The original disciples to whom Jesus spoke these words certainly were in a unique position to fulfill Jesus’ words as they were used by Him in a special way to begin the Church.

Missionaries who are committed to full-time ministry of spreading the Gospel through many venues in many places undoubtedly are ones who today can continue the advancement of this commission.

Church leaders whose responsibility it is to support and promote God’s mission undoubtedly have a strategic part in its fulfillment.

People with the spiritual gift of evangelism who have that special divine empowerment to share the Good News would especially be drawn toward the Great Commission.

What about all other Christians?  Is the Great Commission everybody’s responsibility?

Nowhere in the context of these verses do we read that Jesus intended to direct these words only to missionaries, church leaders, or people with the gift of evangelism. 

Verse 16 does let us know that He was speaking to the eleven disciples.  However His concluding words in verse 20, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” suggest this commission was to continue on past the original disciples. 

Are you a disciple of Jesus today?  You too have a responsibility to fulfill Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples.”

More on the Great Commission

Coordinators need to put systems into place to help prevent gossip but the temptation is great.  Training people to be aware of the signs that sharing is turning into gossip can be helpful in dealing with this problem.

Gossip in prayer chains often starts out benign.  The person has good intentions.  Nonetheless, gossip is gossip.

Here are a few signs that sharing is turning into gossip:

More is discussed than what was originally passed on. Regardless of the intent, unless the person for whom prayer is requested granted permission for more to be shared, adding to the request quickly turns into gossip.

A hint of judgmentalism accompanies what is shared.  Regardless of the extent, any criticism, even what is termed constructive, starts to turn the sharing into gossip.

Justification of why something was shared seems necessary.  Regardless of the rational, if why something is shared isn’t obvious, it very possibly should not be shared.

What was shared gets passed on to someone not on the prayer chain.  Regardless of who that person is, failure to protect confidences turns sharing into gossip.

When people identify these signs, they need to confront it right away in themselves or in others.

To prevent gossip-free sharing:

Develop a system whereby prayer requests are moderated before they get passed along.  Only information that is needed should be passed on.  Details are not always required for people to pray effectively.  In sensitive situations that could lend itself to gossip, eliminate much of the personal information.  Change wording of prayer requests if necessary.  In some cases you might choose to not even send a request along.  –  People need to be aware of all this when giving a prayer request.

Develop a criteria for what requests will be approved to be sent on the chain.  Perhaps you will not take third party requests unless that person is aware and approves of what is being shared.  Otherwise, perhaps it should go out anonymous with as minimal identifying data as possible.

Develop a process for sharing requests that minimizes the addition of content. Requests could be written down or e-mailed rather than passed along verbally.  Or, you could use a automated recorded voice going out to everyone on the prayer chain.

Develop a plan for who is a part of the prayer chain.  Who says prayer chains need to be all inclusive, of anybody and everybody who desires to be on it?  It could be better to have a few people people who are committed and willing to abide by certain policies that protect confidentiality and prevent gossip than many people some of whom will only want to be on the chain to be kept in the “know.”  Proverbs provides some help on who would be good to be on the prayer chain and who to avoid:

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. (Prov. 11:13)

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.  (Prov. 20:19)

Develop a means of training people who are on the prayer chain.  They need to be aware of the purpose and priority of it.  They also need to be aware of expectations that include keeping confidences and not gossiping.  Help them understand signs that the passing on of the prayer request is moving into gossip.  That will be the topic of the next post.  (Subscribe to receive e-mail notice of new posts.)

To perpetuate gossip-free sharing:

• Keep the high nature of what they are doing always before them.  It is a privilege, not a prerogative to be on the prayer chain.

 

• Keep mandatory guidelines always before them (privacy, confidentiality, etc.).

In keeping the above always before them, make sure you vary how you communicate it.  When always presented the same way, it becomes too easy to ignore it.

Begin by understanding the serious nature of gossip:

1. Gossip is a cancerous condition, eating away at you from the inside out.  “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”  (Prov. 18:8)
    
2. Gossip is a break in integrity.  “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” (Prov. 11:13)
    
3. Gossip is a symptom of a depraved mind out of fellowship with God (Rom. 1:28-32). When we gossip, we are giving in to the old sin nature.
    
4. Gossip is a divisive activity.  “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.” (Prov. 16:28)  If we are going to follow the teaching of Ephesians 4:3, to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” then we cannot gossip.
    
5. Gossip is a violation of love.   When we gossip it is like we are secretly slandering a person.  This is not the loving thing to do for “love does no harm to its neighbor” (Rom. 13:10).
    
6. Gossip is a tool in the devil’s hand. Gossip follows after the ways of Satan who is called an “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). The word “devil” means prone to slander, slanderous.  Remember the warning in Ephesians 4:27, “Do not give the devil a foothold.”

You can then see the negative effects on prayer when you consider that:

Gossip is a sin issue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Ps. 66:18)

If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.  (Prov. 28:9)

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isa. 59:1-2)

Gossip is a character issue.

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. (Prov. 15:8)

The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (Prov. 15:29)

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer  (1 Tim. 2:8)

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  (James 5:16)

Gossip is a contagion.

Joshua 7 relates the story of how one person’s sin brought judgment on the whole camp.  Though the sin was not gossip, the principle applies because sin is sin. 

Once you understand the serious nature of gossip, then you can see the negative effects it could have on prayer efforts like a prayer chain.

1)  God will not be pleased.

2)  God could turn a deaf ear to our prayers.

If you are aware of gossip infiltrating the prayer chain, then you need to follow biblical principles in confronting people:

Matt. 18:15 – Start by talking with offenders privately.

Gal. 6:1 – Approach people with the right heart attitude.

Eph. 4:15 – Speak the truth but do so in love.

As a coordinator of a prayer chain, you will not be able to control what everyone does.  You will not always be aware of gossip through the prayer chain.  One of your roles, therefore, is to help others on the prayer chain realize their responsibility in keeping the chain pure.  If someone starts to gossip, they should be encouraged to lovingly confront it.  Remind them of verses like the following:

Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. (1 Tim. 5:22)

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  (Eph. 5:11)

Prayer chains and other strategies of helping the body pray for one another must line up with the holy nature of God.  Deal with contagions like gossip.  Better yet, seek to prevent gossip by the way you develop these prayer efforts.  That will be the topic of the next post.  Subscribe to receive e-mail notice of new posts.

• beyond merely telling them what to do to solving the problem together
• beyond merely stopping the misbehavior to helping them become who they should be
• beyond merely dealing with symptoms to getting to the core of the issue
• beyond merely confronting the individual to protecting him/her and others from harm (physical, social, psychological, emotional, etc.)

To get beyond, you must have the right focus, purpose, and pursuit in disciplining:

Dignity must be guarded by avoiding tactics that ridicule, demean, or put them down.

Involvement in establishing rules and consequences must be sought to bring a greater sense of ownership.

Spirit of God must be at work to provide motivation and enablement to do good.

Character development must be essential so they become who they should “be” in Christ, not just “do” the right things.

Intrinsic Motivation must be the long-range objective, not mere outward conformity.

Peer Relationships must be protected by dealing with most issues privately as social acceptance and belonging are important.

Learning must be the goal requiring a conducive environment and an instructive purpose in disciplining.

Importance of the individual must be stressed which can eliminate much attention-getting behavior.

Needs must be met which requires discerning the core issues as needs usually motivate behavior.

Expectations must be communicated leaving them without excuse in bearing responsibility for their choices.

Learn more in the Handbook on the Basics of Classroom Discipline.

Salvation truly is a work of God.  Yet, we do not merely sit back in outreach and do nothing.  We have a part but it still gets back to God.  We work in cooperation with Him through His power as we follow His lead.  Let’s remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10 –

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1)  Proper Motivation (but in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord)

What is in our heart?  Are we seeking to please people or the Lord?

2) Consistency (always be prepared)

Consistently study the Word to be ready to consistently share Truth.  Being prepared to simply stand on a “soap box” about some issue is not what gains favor.

3)  Inclusiveness (give an answer to everyone)

One of the quickest ways to lose favor is to demonstrate bias in who we are willing to associate with.  We need to be willing to share with “everyone” who asks which sometimes might include those who make us uncomfortable.

4) Sensitivity  (give an answer to everyone who asks)

Timing is not everything but it sure does help to keep pace with the Spirit’s work in people’s lives. Pushing what we have to say on people who are not ready is like throwing your pearls to the pigs.  “If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6).

5)  Positive Focus   (give the reason for the hope that you have)

This doesn’t mean that you never confront what’s wrong in this world (sin), but that you encase it in hope, not condemnation.  Jesus came to bring the hope of salvation (Jn. 3:16-17).  While people need to understand that they are sinners in need of a Savior, put your focus on the solution to people’s problems not the problem.  That’s what people want to know.

6)  Godly Attitudes (do this with gentleness and respect)

As the saying goes, the end does not justify the means.  But notice, the “how-to” is not about technique but deals with attitude.  This is “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).  “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

7)  Accountability  (keeping a clear conscience)

At the end of the day, you must give an answer to God.  Did you reach out with His love to the people around you?  Did you reach out without compromising truth?

Gaining favor without compromising truth doesn’t mean people will always agree with you.  And, it doesn’t mean no one will ever speak out against you.  However, when we follow all of the above principles, those who malign you will be the ones in shame – “keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Let’s examine ourselves and ask God to bring us into alignment with 1 Peter 3:15-16 so those who speak ill of the church today are not justified in their accusations.