Why We Do That

Written by Sergei Sosedkin, BTGMI Russian ministry leader

I host a live call-in radio program in Russia where we introduce a biblical view on various culturally relevant topics. People are encouraged to call and ask questions about the content. We receive a variety of calls; not all of them are friendly. 

A few weeks ago, a very confrontational person called and rudely demanded, “Why do you keep preaching your Jesus?”

At first I didn’t appreciate his attitude, but the more I thought about it, I realized it was a valid question. Why do we end each program with an invitation to come back to God, to know Jesus?

Upon recent visits with donors in Canada, I was inspired. I asked myself a related question. Why do they want to support our missions work? Most of them aren’t extremely wealthy; they all have their own personal struggles, pain, and doubt. Yet they are prompted to pray for our ministry and support us financially. 

Why? They testify that they’ve seen God at work in their lives and are excited to see God using our ministry to bring hope in Christ to others. 

But how do we present the Gospel in a world dominated by anger, hatred, despair, divisiveness? 

In his 1979 speech A Crisis of Confidence, Jimmy Carter quoted someone who visited him at the White House: “Stop cursing and start praying.”

I couldn’t be angry at the rude caller who challenged me. We are placed on earth for a purpose: to love God, love others, and be a living testimony to Christ’s love. God calls us to be prayerfully bold in speaking His Word of truth and love. 

We humbly speak because God has spoken. We boldly speak because we cannot be silent. We lovingly speak because our neighbors nearby and across the world need to know the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ alone. 

How is God calling you to speak His message?