Connectivity and the Great Commission
One of the great cultural changes of the times we’re in; that we’re all connected more easily wherever we are in the world.
When the disciples were first given the what we know as the Great Commission, they were tasked with sharing the gospel everywhere from the people around them to “the ends of the earth.”
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This was a command from Jesus to his disciples but it extends to you and me. Then, travel to communicate or send a letter, it was primarily by foot. Today, there are still isolated parts of the world in which missionaries work to earn the trust of a community in order to minister to them and preach the gospel but at the same time, we can get a coded message to a missionary in China with a few taps on an app on our phone.
Technology makes it easy for Cowboys of the Cross to be partnered with cowboys from the ranch to the rodeo sides of the cowboy culture across the United States and Canada. It’s one of our partners across the country from Bandera, in North Carolina, that is giving us a glimpse into how connected we are and how we can creatively share the gospel around the world. Jesse was a bull rider that has gone on to become the pastor of a small church. Jesse and his family are currently hosting two foreign exchange students for the next ten months: one from France and one from Vietnam who has been raised Buddhist.
But here’s the extra cool thing: while the program is not Christian- based, the woman tasked with finding host families, is a Christian. Because of her belief in the Great Commission, tries to find as many Christian host families as she can.
Finding Jesse, his family and his church, was a windfall for the program coordinator because the two students will attend church with Jesse and his family and get to experience Christian living with a pastor. And not only has their first of the two students had a chance to attend a church service, he’s also been to a rodeo and seen Jesse lead cowboy church behind the chutes. It’s hard to find a better American experience than the pride-filled experience of a rodeo Saturday night and a worship service on Sunday in a 106-year-old church. But imagine as Jesse and the program coordinator make The Great Commission a priority in their lives, if a Buddhist student was to respond to the gospel during this time and goes back to his end of the earth to tell others about Jesus.
Cowboys of the Cross is a rodeo/ bull riding ministry that leads cowboy church services at events and maintains an online presence to share the gospel and make disciples among the ranch and rodeo community. They can be found at CowboysOfTheCross.com