggling, those that are between jobs
S2: right now and finances are tight, those that are struggling
S2: with their faith right now and just trying to regain
S2: healthy spirituality. You see the prayer request, father, we lift
S2: them before you. We thank you, God, that you are
S2: the God that cares, the God that sees. The God
S2: that responds to our prayers. And when we turn to
S2: you and seek you with all our heart. And so
S2: we pray that you would move powerfully the way that
S2: only you know how to do in these lives and
S2: in these families and these situations. And we ask this
S2: and praise you in Jesus name. Amen.
S1: Amen. Thank you, Mark. And by the way, there's an
S1: email address you can use to send us your prayer requests.
S1: It's bold steps@moody.edu bold steps@moody.edu. Well thank you Mark. I
S1: trust this special edition of Bold Steps has been a
S1: blessing to many of our listeners. And we'll do this
S1: again real soon on a special occasion.
S2: Okay, absolutely. It's been fun and I hope you've enjoyed
S2: this special edition. Not the preaching program, but what we
S2: try to do is take a topic that maybe you've
S2: asked about or our listeners are interested in, and just
S2: talk a little bit more in depth about it. It's
S2: been fun to do.
S1: Wayne, hope you have a great weekend. We'll see you
S1: next time on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps
S1: is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody
S1: Bible Institute.