Our Cause as believers in Jesus is to share his Good News with those we encounter and to make disciples of those who respond (Matthew 28:18-20.) Some call it “The Great Commission.” I call it “The Cause.” There are a ton of good causes out there that we, as believers, can and should be a part of. But there is one overarching, great Cause that every believer is called to as their primary mission in life. It is the call to reach the lost, disciple those who respond, and train them to do the same.
This is the Cause that drove the disciples in the Gospels and the early church throughout the book of Acts. This Cause, THE Cause, has been at the epicenter of every spiritual awakening over the last 2,000 years.
Your Cause Turf is a nickname for the place where God has called you to invest much of your outreach efforts. In Acts 1:8 Jesus calls us to be his witnesses starting in “Jerusalem.”
Our Turf is our Jerusalem, the place God’s Spirit is calling us to reach with the gospel. If you’re a student it’s likely your school and circle of friends. If you’re a youth leader it’s probably the teens within a geographic region where you minister (think of teens within specific streets to the North, South, East and West of your church.) If you’re an adult it’s probably the people at your work and in your neighborhood.
A Cause Turf should be so big that you must recruit others to join you if you have any chance of getting it accomplished. Teenagers, this means recruiting other Christian teens to pray with you weekly and to join you in accomplishing this Cause. Youth leaders, this means building a Gospel Advancing network with other willing youth leaders who will work together until #everyteeneverywhere within your collective Cause Turf hears the gospel from a friend.
By the way, a great way to fast track this process for youth leaders is by registering your youth group to participate in Lead THE Cause Virtual (www.leadthecause.org) this summer!
Your Cause Turf should be so BIG that it forces you to call out to God in faith to make it happen. It should be so BOLD that it calls out other passionate Christians to be a part of it. So I ask you, where is your Cause Turf? If you don’t have one sit down and prayerfully identify it right now. If you do have one please list it below so I can pray for you.