Go... An Unlikely Combination

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
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Knowing what’s important
When we tell someone something they are to do and it is very important, we might find ourselves repeating it. Or they may recognize its importance by the tone of voice used. You might also catch the gravity of the message by the time in which it is delivered.

Well, that scripture; the great commission to “go and make disciples” was originally given to Jesus’ 11 remaining disciples, before he ascended to heaven. Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead and spent 40 days proving He is alive. At one point He told them to go to Galilee and there He came to them. He first acknowledged He lived and then His victory and power over death. And Then He gave them the command. Yes, it was a command. He commanded them to continue the work He had begun and died to accomplish; reconciling man unto God.
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Think about it, If you call everyone together and it’s one of the last things you share with them before you are physically leaving them forever, you might deem it as important.

How “go” showed itself
It is funny how this word, “go,” has been a theme in Tom’s life, as God was orchestrating his path. Because the great commission was not just for the 11 disciples, but for all Christians, we too need to “go”.​​

​Tom was born in California where he and his family lived a comfortable life. It was also there where he met Jesus. He was baptized at the age of 9 and attended church faithfully. But as a young child, the word “go” was starting to take shape in his life, even if it was through the circumstances of his father. Tom’s dad decided to “go,” which meant Tom too had to “go.” Tom’s dad moved his family from California back to Arkansas, his hometown.

From day one in Arkansas, Tom’s living was a stark contrast to his previous life in California. He and his family moved almost 2,000 miles across the country. So instead of the big city, the countryside of Arkansas became his new home. Tom also mentioned that this move to the country also meant he and his family didn’t have any running water or indoor plumbing. 

Now, I grew up in the city, so it was not a thing for me, but I spent every summer in the country with my aunts who also didn’t have any running water or indoor plumbing, so I get the contrast.

For Tom, although times were hard, he learned valuable lessons that have served him well all through life.

The move to Arkansas also brought about other changes. In California, Tom and his family faithfully attended and participated in church and spiritual growth, but the move to Arkansas left them without a home church. In California they attended a Church of Christ church, but now living so far out they were unable to find one that was a good fit. So for a while, they had church in their home, but by the time Tom was 11 or 12 years of age, he and his family were no longer attending church at all.

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Although Tom drifted from God, God never drifted from him.
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As a young adult, Tom found himself working for a company that offered him a paycheck that paid the bills. It was not his dream job, but he didn’t even realize that. He was working and doing what he needed to do to be a productive citizen. Then one day he actually met the owner of the company who spent about 15 minutes with him asking him why he actually worked for his company. 

​At the onset of this short conversation; a short investment of time, the man changed the course of Tom’s life. Once again Tom was told to “go.” Yes, a short conversation with the owner and then he fired him. Not because Tom had done anything wrong, but the owner saw something more in him and told him to “go” and pursue it.

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​Later in Tom’s career he had a conversation with a co-worker who did not believe in Jesus. You see time spent away from the father can cause us to doubt. Remember, Satan is crafty in his words. He often gives us a lie, sprinkled with a little truth to cause us to be swayed.

The co-worker acknowledged that she didn’t believe in Christ and felt it was just a made up story. When we can reduce Christ and the Bible to a story and not history we can begin to doubt. So Tom agreed with her.

It’s important to see that God’s word will come to pass.  Proverbs 22:6 says, Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Sometimes we lose our way, but God is always waiting, with arms wide open to welcome us back.

Tom’s simple words, “I agree with you,” as he spoke to his co-worker about her perspective of Jesus, was the door where God stood with arms wide open. It was as if God said, “I am real. Come back to me.” Here God showed Himself to Tom through a physical illness. At the moment when it was hard to doubt that it was God.

And then the very next week, God was still making the appeal. Tom’s wife, Katrina, and kids had been attending church and the kids came home and wanted to know, not why but when were they going to begin attending church as a family. Again, God is saying to “go.” And he never turned back.

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Living for Christ doesn’t just make a difference in our lives, but it makes a difference for all those around us, for those who come to know us and for those who are even far from Christ. Because when we allow Christ to live in us, we are a light unto the world.
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Still telling him to “go”
As years would pass and Tom is still holding God’s unchanging hand, he finds himself in a new season of life. His girls are off at college and He is asking God to show him his next steps. 

​For years Tom had passed the green building that sits on the corners of N Locust Street and E 19th Street in North Little Rock, AR (STEP Ministries). This building sat on the edge of the Eastgate Terrace Housing Development, a housing complex for low income individuals and families.

Remember, Tom grew up poor in the country in Arkansas but he had carved out a good life for himself and his family. And I’m sure part of what he felt when he passed Eastgate is, “if I can do it, they can too.” He said he would think as he drove past the housing development, “Why don’t they go get jobs.” Do we see the word “go” again? And then it gets better. Tom would find himself judging the people who lived there, not even knowing them, and then God called him to “go” and get to know them.

STEP Ministries is an organization whose desire is to equip mentors to mentor students who will grow up and mentor. Well, these students were from the very housing development that Tom would pass with his many, “Why don’t they…” statements. God also took a man who knew God was telling him to “go,” but it terrified him to “go.”

It all comes together
So, do you see how it all fits together, If you are looking at it through the lens of the world, it might not make much sense, but through the lens of Christ, it comes into focus.

A 55-year old white man being called to “go,” which was terrifying in and of itself. But God was calling him to “go” to be in a mentoring relationship with middle and high school inner city students who came from families that he felt could be doing more.

Well, it is an unlikely combination from a worldly perspective, but it is the kind of relationship that God would bring together because the world would see it as unlikely, which means there must be something to it. This is how God gets the glory.

Remember how Tom said it terrified him to “go”? Well, God sent him to a place where going only meant showing up and being prepared to love a child. The rest of the work had been done.

Check out the YouTube video to hear the entire interview

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