A Heart for the Gospel

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes it away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it that it may bear more fruit. - John 15:2

One thing I've been touched with is the matter of the gospel. As a Christian, it's not normal to not bear fruit (to gain new believers). In John 15:2, a branch that does not bear fruit is taken away! Even if we read His word and love Him every day, if we do not preach the gospel and bear fruit, then there is something missing from our Christian living.

The first fellowship with the Anaheim Community teams started with prayer: prayer to consecrate ourselves for the gospel, prayer to love man, and prayer to let the Lord have His way in our being. Afterwards, there was a burden shared for a spirit of desperation. In my entire life, I'm not sure if I've ever been desperate before the Lord about preaching the gospel despite Him “[desiring] all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4).

However, this desperation for the gospel does not come out of nowhere. It requires much prayer and talking to the Lord. Do I love man the same way the Lord loves man? What names should I be burdened for in my heart?

My prayer is that He would duplicate His heart in me so He would make me a branch that bears fruit, and by His mercy be open to His pruning so that I would bear even more fruit (John 15:2).

I'm currently placed in the Anaheim District 3 Community team: preaching the gospel, caring for believers, and shepherding new ones here. The other team “categories” are Campus and Young People.

Here is a picture with part of my team after visiting some gospel contacts.

Here’s me hiding in the shade. The temperature reached triple digits this weekend, so every opportunity was taken to keep cool.