God did not write the Gospel in the sky. He chose people like you and me to carry it. This past Sunday, Pastor Patrick brought his first message as First Baptist Powder Springs’ new Missions Pastor, continuing the Counter Culture series with a look at biblical conversations from John 4 and the story of Jesus and the woman at the well.
Sent Into the World, Not Shaped by It
Pastor Patrick opened with Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Jesus did not ask the Father to take His followers out of the world. He asked the Father to keep them from the evil one and to sanctify them in the truth. As the Father sent Jesus into the world, Jesus sends us into the world.
That is why believers are not teleported to heaven the moment they are saved. God has called us to live in the world without being changed by it. We are sent into the world to change it.
The question is how. Pastor Patrick’s answer was simple. Through countercultural conversations. Specifically, Gospel conversations.
He was honest that talking to people can feel awkward. He told the story of his first speech in a college public speaking class, a five-minute talk on how to throw a slider that left the entire room confused. Speaking was never something he would have picked for himself. God called him to it anyway.
That is the good news for anyone who feels unqualified. Romans 1:16 says the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. It is not about how well you speak or how impressive your testimony sounds. The power is in the Gospel itself. All you need is the Gospel and the faith to share it.
He also made a point worth sitting with. Sharing the Gospel is one of the clearest displays of faith a believer can offer. When you share it, you are saying you believe this message has the power to change a heart. Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. God has not given us another plan.
Biblical Conversations Are Uncomfortable
John 4:4 says Jesus had to pass through Samaria. He was tired from His journey and sat down beside a well around noon.
Pastor Patrick did the math. The trip from Judea to Galilee was roughly ninety miles on foot. At an easy walking pace, that is around thirty hours of walking, on rough roads, in thin sandals, while ministering to crowds along the way. Jesus was exhausted.
He found comfort in that. Jesus understands being worn out. Pastor Patrick shared that his three-year-old has recently decided bedtime is optional, turning on every light and the TV at 2:00 in the morning. Between two jobs and two little ones, he knows tired. Jesus knows it too, and He still stepped straight into the conversation when the woman arrived.
He also pointed out that many Jews avoided Samaria entirely, taking a longer route around it. Yet Scripture says Jesus had to go through. His obedience to the Father led Him to that well. He did not let comfort, schedule, or cultural barriers stand in the way.
Pastor Patrick shared a thought from Anne Ortlund, who observed that most souls are won by tired people and most ministry is carried by people who are worn out from serving. Comfort is not wrong in itself, but it can be dangerous. Being uncomfortable in the service of King Jesus is often exactly where we learn to trust Him most.
Countercultural Conversations Are for Everyone
Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a drink, and she was stunned. Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. On top of that, a Jewish man would not have spoken publicly to a woman like this at all.
In any other circumstance, with any other rabbi, the conversation never happens. Jesus had every reason not to talk to her. He talked to her anyway.
Pastor Patrick connected this to Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus reached the moral religious leader and the immoral Samaritan outcast with the same message, because both needed the same salvation. The Gospel is not limited to the educated, the put together, or the morally impressive. No matter the barrier, the Gospel is for everyone.
Countercultural Conversations Are Gospel Conversations
John 4:10-14 shows Jesus using something ordinary to point to something eternal. They were both at the well for the same reason, to get water on a hot day. Jesus used that shared need to point her to her greatest need. Whoever drinks the water He gives will never be thirsty again.
Pastor Patrick admitted this is not how most of us talk to strangers. Our conversations usually sound like what do you do, where are you from, and who is your college football team. Go Dogs, he added.
Those questions are not bad. They are the first step. Your story, your job, your hometown, even your football team can all be bridges into a relationship. Just do not stop at the bridge. People may not want to hear about your faith, but the real question is whether they need to. The Gospel is the only thing that can produce faith in someone’s heart.
Countercultural Conversations Are Faith-Filled Conversations
As the conversation continued, Jesus told the woman things about her past she had never shared with anyone. He knew her completely, and He pursued her anyway. When she said she knew the Messiah was coming, Jesus answered, I who speak to you am He.
Pastor Patrick paused here. Jesus sees you and knows you too. Through your failures, your bad days, and your good days, He pursues you. Romans 5:8 says God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He asked the room to remember the person God sent to share the Gospel with them. A grandparent. A friend. A pastor. The fact that you believe today is evidence that Jesus pursued you through someone who was willing to speak up.
The woman responded by leaving her water jar and running into town to tell everyone about Jesus. John 4:39 says many Samaritans believed because of her testimony, and many more believed after hearing Jesus for themselves.
Pastor Patrick quoted a former pastor of his who said Jesus is the king of knocking people off the fence. You cannot truly encounter Him and stay indifferent. Jesus takes everyday people and turns them into missionaries.
The Harvest Is Plentiful
Pastor Patrick serves as a church planting catalyst with the North American Mission Board in addition to his role at First Baptist. He shared that roughly 10.9 million people live in Georgia, and an estimated seven million of them do not know Jesus.
He gave three responses.
Pray. Luke 10:2 says the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few, so pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers. Jesus did not ask people to pull their weight. He asked them to pray. Pastor Patrick added a gentle warning. As you pray for laborers, do not be surprised if God answers, that laborer is you.
Live as missionaries. The missionaries he works with are trained to engage their city with the Gospel, make disciples, and let a church grow out of that work. That is our calling too. Use your passions and gifts to point people to Jesus where you live, work, and play.
Share the story. For anyone who has never shared the Gospel, he offered a simple tool called the Three Circles. The first circle is God’s design, a world created very good. The second is brokenness, where sin entered and we keep chasing relationships, substances, and anything else to fill the gap. The third is the Gospel, where Jesus lived a sinless life, died in our place, and rose again. Through repentance and faith, He brings us back toward God’s design. You can sketch it on a napkin. There is even a free Three Circles app to learn and practice.
He was clear that the tool is not the point. Sharing the Gospel is the point. If you already share regularly, keep going.
Live It Out
This week, start by thanking God for the person He sent to share the Gospel with you. Then ask Him to show you who your well is. A coworker, a neighbor, a teammate’s parent, the barista you see every morning.
Pray by name for three people in your life who do not know Jesus. Look for one ordinary moment this week where a normal conversation could turn toward something eternal. If you have never shared the Gospel before, download the Three Circles app and practice it with a friend or family member first.
You do not need perfect words. You need the Gospel and the faith to share it. The power belongs to God.
There’s a Seat for You
Whether you have shared your faith a hundred times or never once, you belong here. We are a church that believes God still sends ordinary people into ordinary places with the extraordinary message of Jesus.
Plan Your Visit and come be part of what God is doing here. Or take your next step and Get Connected with our church family. We would love to go on mission with you.